The summer - that time of year we all long for and that seems to get shorter and shorter as each year goes by. Most of us from South Africa are used to year long sunshine and hot beaches, and usually take the first opportunity to jet off as soon as the European weather starts heating up around May.

With the Euro at all time highs against the pound, the usual summer destinations of Spain, Portugal, and Greece are becoming less attractive as your money does not go very far. Most people are now booking holidays to those countries that do not use the Euro – countries like Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco are very popular this summer. Another great destination to visit this summer is Gambia that I spoke about last month, and you can get there for a week for £299 including flights and hotel.

At the moment, the entire world is in a bitter sweet relationship with the recession and economic downturn. Countries that have suffered quite badly have slashed their prices in order to get tourists to boost their economies again. Iceland is one such country and one that I visited last month. A three day break including a spa day can cost you less than £300 at the moment, depending on when you travel. This includes flights and hotels and a spa day. The local currency, the Kroner, has also got much weaker against the pound so your money also goes much further.

I remember as a child being fascinated by hearing about these far off distant lands where the sun never sets in the summer, and now those places are much closer than you think. A destination that has 24 hour sunlight from the end of May right through to almost the end of July is Tromso in Norway. Packages there are very reasonable and you can experience what is feels like to never have darkness for the entire duration of your break there. One fantastic trip they do is a midnight sun cruise that takes you out at midnight when the sun is still shining brightly! I think it is definitely one of those once is a lifetime experiences that have to be ticked off ‘the list’!

Summertime also comes early to places like the French Riviera, and there are still many last minute packages for the bank holiday at the end of the month. Glitz and glamour comes to the South of France for one full week, with the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix running almost back to back. It is nowhere near as expensive as you might think to be part of all the action, and it certainly provides an exciting getaway from the humdrum of London life for most of us. I was there in February and it was still warm then, and it is only a 20 minute train ride into Italy where you can have lunch and get back to all the action! There are many companies that offer packages for the Monaco Grand Prix and there is still time to get in on the last minute deals.

Another extremely popular destination also outside the Euro zone is Croatia. This is a beautiful country with many coastal cities that offer many lazy days either sailing on the ocean or lying on the beach. It is a short hop from London and you can even combine it with an Italian holiday as there are frequent ferries between the two countries. With so many places to choose from, all you need to do now start planning! All holidays can be tailor made for you by emailing me on info@gmwtravel.co.uk or call 0208 123 5648.