Okay, so we’re not calling the island by its proper name. It’s officially known as the island of Zakynthos. Zante is the Italian name for it, but many tourists refer to it as Zante first. No problems either way!

It’s actually the third largest island in the Ionian Sea, and it’s definitely a site to see!

When you’re really trying to capture everything involving Zante/Zakynthos, you will want to know where the hot spots are.

The nice thing about Zante is that it’s really in the idle of everything, so to speak. It’s not a hot party spot all the time, but it’s not a stripped down and watered down vacation spot for families only.

There are a few major towns that you should know about if you’re going to plan your holiday.

The capital would be Zakynthos Town, which is where the main shops are going to be. The ferry rides all start here as well.

There’s also Kalamaki, which is where a busy resort calls home. This is where many families end up, but there is still some night life to be found.

Still, if you’re looking for a wild and crazy night, you will find it in the town of Laganas. The resort here surrounds itself with nightclubs, bars, and fast food joints. Younger visitors love the party atmosphere. If that’s not your thing, you might want to go back to Kalamaki or check out Tsilivi.

You can have plenty of fun out here, and don’t worry — English is well understood here. Local residents really want to make sure that you feel comfortable, and everyone loves reaching out to newcomers!

Getting around the island is best done by taxi. Yes, there are a lot of rental agencies on the island, but tourists from all over the world come here, and they tend to drive pretty badly. The roads tend to be hit or miss, and it’s pretty easy to get into an accident. Taxis are really your best bet, and they’re really not that expensive at all.

There are some very gorgeous blue caves, white cliffs, and even some endangered wildlife to see. The top is the loggerhead turtle — which is in serious danger of dying out. Greek authorities have posted signs advising tourists not to touch the turtles. Make sure that you heed the warning, as there are serious fines for not doing so.

You will find plenty of places to eat on the island, with a blend of tourist favorites as well as authentic Greek cuisine as well. Olive oil, honey, currants, and wines can be found just about everywhere. After all, it’s Greece — what do you expect?

Accommodations are also easy, but you will definitely want to make sure that you focus on getting an air conditioner. That’s going to make sure that you get as much of a comfortable stay as you can. It gets very warm at night, and it can make it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.

Overall, there are tons of things to see, and all of the usual island activities to enjoy. Why not check it out for yourself?

Well, it’s also a matter of lifestyle design. You might be able to talk to your employer about working from home more often. That would mean more time for travel, because as long as you had a way to go online, you would still be able to work. Another point is that some people have made the decision to go fully into the world of self employment. Now, this might not be an option for you, but there’s nothing that says that you can’t get things done anyway.

You just need to start thinking about what you actually want to do, and then do that over everything else. Trying to figure out where you want to go and what you want to do can be challenging, but a lot of people have probably never really asked themselves what they ultimately want out of life. A lot of people end up getting stuck in a cycle of just going through the motions.

Now if you feel that your life has everything it could possibly need or have, but you just want a little more adventure you might want to look around you. There’s a lot of countryside and adventure just waiting for you in your local region. This is known as the “staycation” movement, but there’s nothing wrong with that at all. We often think of travel as meaning that we have to go beyond our borders to see something new. However, if you live in Europe or even in the United States, there’s actually a lot of places to go and plenty of things to see as well as to do. You just have to have the courage to them. It’s also quite possible that your friends have decided to stay close to home but just explore the world around them in a different way. When’s the last time you did an activity that goes outside your comfort zone? When’s the last time that you decided to just relax and have a good time? You might be letting hobbies die on the vine because you feel that you’re way too busy to actually do them — why even put yourself in that position?

If you want to do anything in life, you will usually find a way to actually get it done. The alternative would be to get to a point where you don’t do anything at all with life. This breeds a lot of resentment and hurt, and it becomes very easy to blame other people for the mistakes that you made.

What you need to do is forgive yourself for not doing the things that you want, and then find ways to do exactly that. It’s the best way to actually get what you’re really looking for, one way or the other. Why not make sure that you get started today? You’ll be glad you did!

Yes, the subject of crime might be on your mind, but it’s highly likely that you already live in an area where crime happens. If you’ve managed to make it okay so far, chances are good that you already have every tool you need to stay safe in another country.

Yet if you’re looking online for tips for first time travelers, we have quite a few that should keep you happy, safe, excited and well all through the summer — and beyond!

First and foremost, it cannot be stressed enough: do not let things go until the last minute. Yes, you see a lot of searches for last minute information online, and we aren’t going to tell you that we have never done a last minute trip. But it’s all about knowing your limits ahead of time. If you know that you’re the type of person that really wants things done in a certain fashion, you really want to stick to that pattern. The last thing that you want to do is find yourself having to make tough decisions only because you didn’t budget your time properly. That just wouldn’t be right or proper at all!

