Geology Holidays

Lemons, oranges, tiny fishing villages and the mafia. It can only be Sicily! This stunning island is full of secluded beaches, incredible restaurants, culture, history, pubs, clubs and just about anything else you could want from a holiday including the fabulous weather.

Home to Europe’s largest volcano Mt Etna, Sicily is a small island that sits just off the South West Coast of Italy. Standing at an impressive 3,323m Etna has a massively dominating presence over the Island. The volcano is still active, and can regularly be seen spouting ash and lava into the skies. Etna has a number of vents rather than the usual single crater so there are plenty of places to see an eruption, although not too close! Due to it’s activeness a much of the volcano is forbidden for hikers and ramblers, but fear not, wait until the evening and you will catch some spectacular night time displays!


To see what fantastic deals you can get click here!

I was recently lucky enough to experience some first class diving in Barbados. The island itself is full to brimming of exciting geology as it’s one of the only Caribbean islands that is not volcanic. Go under the warm tropical waters and you will find an abundance of fantastic marine life, wrecks and geological features. I managed to take this picture whilst snorkelling on Turtle Beach, it’s not the best picture, but you can imagine the amazing sites you will see.

The islanders or ‘Bajans’ are the friendliest, happiest people you will meet and it won’t take you long to relax in when you get there, one thing to note is ‘bajan time’ which means if you say turn up at 7, they will turn up at 9! Barbados is an island where you throw all your cares away, sit back and enjoy the rum. Taste all the different foods, enjoy all the beaches, swim in the warm tropical seas and you’ll wish you weren’t leaving!

Dubai is the place for a fun packed holiday and geared for the tourist. Along with lots of shops, some that you will recognise from the UK, there are designer stores galore.Tax Free Shopping all day long, and a visit to the Gold Souk is a must. Although it is a very modern place, history and culture are also prevalent, somewhere to visit is the Dubai Museum which is housed in the oldest building, built in 1787 and has lots of interesting artefacts including a souk peopled by waxworks, and some wildlife from the desert. The old mixes with the new, from camel racing and the famous Dubai Cup at the Nad al Sheba racetrack, to the old boats and cruise liners. Dubai has something to offer everyone, beaches, desert activities, golf, shopping, and is friendly, safe and virtually crime-free. Dubai’s latest phenomenon, The Atlantis Hotel on the man-made island of Palm Jumeirah, has over 1500 rooms, the Palm is said to be the 8th wonder of the world. Blue skies can be expected for most of the year.

The people of Dubai have altered the Geology of the region by building massive structures off the coast. They are not only extending the coast line out into the water, but they could potentially mess with the tidal system. The structures and developments are incredibly impressive though, and it just goes to show what a few diggers and a load of sand can achieve!

From Dubrovnik on the Dalmatian coast to Zagreb in the North and the Istrian peninsula, Croatia has something to offer every tourist. The climate is Mediterranean along the Adriatic coast, which means warm dry summers and mild winters and it is one of the sunniest coastlines in Europe.  Sailing holidays are an option visiting some of the many islands off the coast, some uninhabited, Cruising, chartering a boat with or without a skipper or taking a sailing course for the beginner to the more advanced sailor among you. The former Yugoslavia offers fabulous, reasonably priced food some with an Italian influence and other local specialities such as a palacinke which is a crepe-like dessert often stuffed with walnuts or chocolate and sometimes served with ice cream.

Korcula Island belongs to the central Dalmatian archipelago and is a stunning Island known well for it’s nudist beaches! If that doesn’t float your boat but rocks do, check out the hidden coves and bays dotted along the coast of the Island. Secluded beaches and scattered boulders from cliffs that once stood are just some of the incredible geological sites you will see here.

Latvia ‘The Land That Sings’.  Whether you’re interested in museums, medieval castles or nature reserves Latvia offers them all. Latvian craftsmen have kept traditions alive which have been passed down from their ancestors, these can be seen in workshops and museums all over the country and include woodcarvers, potters, carpenters, stonemasons, weavers and tailors. Hunting and fishing are popular as there are many lakes as is boating and accommodation can be found in campsites, farmhouses or guesthouses. Watch out if you go hiking as you may see wildlife such as elk, deer, brown bears and wolves in the national parks. Latvia is a country with beautiful nature, wonderful people and great history.

Riga sits not too far away from the coast of the Baltic Sea. A Sea famed for once being a massive river bed. As the Earth shifted around, so the sea was formed. It is one of the largest inland seas and has a very low salinity. The Baltic Sea coast offers a varied coastline with white sandy beaches and rock formations, at certain times of the year even Baltic Amber can be found.

Currently travel times to Cape Verde from London are approx 5.5 hours and the best time to visit is from October to June.Good things about Cape Verde are the food, people, beaches, the lagoon, salt mine, charm, scuba diving, wind surfing, surfing, and golf courses. Music plays a huge part in Cape Verdean culture and it really is quite unique. Varied landscapes, beautiful beaches and clear waters of the Atlantic ocean appeal to all. Hiking the hills, turtle or bird watching, enjoying the culture or island hopping there is something for everyone.

The Archipelago is volcanic in origin and there are 10 islands that you can hop to each offering different regions, from the flat, barren and windswept Islands of Sal, Boa Vista and Maio, to spectacular mountainous scenery, white sandy beaches and lush plantations filled with banana, sugar cane, papaya. The climate is wonderful all year round. Enjoy great cuisine (especially if you enjoy fish) mainly Portuguese and Creole influenced, while overlooking a spell binding and tantalising country.

Check out some great deals to Cape Verde here.

Bulgaria has clean air, a healthy climate, forests, history, mountains, culture… Actually you name it, Bulgaria has it! The Bulgarian coast  faces east and extends over 378 km, there are lots of vast fine golden sandy beaches and the majority of Bulgaria beaches have been awarded the EU Blue Flag for their environmental excellence.
For wine lovers Bulgaria boasts of a long history of grape growing and wine production, there are five wine regions which are scattered all over the country that grow international varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon.

Sunny Beach sits on the coast of the Black Sea which is a geological mish mash of events, from volcanoes erupting to mountains rising and sinking, the Black Sea is very interesting! Then take into account the interesting features the Sea itself has to hold, for example it is less than half the salinity of normal sea’s, so now salty taste in your mouth should you swallow some whilst swimming!

Check out the brillant deals to Lisbon here:-

Not only does Phuket have incredible geology inland with it’s awesome mountain ranges, it also has stunning beaches. The Phuket Kata beach is one of the more famous beaches because it is truly stunning. Each grain of sand tells a story of  Thailands past and you can learn alot as you stroll along the magnificent beaches.

You can find some amazing deals to Thailand here:-

Aruba has incredible dive spots for both scuba diving and snorkelling. The waters surrounding Aruba are filled with stunning coral formations and shipwrecks including the Caribbeans largest ship wreck, the Antilla. Snorkel one of the largest wrecks in the Caribbean, the visibility can be hundreds of feet in the clear waters or just soak up the warm sun.

Have a look at the great deals to Aruba here!