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Monthly Archives: December 2022

Cheap travel insurance to tenerife: Tenerife Travel Insurance | InsureandGo

Опубликовано: December 2, 2022 в 7:46 pm

Автор:

Категории: Miscellaneous

Travel Insurance for Tenerife – Just Travel Cover

With year-round sunshine Tenerife is one of the most popular destinations for UK holidaymakers, especially over the winter months. Home to Spain’s highest mountain, glorious beaches and the world’s second largest carnival it is the largest of the Canary Islands.

It’s important to arrange Travel Insurance as soon as you book your holiday to Tenerife, so you are covered should you need to cancel*, which may just give you that extra peace of mind you need to relax. You’ll also be covered for your baggage and emergency medical treatment you may need abroad, along with repatriation, should your stay in hospital mean you miss your scheduled flight back.

Don’t forget to delcare any pre-existing medical conditions, no matter how minor they may seem, so that it you are properly covered. 

Arranging Travel Insurance for Tenerife is quick and easy with Just Travel Cover

Get a quote online and select “Canary Islands” as your country, declare any pre-existing medical conditions you have and complete the question set. We’ll then show you a list of prices and the cover options avaialble.

Get a Quote

Travel Insurance for Tenerife – What’s Included?

  • Cancellation/ curtailment cover up to £12,500 (£30,000 on referral)
  • Emergency Medical expenses up to £15,000,000 per person
  • Personal belongings and baggage cover up to £3,000 per person
  • Missed departure cover up to £1,500 per person

What about Coronavirus?

  • Emergency medical expenses covered (including if you contract Covid-19 abroad)
  • Enhanced cover if you need to cancel due to Covid-19*
  • Terms apply – see our Travel Insurance for Coronavirus page for more details

We Compare Prices From These Insurers

Click here to download the Policy Wording and Insurance Product Information document for all insurers. 

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Single Trip Travel Insurance for Tenerife with No Age Limit

Once you complete our simple and quick online medical screening, you will get a range of quotes from our panel of trusted insurance underwriters with a choice of policies to match your needs. We take away the worry by covering you for medical treatment abroad, cancellation, missed departure, lost travel documents, and personal belongings – so you can focus on having a great time in Tenerife!

Instant Protection From The Moment You Buy

It is quick and easy to buy your single trip cover online anytime, 7 days a week. Your cancellation cover starts from the moment your complete your purchase, so if you are unable to travel for an insured reason, you may be able to recover the cost of your holiday.

To be eligible for cover you must:

  • be resident in the UK, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands, or the Isle of Man for more than 6 months
  • be registered with a GP at your place of residence
  • purchase the policy prior to leaving the UK on your planned trip

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Specialist Travel Insurance for Tenerife – no upper age limit

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Travel Insurance for the Canary Islands


The Canary Islands offer everything from sandy beaches to lush volcanic landscapes, but you’ll need travel insurance to make sure you’re protected

What are the Canary Islands?

Spain’s picturesque Canary Islands are found in the Atlantic Ocean and are popular destinations for visitors and tourists.

Found close to Morocco’s coastline, the eight main islands each have their own character, charm, and appeal. The most well-known include Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.

Offering pleasant temperatures all year round, along with wide sandy beaches, lush forests, scenic mountains and striking volcanic landscapes – there’s an island to suit everyone.

Key points
  • Travel insurance will make sure you and your family are protected when you’re on holiday
  • A Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) provides access to free or reduced emergency healthcare in the EU, but it won’t cover everything
  • You may need extra cover or a policy add-on for more adventurous activities like water-skiing or surfing

Do I need travel insurance for the Canary Islands?

Travel insurance isn’t compulsory to visit the Canary Islands but taking out cover means you’ll be protected in case things don’t go to plan.

If your trip’s cancelled or something unexpected happens while you’re away, having protection in place can help you to cover the costs.

And having cover is particularly important if you’re travelling alone and won’t have anyone to help if you become unwell or stranded while you’re away.