It would be smarter to actually think about everything else that goes into the trip. Where do you want to go? There are actually a lot of different destinations to choose from. You don’t have to try to pick the most adventurous place.

A nice Mediterranean holiday can be just as peaceful as backpacking in New Zealand. Or mountain climbing in South America somewhere. You don’t have to feel like you have to walk on the wild side just because everyone else is doing it.

You might want to be a little more conservative for your first vacation until you’ve gotten your confidence up.

A word about budget — you can never really have enough money for travel, but at the same time you can’t wait until all of the signs are right before you travel. If you wait too long you will miss out on everything waiting for you when you reach your destination. Just focus on the things that really make your trip shine and you’ll see everything else works out in the end.

Group trips can be stressful for your first vacation, but nothing says that they can’t happen. You’re just going to have to make sure that you really plan everything even more carefully. Don’t feel like you have to be the responsible one for everyone — if other people can’t work out their own details, they can stay home. It’s your holiday time — use it wisely.

Don’t forget to take along a camera. It’s an absolute must if you’re going to travel. Why would you want to leave your camera at home when that’s really the only way to capture your world? Think about that for a moment. You’ll find that you’ll make the right decisions in the long run, given enough time.

Most importantly, you have to have fun while you’re away. If that means that you sit around reading a book in a cafe far from home, then rock on! If that means that you are out kayaking, backpacking, and interacting with people that don’t even speak your language, that’s cool too. It’s a matter of doing what makes YOU happy, not what a travel forum thinks you should do.

Now is the perfect time to plan your trip — are you ready for it? We hope so!

The geography of this island is actually quite interesting. It’s very mountainous, but still quite lush. You will find plenty of greenspace, along with citrus and olive trees. Waterfalls and mountain streams dominate the landscape, along with plenty of high quality water springs. You aren’t going to have to worry about not being able to see nature at its finest here. There isn’t so much development that everything has been ruined.

If you’re island hopping, then you’ll be pleased to know that Mykonos is only 2 and a half hours away by ferry, Paros is 4 hours away, and Tinos is an hour and a half away. That means that once you’re ready to move on to new adventures, there are plenty of other islands waiting for you.

Andros is also very close to Athens so if you want to go to the mainland of Greece, you can definitely do that too!

There’s a lot of culture to be found in Andros, including several festivals. There are a few cultural societies that put on festivals where guests and meet the local populace and get to know each other. There are some sweets, some fruits, and even some local cuisine dishes.

This is an island where religion still matters, and you will see people observing different religious holidays. If you’re going to be a tourist here, you will need to be respectful of the local observances. There’s nothing that says you have to join in, but you do need to be respectful at all times.

This means that there is no nudism on the island — there are other places for that, so don’t worry about it.

Many of the beaches of the island are untouched, meaning that you really do get to see the beauty of nature at its finest, untouched by man’s hands.

There are still a few beach parties to be had, so don’t think that you have to give up on that!

What do we mean by that? Well, you’re just going to have to read on, aren’t you?

One of the things that makes Naxos interesting is that it doesn’t rely on just tourism. This is because the soil is very fertile and a lot of different crops can actually be grown here. That’s a lot different than say, Santorini or Zante.

If you want to get around the island, you’re going to make sure that you just walk. Yes, there are rental agencies but many travelers have found that these outfits do a lot more harm than good. They tend to be aware of every scratch and dent that could possible happen, which tends to cause a lot of hassles in the future. Within the towns that you visit, walking around is actually a lot easier than trying to maneuver a scooter or a motorbike or even a full sized car around. There are some bus services available, but time moves a bit slower here and things tend to be a bit more unreliable than you might expect.

So, what can you honestly do here? Quite a bit — you can always sunbathe, since that’s a pretty popular activity. But if you want to do more than that, there’s always taking in all of the sights around you. There are numerous photographic moments to be had on the island, and you will be sure to find plenty of adventure waiting for you on the island. It’s a matter of making sure that you know exactly what you want to do. For example, there’s active sports offered around the island for people want to hike, play a few sports, and otherwise stay active. If you’re on foot, you’ll find that there are plenty of trails to visit, and even some ancient ruins to explore.

When it comes to food, you will get spoiled when you see all of the options for food. Fresh feta, fresh tomatoes, amazing olive oils…whatever you want, you can definitely find it here.

There’s an interesting organic shop on the island that sells a lot of organic food and exclusively biological products. Check it out while you’re on the island — you won’t be disappointed.

If you’re trying to keep your costs down on your Greek Island adventure, you will find it easier to rent a house or stay at a place that includes a kitchenette in all of the rooms.

