Travel

2011's Best New Holiday Destinations from South East England

Brightly coloured buildings are just one way
post-socialist Tirana shows it's a fun place to visit.
Image by net_efekt via Flickr Creative Commons

If you want to try somewhere different by way of holiday destination consider that many low cost air lines are expanding their list of destinations, which means that now more than ever opportunities to visit destinations previously not even considered are opening up to the more intrepid person on a budget. Martin Petersen from Low Cost Airline Guide reports on some interesting new destinations that have become available thanks to new routes which have started up in recent months.

Skopje, Macedonia

Hungary’s Wizz Air (wizzair.com) is now offering flights out of Luton to Skopje the capital of Macedonia. Skopje is a beautiful city with a variety of historical places of interest to keep the Sightseer busy.

Old Skopje bazaar is not to be missed. Catering for visitors and the local population it gives the visitor a change to experience the everyday life of those people in Skopje and at the same time pick up plenty of well priced souvenirs such as beautiful lace and jewellery.

The church of the Holy Saviour in Skopje is renowned for its iconostasis on the eastern side, six metres high and ten metres long it is an immaculately carved illustration in walnut. Skopje also boasts, although quietly, to be the place of birth of mother Theresa. The city pays homage to her with a statue and an acknowledgement of her place of birth.

Save some energy to enjoy a night out in Skopje. There are a number of clubs catering for all tastes, from clubs providing the chance to dance to the latest music and drink cocktails, to small bars showcasing local talent. Furthermore, eating out is inexpensive and Skopje has a variety of restaurants that will cater to any taste. Do try to take time out to find a restaurant that is friendly to tourists focusing on the many traditional Macedonian dishes available. Prices for flights from Luton to Skopje with Wizz Air start from just £21.99, which is clearly an amazing price.

Bacau, Moldova

Bacau in the Moldavia region of Romania has now become an inexpensive and accessible destination with Romania’s Blue Air (www.blueairweb.com) out of London Luton. Bacau is an ideal starting point for travellers who want a countryside break. You can explore Transylvania forever linked to Bram Stokers Dracula and visit the infamous Bristrita River. Furthermore, Bacau nestles at the foot of the Carpathian Mountains and bird watching in the mountains has become very popular. You may also be lucky enough to encounter wolves and reindeer as well. Every Christmas, Bacau holds a festival of Moldavian winter traditions bringing together folk artists from the country. If you decide to spend a day exploring the streets of Bacau, remember, save some time for the museums.

Blue air is a wonderful company which offers its flights from London Luton to Bacau with prices from just £20.99.

Tirana, Albania

Consider Tirana, Albania as a low-cost holiday destination. Albanian Belle Air (www.belleair.it) is now flying from London Stansted to Tirana. This is one of a number of new flights being offered at Stansted perhaps in an attempt to reverse the downturn where passengers out of Stansted have fallen by 20% in the last three years.

Tirana has a Mediterranean climate and to keep with this has taken on a Mediterranean feel of late with a growing number of cafes and expanding nightlife even though it is not as wild as some of the more popular destinations.

During the day, you can visit the wonderful Botanical Gardens of Tirana, which has 13000 species of plants on show over fifteen acres. An early-morning visit to the daily new market will give the visitor a glimpse of what life is like in Tirana. Take a walk along the Boulevard of the Martyrs to take in Tirana’s most significant buildings ending coincidently after our visit to Skopje with Mother Theresa square with yet another statue, although she was born in Skopje, Macedonia, Mother Teresa was of Albanian parentage, and they are just as proud of her as the people in Skopje.

Make time to have a look at the rather ironically named Peace Bell built entirely from blank cartridge shells and acting as a reminder of the less than peaceful history of Tirana. If you want to see more of Albania, the most popular day trips from Tirana are Durres where you can see plenty of ancient history, including, the Roman Amphitheatre, the city wall, the archaeological museum, or you can just relax on one of the city beaches. On the other hand, in Kruja, you can take a stroll around the Turkish bazaar and soak up more historical atmosphere.

If you live in South East England, opportunities for low cost flight to “out of the box” European holiday destinations are continuing to open up. With a flight to any of the three destinations mentioned starting at arguably less than a night at a bed and breakfast in England, they are clearly worth a visit.

About the Author: Martin Petersen writes for his site Low Cost Airline Guide, an informational site providing route information and travel tips for budget airlines operating across Europe. You can follow Low Cost Airline Guide on Twitter and Facebook.

- The 5 Best Destinations For Multigenerational Travel
When planning a trip with the whole family — meaning everyone from great-grandparents to newborn babies — it’s important to choose a destination that will appeal to everyone. Choose a spot that’s too adult oriented, and the kids will be bored....

- The Top 5 Summer Holiday Destinations
It’s not too late to book a last minute summer holiday, and if you do some research beforehand you could find a real bargain as the season winds down. So if you’ve been mulling over whether to get on a plane and get away from it all, we’ve found...

- 3 Exotic Destinations For A Luxury Holiday
Many of us will look for something that takes us far away from the ins and outs of everyday life when looking for a luxury holiday destination. Whether you want your travels to take you half way across the world or if you only want to be on a plane for...

- Turkey. Save Money, But Savour The Atmosphere
A nation of vibrant cities, rich history and unmatched culture and scenery, Turkey offers the perfect place for a holiday. From the bustling streets of Istanbul to the brilliant beaches of Antalya, Turkey offers no shortage of marvellous sights or interesting...

- A Guide To The Best Of Shoreditch
The great thing about London is that, no matter how many times you visit, there's pretty much always somewhere new to discover. If you've never been to Shoreditch, now's the time to rectify that, since there is just so much to see and do. ...

Travel