What should my travel insurance policy for the Canary Islands include?

Standard European travel insurance can protect you against a number of situations that might affect your travel plans.

A good policy should include cover for:

  • Medical expenses, up to £5 million
  • Repatriation – emergency medical transport back to the UK
  • Flight cancellations
  • Emergency cancellation or cutting the trip short
  • Lost or stolen baggage
  • Lost or stolen passport and cover for cash (up to a certain amount)
  • Personal liability cover – in case you injure a third party or damage someone else’s possessions

Canary Islands travel insurance: exclusions and things to watch out for

While taking out cover will help to make sure you’re protected, there are a number of circumstances where you won’t be able to make a claim.

Typical policy exclusions include:

  • Pre-existing medical conditions – not declaring these may invalidate your policy and you won’t be covered if you need to make a claim relating to your health condition
  • Leaving your belongings unattended
  • Accidents or injuries while you’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol
  • Taking part in high-risk activities and sports
  • Travelling against government advice
  • Natural disasters that began before you took out insurance
  • Changing your mind about your trip before you go or while you’re away

Will travel insurance cover activities?

With such a varied landscape, the Canary Islands offer a wide range of activities. You can enjoy anything from surfing and whale watching, to hiking, water parks and playing golf.

But not all activities will be covered by standard travel insurance.

You’ll need to check your policy to see what’s included. And you’ll need to let your insurer know if you’re planning to do anything risky – for example, rock climbing or scuba diving.

Depending on what activity you choose, you may need to get a policy add-on or take out a specialist policy to get the extra cover you need.

Am I covered by a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)?

This has now been replaced by the Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC). Both cards allow you to get free or reduced-cost emergency healthcare in European Union countries.

It’s free to apply for a card and you can do this through the NHS website.

But while the GHIC can help you to access emergency treatment in the Canary Islands, it covers a lot less than a comprehensive travel insurance policy.

For example, it won’t cover you if you’re taken to a private hospital or if you need to be repatriated back to the UK. And it won’t cover things like cancellations or stolen belongings.

So it’s important to make sure you have the right travel cover in place.

Is it safe to travel to the Canary Islands?

The Canary Islands are generally a safe destination to visit. The crime rate is relatively low, but as with anywhere, you should be aware of your surroundings.

Keep your valuables and cash safe on your person – not in your back pocket or where pickpockets might be able to access them – and avoid walking alone after dark.

Check advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) before you book your trip and before you set off.

You should also check Spain’s Covid-19 entry restrictions before you travel as these may change at short notice.

Top travel tips for the Canary Islands

With more than 500 beaches and a variety of landscapes and natural beauty to enjoy, the Canary Islands are a top destination to visit.

Read our tips on how to make the most of your trip:

Try island hopping

With eight islands to choose from, you don’t need to stick to just one. There are plenty of boat trips available, so you can discover your favourite.

Buy bottled water

The tap water is safe to drink but the taste isn’t for everyone, so the locals often prefer to drink bottled water.

Check out the views

Once you’ve lounged by the pool, get the best views by heading inland. Take a cable car up to Spain’s highest peak, the volcanic Mount Teide on Tenerife.

Catch a wave

The Canary Islands are great for wind sports and surfing. Make sure you’re covered by your travel insurance if you’re going to take part in adventurous activities.

Sample the wine

Six of the islands produce wine. In Lanzarote, Malvasia wine grapes are grown in volcanic craters, so you’ll have plenty of exciting and exotic varieties to try.

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Medical insurance in Spain: cost and registration

How much does it cost to get medical insurance for a residence permit in Spain?

There are several types of health insurance in Spain. They depend on age, number of family members and the volume of insurance services. The cost of insurance depends on the company.