There are plenty of local supermarkets that will let you shop around and get fresh foods so that you aren’t having to go out to eat all of the time.

If you’re planning on going to any of the Greek Islands, we think the island of Naxos definitely offers something for everyone.

And yes, to answer the question — you can sunbathe in the nude here. The beaches that form the southern half of the island are perfect for this, since there are little peaks that block access from the road. So it means that you’re semi covered up. Still, you’ll find nude or semi-nude sunbathing almost all over the island. Make sure that you know what you want to do before you get here, because you just might be in for a few surprises!

For example, you might assume that one beach is equal to another, so why bother really looking around? That’s actually not really a good thought to have at all. You will be a lot better off making sure that you focus on getting the right mix of components together for a great holiday that you will remember for a very long time.

So, can you really compare a Mediterranean beach to a Caribbean one or a Southeast Asian one? Not really.

You’ll find that when it comes to the Med style beaches, you’re going to find some obvious differences. The water is going to be a bit cooler, and the sand tends to be coarser and not as fine as some of the Caribbean beaches. There are pebbles on the beach in greater numbers than you might be used to seeing. You’re not going to get all of the palm trees, but you will still get plenty of sunshine. Isn’t the whole point of going out to the beach?

Great food is a staple in the Mediterranean, and there are plenty of friendly locals to serve it up to you for prices that are pretty inexpensive. After all, you’re not going to have to cook anything yourself.

When should you plan your ultimate Mediterranean beach holiday? Well, it just depends. In general, the beaches are going to be at their peak from May – October. Go after October, and it’s going to be really too cold to enjoy anything. However, if you try to catch the top of the season in May, you might have cooler temperatures than what you think.

Most travelers go during July and August, but these are really the most crowded points of the year for travel in general. The Med beaches aren’t going to be any different. If you go in September, you will still get plenty of warmth without having to deal with the long lines. This is because most people have to go back to work, and their children are going to be in school. So this might be exactly what you need to do in order to really have a good time.

We can give you plenty of reasons to really like Med beaches, but you have to check it out for yourself. Good thing we have a whole site filled with all things related to the Med, huh? Check it out today!

Ready to check it out with us? No problem!

To get around the island, you’re going to want to make sure that you check out the public transit system. This would be the public bus service, which is actually very inexpensive. You can also rent a car. If you rent a car you need to make sure that you have an international driving permit. Even though the local car rental agencies won’t require it of you, it can make it harder to get insurance coverage or have the insurance that you purchase “stick” in case of an accident.

The road conditions in Santorini are going to be hit or miss — tourists from all over the world come to Santorini, which means that they are bringing their driving customs with them. Keep that in mind.

Well, let’s talk about all of those lovely sights! As mentioned before, the island is gorgeous and a sight to behold no matter where you are from. You can take boat excursions to other islands around Santorini — such as Nea Kameni and Palia Kameni. These are a volcanic island as well as a hot springs respectively.

There are also the beaches to check out. For the black beach, you’re going to want to hit Kamari and Perissa, two towns where the beach is gorgeous black pebbles.

Akrotiri is where the red beach is, and it can get quite crowded. The sand gets its red color from the iron-rich cliff faces around the area.  You can also snorkel as well as swim in the water.

Topless sunbathing is the order of the day here as well — so be warned ahead of time!

There are museums as well as small art galleries to see if you really want a good sense of checking out the history and fine arts scene of the island. Fira and Oia are two villages that have plenty of architecture for you to see, if you’re into that type of thing.

Looking for cool stuff to eat during your stay in Santorini? Check out the white eggplant as well as a specialty of tomato keftedes — this is whole slices of tomatoes fried in batter. Dolmades are stuffed vine leaves.

If you’re on a budget, gyros — real gyros! — are available all over the island. Internet junkies can get their fix in Internet cafes in Kamari, Perissa, and Thira.

Overall, we think that the stunning scenery is more than enough to make you want to go to Santorini. It’s truly an experience that deserves to be enjoyed at least once!

When we say that it’s popular, trust us — it is definitely popular like you wouldn’t imagine! You’re going to find a wild mix of things to do. Loud nightlife, plenty of things to buy and other activities are what life in Mykonos tends to be about. This island is designed to be as pleasurable to tourists as it can possibly be. So if you’re trying to plan the best Med beach holiday you can, you definitely want to think about Mykonos.

So, when do you really need to book your trip? Aside from booking as early as possible, you want to make sure that you travel around mid-May to June. You can also go from September through mid-October. You’re still going to get some nice weather, but you’ll avoid the July and August times where the tourists just swarm the island and take over everything. When the demand is that high, the prices tend to follow suit.

