Cruise & Stay

As far as holiday destinations go, Gran Canaria is part of the world’s vintage collection. The third-largest Canary Island first appeared on the tourism radar as far back as the 19th century, and it’s gone from strength to strength ever since.

All the Caribbean stereotypes are present and correct in Jamaica. Along the coast, you’ve got white sands fringed by palms, and ramshackle beach bars serving up jerk chicken to Bob Marley beats. Inland, meanwhile, hidden waterfalls, banana plantations and soaring mountains vie for your attention. Best of all, the scenery is served up alongside Jamaica’s famous take-it-easy vibe.

At first glance, Barbados appears to play by all the tropical island laws, following the book to the letter when it comes to its coastline. The island is home to more than 92 kilometres of long blonde beaches, which are backed by palm trees and lapped by luminous blue waters. The western coast is especially popular for holidays to Barbados. It’s where you’ll find the resorts of St James and St Peter and has even earned itself the nickname of the Platinum Coast, thanks to the purity of its sand.

The Costa del Sol is sandwiched between Malaga and Gibraltar – just about as low as you can go in Spain. This means you can rely on the sun to show its face 320 days a year. After all, it’s not called the Sunshine Coast for nothing. And it’s probably one of the biggest reasons so many British ex-pats have set up shop on its shores.

Croatia turned up on the UK’s tourism timeline fashionably late. In fact, it was only in the last years of the Nineties that the country started to find its feet in the mainstream market. Nowadays, though, more than 10 million people holiday here every year.

From the stripes of the national flag to its sugar cube villas and sparkling seas, Greece wears a uniform of blue and white. But Corfu throws an extra colour into the mix – green. Known as the Emerald Isle, the second-largest of the Ionian Islands is covered in cypress trees, olive groves and wild flowers.

The biggest of the Balearics, Majorca has long been a favourite with the world’s travel pack. It’s got extremely good looks on its side, after all. We’re talking tiny inlets, sweeping bays and sandy coves, all lapped by turquoise waters. And away from the coast, it’s a case of sweet-smelling pine forests, hidden hamlets and jagged mountain peaks. Not to mention almond groves that burst to life with powder pink blossom each February.

Tenerife’s unerring reputation has been built on the back of decades of good reviews. One of the earliest came from Queen Victoria, who used to take her vacations here in the 19th century. If you want a more up-to-date character reference, you only need to look to the two million holidaymakers who flocked here in 2016.

Postcard-perfect scenery, café-backed beaches and cities stacked with big-name sights – long-legged Italy manages to pack a lot into its borders. And no matter which part of the boot you plump for, you’ll find top-drawer food, fine wines and a healthy dose of la dolce vita.