  • For single policyholders up to 35 years old, basic insurance will cost 26-50 euros per month, full insurance – 41-64 euros.
  • For pregnant women, basic insurance will cost 33-81 euros per month, full – 47-97 euros.
  • For a person over 65, basic insurance costs 79-198 euros per month, full insurance costs 104-231 euros.
  • For a family of two adults and two children aged 5-9, the basic policy costs 89-184 euros per month, the full policy costs 158-273 euros.

You can pay for insurance monthly, once a quarter/trimester/year. Insurance policies are usually limited to one year.

What is included in the list of insurance services?

From this point of view, all insurance in Spain is divided into 3 categories.

  • Examination only, no hospitalization (Cuadro medico sin hospitalizadon). The simplest and cheapest insurance that entitles you only to a free appointment with a therapist and basic examinations. Calling an ambulance, hospitalization, treatment – all this the patient pays separately.
  • Copago medical services (Cuadro medico con copago). A kind of economy option. If a patient occasionally turns to doctors, then it is easier for him to pay a certain amount with each visit, saving on monthly deductions.
  • Medical services free of charge (Cuadro medico sin copago). A full package of services, including free visits to doctors, calling an ambulance, hospitalization, treatment, and operations. You don’t need to pay anything.

What kind of insurance to get for a residence permit in Spain?

If you are participating in the Spanish residence permit program for investment, then all members of your family participating with you must purchase full insurance (Medical services without additional payment – Cuadro medico sin copago). This is the most expensive option, but this is the requirement of the government.

If, over time, you acquire Spanish citizenship, you will be able to choose the type of insurance yourself. However, we still recommend staying with a full insurance policy.

What services do you get with full coverage?

Nevertheless, this insurance really reliably protects you from unforeseen health problems, that is, its purchase, in our opinion, is justified. The detailed list of services depends on the insurance company. Immediately after the conclusion of the insurance contract, the following services are available to you.

  • General medical care.
  • Appeal to narrow specialists bypassing the therapist.
  • Basic tests.
  • Call an ambulance.
  • Management of pregnancy.

The most important types of medical care become available 6-10 months after you have entered into a contract.

  • Hospitalization and inpatient treatment.
  • Hardware diagnostics.
  • Delivery.
  • Surgical operations.
  • Preventive medicine, homeopathy.
  • Dental services: x-ray, tooth extraction, oral cleaning + 20-25% discount on other services.
  • Discounts up to 50% on prescription drugs (sometimes for a small extra charge – 4-5 euros per month).

Note that the insurance policy received in Spain is valid throughout the European Union. That is, if you took the opportunity to travel with a residence permit in Spain in Schengen without visas, you can also receive the listed medical services.

What do you need to take out insurance in Spain?

Since at the time of registration you will not yet have a ready-made “golden” residence permit card, you need to use a foreign passport as the main document. In the future, when you renew the insurance, you can present your Spanish residence permit. You will also need to open an account in a Spanish bank – it is from it that you will pay for insurance.

Warmest winter european destinations: Seven Warmest European Countries: A Winter Sun Guide

Опубликовано: December 2, 2022 в 7:45 pm

Автор:

Категории: Miscellaneous

15 warm destinations to escape the cold in winter

Who has never dreamt of spending Christmas under the sun and receiving the New Year in flip-flops and a swimsuit? Ask the Three Wise Men to fulfill your wish with a little advance and travel to one of these warm destinations in winter.

Surely you’ve behaved very well all year and you deserve a holiday of sun and beach. Make it known to your majesties and ask for your gift in advance. Take advantage of the Christmas holidays to escape to one of these warm destinations for December where the temperature doesn’t drop below 20 degrees.

1. Morocco

Just a few hours away by plane, you will enjoy the heat of North Africa. Fez and Marrakech are two of the most recommended cities, as the life of its souks and the beauty of the medinas will surprise you.

2. Cape Verde

Sun and beach are confirmed throughout the year in the Atlantic archipelago. Each of its ten islands has charming corners, colorful houses and truly virgin beaches. It is also a highly recommended place for surfing.