If you’re looking for a gay-friendly destination, Mykonos is definitely where you want to be. Of course, even if you’re not part of the gay community Mykonos has something for you too — it really can get pretty wild!

If you want to check out the island in full, you have to check out the main communities. Chora and Ano Mera are the top two, followed by Ornos, Agios Ioannis, and Agios Stefanos. Each little community has plenty of places to stay as well as things to eat and drink.

This is not just an island of “things to do” — there’s plenty of amazing scenery that’s just hard to find anywhere else. So if you’re going to step into this part of the world, you really owe it to yourself to check out everything that you really can. A good digital camera is really a must, and we would even say a video camera is going to be essential as well. It’s just up to you.

While Greek is the official language of Mykonos and the other Greek Islands, you won’t have any trouble getting by on just English or any other foreign language. The local residents have gotten good at understanding all of the different languages of the tourists that flock to Mykonos year after year.

Public transport is the order of the day when it comes to this island, but there’s nothing wrong with renting a car. You will need to make sure that you add this to your holiday budget, because it can get pricey depending on demand.

When it comes to the beaches of Mykonos, you will need to be aware that many tourists do sunbathe at least topless. Complete nudity is frowned upon, but it can indeed happen. So if you have never been to a Med beach before, you might want to watch out for this. Just don’t stare — the “European” style of sunbathing is considered completely natural!

Given that this is an island you’re going to find plenty of beach to choose from. But don’t just take our word for it — check it out for yourself!

We’ve given you Taormina, Selinunte, and even Patara, but you might bee looking for a little more excitement. That brings us right back to Spain, which has plenty of things to see and do as always.

Costa Brava refers to a lot of smaller cities that are waiting for you to explore. Begur, Blanes, Calella de Palafrugell, Lloret de Mar, Palamos, and even Tossa de Mar. We think that Tossa de Mar and Lloret de Mar are two great cities to start with, if you’re really interested in some nice luxury. Both are resort towns that will have a wide range of amenities to enjoy.

Let’s talk about the region in general.

Shopping is a way of life in this area, and you’ll find tons and tons of fashionable shops to check out. There are internet cafes everywhere so if you’re a real big Internet junkie you’ll be able to get your fix. There’s also a big casino in the area that will have most of the casino games that you might be used to right there.

There’s also a huge water park that attracts a lot of tourists from all over Europe. You can find free transit that’ll take you all around the water part.

One thing that you don’t want to do at this beach collection of towns is try to rent your own car. There’s no need for it, and parking is very expensive anyway. You’re a lot better off either walking form place to place or checking out public transit options.

This is a playground for people with money, but there are still some budget opportunities for you to check out. You should never feel shut out of such a wonderful place, especially when there are still deals to be had.

What you have to decide for yourself is whether or not you’re going to plunge in and enjoy yourself. There are a lot of flights into these areas, and there are plenty of package deals to be had if you’re really into that sort of thing. It’s really never too late to have a good time — on the contrary. This is an area where people have fun all year round. However, if you really want to enjoy it, you’re going to need to make sure that you book your holiday time as early as possible. The area gets flooded with tourists as we mentioned earlier, and it can be hard to pick out the top spots at the last minute if you’re not careful! Have a great time!

Patara is interesting because it’s actually the birthplace of St. Nicolas, the 4th century bishop that is better known as Santa Claus. This is not the only claim to fame that Patara possesses, of course. It’s got the temple of Apollo, even though there are only a few ruins of the grand old temple scattered around the area.

The beaches here are truly a site to belong. The sand is a nice bright white, and the beach is about 20km long — that’s a lot of beach!

However, this is another village where you won’t expect a lot of amenities or really many things to do other than sight see. You will need to make sure that you bring things to entertain yourself. This is a village that’s all about getting away and then recharging your batteries again, much like it was in Selinunte as well as Taormina.

The Turkish Mediterranean actually provides an interesting picture into a different side of life than what you might be used to from looking at the Italian and even the Greek side of things.

Even though there isn’t a whole lot to do, you will still find many symbols of traditional village life. So if you’re a big history fan, you’ll definitely appreciate being able to see just about everything that can be seen here in a rather short amount of time. Don’t forget to bring your camera!

What we really like most about the beaches of Patara is that development is frowned upon. There are plenty of people that really like the way Patara is right now, and they really don’t want to change anything about the village at all. So if you’re one of those people that always likes to check our barely touched areas of the world, Patara is definitely the way you want to go.

Getting into the country might be a bit tricky, as you will most likely have to fly into Istanbul and then take public transit (buses, mostly) to get to Patara. However, once you really step into the village and enjoy the peace and quiet it’ll be like you were meant to be there all along!