3. Gran Canaria

In the Canary Islands spring temperatures prevail throughout the year, so it´s a highly recommended warm destination for December. Don´t miss the dunes of Maspalomas, the natural parks of the island and try the famous “papas arrugás” with the local sauce called mojo picón.

4. Tunisia

Take advantage of the mild climate of Tunisia to discover its beaches, visiting the medina in flip-flops or taking a trip to the Sahara desert under the sun. Another advantage of this destination is that Christmas is considered low season, so the trip will be cheap.

5. India

The state of Goa will allow you to enjoy wonderful days of sun and beach at a more than pleasant temperature. Dare to leave Europe behind and discover a totally different culture.

6. Madeira

This Atlantic island is a true natural paradise of green mountains and hidden beaches. The climate remains temperate throughout the year and the water temperature oscillates at 20 degrees … perfect to be swimming all day!

7.

Australia

If you have enough days to give yourself a good vacation, go to the other side the world to enjoy the summer of the southern hemisphere in Australia. Be also one of the first to welcome 2018… from the beach!

8. Thailand

The beaches of Thailand are a true paradise with tropical climate. In this time of the year the heat is less suffocating and there are, in general, fewer tourists. Take the opportunity to visit this beautiful country.

9. Dubai

The destination where they rain or cold don’t exist. Take the opportunity to visit the city, contemplate the tallest building in the world and immerse yourself in the luxury of the Arab Emirates.

10. Jordan

Another warm destination to escape to during winter, especially for those who seek sun, sea and desert. Take the opportunity to visit the famous city of Petra and the red desert of Wadi Rum.

11. South Africa

In the African continent it´s always summer. We recommend you travel south to South Africa to enjoy an incredible Christmas vacation. You will find the best beaches in the area of ??Port Elizabeth, Knysna and along the so-called Garden Route.

12. Mauritius

This wonderful island bathed by the Indian Ocean is the best option to totally disconnect and leave behind your coat and wool sweaters. Its climate is temperate, although during the winter months there are winds that are ideal for surfing or kiting.

13. Mexico

Riviera Maya and Cancun will welcome you with a pleasant temperature, a paradisiacal landscape and the best beaches to lie under the sun and, simply, do nothing. Consider this option if what you need is a good dose of relaxation.

14. Cuba

Havana, Santiago de Cuba, Trinidad, Camaguey … enjoy the good weather and get charmed by the wonderful Cuban culture, a wonderful destination to visit in December. You won’t want to go back home!

15. Egypt

Winter is the best time to visit Egypt because in summer the temperatures are almost unbearable. Complete your dream of discovering the Ancient Egyptian Empire, navigating the Nile and visiting the famous pyramids.

Where will you go, then, during this holidays? If you haven’t found your ideal destination yet, don’t miss our recommendations for autumn and Christmas.

Where are the warmest destinations in Europe right now? | Travel

Where are the warmest destinations in Europe right now? | Travel | The Times

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Hit the beach in Cyprus or lunch alfresco in Marbella with our ultimate guide

The Baths of Aphrodite, Cyprus

ALAMY

Andrew Eames

The Times

The next few weeks can be a marvellous time to be around the Med. It is no longer gaspingly hot but there’s enough strength in the sun for luxuriating by the pool. The land is at its most colourful, particularly when lit by a low-slung late-summer sun. And the sea is retaining its warmth — at present about 23C in the southern reaches of the Mediterranean.

Prices are considerably lower than much of the rest of the year, and hoteliers and restaurateurs will be pleased to see you — provided that they are open, of course. For this is also a risky time to take the plunge, with resorts and islands all over the Mediterranean steadily shutting up shop. With that in mind, and given that the sun is not going to be 100 per cent reliable, I find it’s best to choose last-blast destinations that are more mainstream but have plenty of local variety; a hotel in a gorgeously lonely spot is not going to work out well if it rains. And prioritise small, self-catering or family-run accommodation over big properties, which can feel desolate when they’re empty.

The selection of destinations that follows — Lanzarote, Malta, Cyprus, Rhodes and southern Spain — takes into account all of the above and marries them with the best of the sun conditions, according to the Met Office weather average daily maximums for October (metoffice.gov.uk). These numbers will be optimistic if you are travelling in November, of course, when the maximums decline by three or four degrees.

But it is not too late for a last-ditch run to the sun and a dose of vitamin D. There are plenty of pool-lounging, horse-riding, badlands-striding, wine-quaffing, fly-driving and road-biking experiences still to be done — and we know where. All prices given are the lowest start price for October/November.

Jardin de Cactus, Lanzarote

GETTY IMAGES

Lanzarote

October average: 27C
Average hours of sun daily: 7
The Spanish migrate to the Canaries in summer and northern Europeans come in winter, so autumn is a bit of a halfway house. Yet this is the time when temperatures are higher than they will be during the islands’ famed winter sun season (from December to February) and hotels are far from busy.

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Of all the islands Lanzarote is the warmest Canary, but it is also the strangest looking. Thanks to its volcanic origins the island has the texture and colour of elephant hide: wrinkled, humped and bristled, and occasionally covered in different coloured dust where the elephant has rolled. Its villages are splodges of white paint in folds of the elephant’s skin. Yet amid all that sombre aridity stuff grows, creating a particularly stark contrast of fresh green on grey.

Volcanic vineyards in La Geria, Lanzarote

GETTY IMAGES

It is an unlikely place to have become such a tourist success, but there are several things that make it work. It has beaches, of course, the best at the big, cheerful and slightly tatty grandad of a resort Puerto del Carmen, which still has plenty of joie de vivre. There are more intimate beaches in the south at Playa Blanca, which doesn’t have the same vibe as Puerto, but the hotels, such as the Rubicon Palace, are more lavish and still buzzy at this time of year (seven nights’ B&B from £559pp, including flights; broadwaytravel.com).

Volcanic landscapes are everywhere, but most notably in the Timanfaya National Park, where the solidified lava is like a rictus sea frozen in mid-storm. It’s an alien landscape, rugged and sharp, and to wander off-piste across these badlands is to wave goodbye to your shoes — best to do your walking with a group guided by somebody who knows the place like the back of their hand (seven nights’ half-board from £1,399pp, including flights, departing on November 5; ramblersholidays.co.uk).

In recent years the island has made a big play for fitness fans. The climate and hills have made it a huge cycle training destination, particularly around the less touristy northern province of Las Palmas, at Haria and Tabayesco (rental from £18 a day; papagayobike. com), and the kite-surfing scene is pretty massive too, at Famara Beach (15 hours of lessons for £435, including equipment; watermanlanzarote.com). Not far away along the coast is Club La Santa, a specialist sports hotel with two Olympic pools, a proper running track and more than 500 activities every week, for truly hardcore holidaymakers who like to sleep well (seven nights’ self-catering for two from £903; clublasanta.com).

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It’s not all high-adrenaline stuff, however. Every Sunday locals and tourists converge on Teguise, the former capital of the Canaries, to browse the stalls and restaurants that line its streets and squares. Jewellery, leather goods and crafts are big — merchandise that will make you realise how close you are to Morocco. And across the island there are many sites created by the artist César Manrique — from his Bond lair-esque Jameos del Agua with a swimming pool, restaurant, bar and events space inside volcanic tunnels and caves, to his various extremely stylish former homes and his funky, spiky Jardin de Cactus (entry to four sites £25 per adult; cactlanzarote. com).

Then there’s the local wine and seafood. For a sunset meal, seek out the string of little restaurants along the west-facing seafront of the village of El Golfo. Settle at the waterside terrace of Restaurant Bogavante (mains from £9; restaurantebogavante.es) for all sorts of seafood, from limpets to lobster, watch the sun go down and have a glass of El Grifo, one of the best of the island wines, from the region of La Geria. It’s uniquely made from grapes grown in cones of volcanic ash.

Marsaxlokk, Malta

GETTY IMAGES

Malta

October average: 25C
Average hours of sun daily: 7
This island republic, adrift in the southern Mediterranean between Sicily and the Libyan coast, has long been a haven for knights, monks and pirates. Its neolithic, Roman and Arab backstories have all left their stony footprints, although the defining history is of the powerful crusading Knights of St John — led by the grand master — who controlled Malta from 1530 to 1798.

Where the knights’ fearsome fleet of warships rode at anchor in what is one of the world’s most sheltered and strategic natural harbours, Valletta, there are now cruise ships and superyachts. And many of the knights’ palaces and merchants’ mansions of Valletta have been converted into upmarket hotels. It is here you should aim to stay in this late season, when the island’s beach destinations start to look empty.

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You don’t have to abandon all hope of sun and swimming, however, because a few of these converted city mansions have rooftop pools for warmer days, including the 13-room Palazzo Consiglia, in a 400-year-old property just round the corner from the famous Barrakka Gardens. From here you might catch a glimpse of cloistered nuns pacing back and forth on an adjacent convent terrace, deep in meditative thought (seven nights’ B&B from £588pp, including flights; loveholidays.com).

Valletta, Malta

ALAMY

The advantage of staying in town is the proximity to stylish coffee shops such as Caffe Cordina on Republic Street (caffecordina. com), opposite parliament, where you can order an anchovy and spinach pie and collar a government minister to give him or her your view of the world. Then there’s Nenu, formerly a bakery, which specialises in Maltese food — particularly pizza-like ftira and, of course, the island favourite, rabbit stew (£16.50; nenuthebaker.com).

At night, however, downtown Valletta is quiet. Social life moves along the promenade to the north, to the inlets and bays of Sliema, St Julians and Paceville. Here the seafront is always busy, and when darkness falls the coloured lights from the bars and restaurants reflect in the water. This is a place of cocktail lounges, designer shopping and five-star hotels such as AX the Palace, with an infinity pool on the roof (seven nights’ B&B from £558pp, including flights; tui.co.uk).

Anyone spending any time on Malta will head inland at some point to Mdina, the island’s former capital, a traffic-free hilltop city made of glowing golden limestone that was one of the early locations for Game of Thrones and still feels a bit like a parallel universe. It’s a place to drink tea on the ancient walls, looking down over olive groves and vineyards — the Fontanella Tea Garden and Bar is a good spot, famous for its cakes (fontanellateagarden.com.mt).

Mdina is one of the key stops, along with St John’s Co-Cathedral in Valletta, on a group tour that digs deep into the island’s archaeology. Other destinations include the 5,000-year-old temple of Hagar Qim and the extraordinary labyrinth of St Paul’s Catacombs. The itinerary isn’t all about old stones, though: there’s lunch scheduled by the water’s edge in Marsaxlokk, a bright and cheerful fishing village where every other restaurant claims to have its own boat (six nights’ half-board from £1,395pp, including flights; brightwaterholidays.com).

Achilles’ House near Limassol, Cyprus

GETTY IMAGES

Cyprus

October average: 26.7C
Average hours of sun daily: 10
It is harvest season in Cyprus, and the island’s western end, anchored by the historic resort of Paphos, is the place to get the best of the sunsets. The verges here smell of oregano, and there will be queues at the olive mill, where locals bring their crops for pressing. There are pick-your-own orchards in the western foothills of the Troodos mountains, offering lemons, figs, dates, grapes, limes, pomelos, red grapefruits, guavas and pomegranates, all direct from the vine, bush or tree. Stop off en route to your villa at the end of a day’s exploring, fill a plastic bag, and you’ll be able to utter those immortal lines: “Can someone peel me a pomelo? I’m in the pool.”

As it happens, villas with pools are inexpensive at this time of year. Even a place such as Coral Bay’s Villa Veryina, just north of Paphos, which would normally sleep eight, is happy to welcome two at the same cost per person, so seven nights’ self-catering is from £240pp, excluding flights (jamesvillas.co.uk).

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To get a real feel for the island you have to drive inland, through large flocks of wandering goats, to discover the original, village-based Cyprus, the Cyprus with monasteries and ten Unesco-registered Byzantine churches, the Cyprus that was once a huge provider of fruit and vegetables to the eastern end of the Mediterranean. Traditional agriculture has had a resurgence, and now there are boutique wineries — Lambouri in Kato Platres, for example (lambouri.com) — and little cheese-making dairies such as Katsoura in Galataria (katsouras.com). Sustainable tourism initiatives have created wine trails and routes (csti-cyprus.org) through villages where little tavernas serve basic food based on salad, vegetables, pulses, bread and fruit.

All this can be explored on a two-centre fly-drive that combines Paphos with the fishing village of Latchi, on the north coast right next to the Baths of Aphrodite and Akamas National Park. Even in this late season Latchi remains a good place to find restaurants overlooking the water, particularly the No 9 Lounge, which serves a mean seafood platter (mains from around £11.50; facebook.com/no9lounge). Latchi is the place to find smaller, family-run hotels such as the Aphrodite Beach, included in the two-centre fly-drive — a much better bet than a big-brand property, which can be echoingly empty at this time of year. Seven nights’ B&B with flights and car hire for two costs from £2,075 (sunvil.co.uk).

Despite the tourism development there is serious walking to be had on the island, notably along the jagged Avgas Gorge, which leads inland from the coast, north of Paphos. Beyond the gorge the tracks get increasingly tough, and even the goats turn back, but somewhere out here is the mysterious Fontana Amorosa, a pool where everyone who tastes the water falls in love (so they say). The challenge of finding it should inspire single travellers, who could join a group of fellow singles on a single supplement-free hosted week at Paphos’s Aquamare Beach Hotel, a spa hotel next to the beach (seven nights’ B&B, including flights nd four dinners, costs from £750pp, departing on October 29; friendshiptravel.com).

Prasonisi beach, Rhodes

ALAMY

Rhodes, Greece

October average: 24.3C
Average hours of sun daily: 8
There’s no better place to be when the sun goes down than at the Temple of Athena on the Acropolis at Lindos, lifted heavenwards on a giddy promontory surrounded by sea. So much so that there’s regular skirmishing between hawkish temple attendants and influencers determined to capture the moment on their drones.

You can see why they try: Lindos is Rhodes’s prettiest settlement, built in the 10th century BC, uphill and inland from its beach-lined harbour, to keep it safe from pirates. In the heat of the day its ancient alleys are busy with donkeys and day trippers, and in the evenings visitors and residents percolate upwards to dine at roof-terrace restaurants, the sound of conviviality wafting over the tiles.

Unfortunately, Rhodes is one of those destinations where the flight schedules wither dramatically from the first week of November, rendering most beach resorts comatose. Yet Lindos, which always has a niche, stays lively.

It’s a last chance to head inland to the Traditional Guesthouse Limeri, which sits at the base of Mount Akramitis, Rhodes’s second-highest peak, surrounded by pine forest (look out for wild deer) in the village of Monolithos. There’s good walking along marked trails from here, particularly up to the Venetian Monolithos Castle, perched on a vertical rock (the monolith). The Limeri (B&B), with its cosy firelit dining room, and the chic, white F Charm in Lindos (room only) are a good pairing for a fly-drive and a seven-night package from £2,276 for two, departing on October 26 (sunvil.co.uk).

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Prasonisi Beach at Rhodes’s southern tip is a place of pilgrimage for kiters. Its isthmus of sand has two water conditions: the offshore side is flat, good for learning, while the onshore side has small breaking waves, perfect for developing new moves. Kite Prasonisi, on site, has all the gear and knowhow (rental and tuition costs are about £61 an hour; kiteprasonisi.com).

If you’d prefer not to venture so far, Rhodes’s medieval Old Town has more than a touch of Constantinople, with a maze of alleys and coffee shops that could easily be the backstreets of Istanbul. It was once the site of the Colossus of Rhodes, a giant statue of the god Helios standing by the harbour entrance, and one of the seven ancient wonders of the world. The Colossus may have gone, but the more than 600-year-old citadel and the Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of St John, along with dozens of other Unesco-registered monuments, still dominate. And there are intimate places such as the Mevlana shisha bar, with its mosaic floor and stained glass (facebook.com/hookahbarrhodes). Stay within walking distance of the Old Town in the Semiramis, overlooking the Aegean (seven nights’ B&B from £324pp, including flights; travelrepublic.co.uk).

Finally, Rhodes may not have the uber-trendiness of Mykonos or Santorini, but it does have discreet hipster hangouts such as Casa Cook, on the coast by Kolymbia, 30 minutes’ drive south of the capital. This is a bohemian boutique hotel, all clean lines, woven throws, rattan furnishings and polished concrete, and in late October it is warmer and a great deal cheaper than its more fashionable cousins (B&B doubles from £107; mrandmrssmith.com).

Puente Romano, Marbella

Southern Spain

October average: 24. 1C
Average hours of sun daily: 7
Spain’s south coast offers that heady combination of the sea and sand of the Costa del Sol backed by the foothills and white towns of the Sierra Nevada. And with a large population of expat property owners along this shore, flight numbers into the gateway city of Malaga remain consistent when they are dying away for other summer destinations.

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Malaga makes a worthy weekend in itself, with its beaches, Picasso connections and sweeping views from its 11th-century Moorish fortress, the Alcazaba. In the evenings beachfront chiringuitos, little informal restaurants on the sand, grill espetos — sardines — on wooden embers; you eat them with your fingers (chiringuitopicasso.com).

If that sounds a bit primitive for your tastes but you still want beach, head west to Marbella, particularly its so-called Golden Mile, the stretch of seafront west of the resort centre, where the most expensive properties, tropical gardens, exclusive restaurants and top hotels are located.

Alhambra, Spain

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Typical of its hotels is the Puente Romano, built in the style of an Andalusian village surrounded by lush subtropical gardens and waterfalls. It’s a lavish place, with multiple restaurants, a Six Senses spa, and all kinds of activities from tennis to golf and paddleboarding to Pilates. In short, a place to have a last blast of hedonism (three nights’ B&B from £761.50pp, including flights; ba.com).

Uphill and inland, the going gets tougher. In the foothills of the Sierra Nevada are hidden cobbled and whitewashed villages linked by goat-herder paths, with great walking and horse-riding at this time of year, now it is not too hot.

One of the prime routes, following tracks carved out by olive harvesters, forms the basis of a ten-day self-guided hike through the karstic limestone rock formations of the Sierras Subbeticas Natural Park, while vultures circle to see whether you’re carrying sandwiches. The starting point is Cordoba, where the big attraction is the extraordinary Mezquita, originally a cathedral, then a mosque and now a cathedral again, its interior a riot of columns and Islamic arches.

From here you walk via a succession of little rural inns to Granada, the spiritual home of flamenco, where you will find the palaces, patios and gardens of the Alhambra, with its fountains and glorious zellige mosaic tilework. The tour features nine nights’ B&B, with seven lunches and six dinners, detailed walking notes and guided tours in both cities from £1,880pp, excluding flights (pura-aventura.com).

And finally, the native breed of Andalusian horses are docile and robust, making them ideal for the trail-riding experiences offered by the English-born stable owner and guide Dallas Love. She is based in the village of Bubion, up in the Alpujarra Mountains, where guests stay in the Casa la Sevillana. From here they set out for rides of four to six hours a day, travelling across the pastures and climbing the sierras in the most traditional of ways, along the most traditional of routes (four nights’ full board plus horse and guide from £600pp, excluding flights, departing on November 5 and 12; inthesaddle. com).

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