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!


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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.

Fuerteventura is the oldest of the Canary Islands and is home to stunning endless beaches, the Atlantic Ocean and blue skies. You will find everything on this island from Bars and Clubs to small secluded spots to get away from it all. Magnificent landscapes and beautiful weather make it a must visit.

Dating back over 20 million years the island is still a geological baby, the majority of the island is only 5 million years old! The volcano itself is dormant and has not been active for around 5000 years. A mixture of eroded pumice and rocky grounds the volcano is an incredible contrast from the long stretches of beach you will find on the island. You won’t see many plants towards the interior of the island as it is so dry, you might spot the odd lizard though!

A great Holiday deal;

A great Hotel deal;

Goa is situated on the West coast of India and is home to stunning beaches, ancient buildings and bags of culture. When the Portuguese first landed in Goa in the 16th Century as merchants they left behind a strong Portugese influence which existed until the 1960’s. You can experience incredible plants, animals and people – a true once in a lifetime holiday. You name it, Goa has it.

India has complex geology as the whole Country has moved around. It moved from the South of the Earth where it collided with the rest of the Asian Continent, creating the Himalayas. It has also faced mass periods of Volcanic activity (The Deccan Traps), meteors landing (the Lonar Crater) and massive folding and breaking of the rocks that helped to form the Western Ghats that run through Goa. The Western Ghats are not mountains, they are part of a massive fault/crack in the ground.

A great holiday offer;



A great hotel offer;

Santorini is a group of islands that formed when a volcano collapsed. It is situated in the Aegean Sea about 20okm South of the Greek mainland. Home to some incredible beaches over looked by stunning volcanic cliffs it is no wonder many say Santorini is the Ancient Atlantis. There are some fantastic restaurants serving great freshly cooked food that is often accompanied by home grown wine grown on the volcanic slopes. Houses cling to the cliff sides and are painted a striking white. Try getting a donkey up the hillside rather than walking, it’s much easier!

This group of Islands was created when a huge volcano erupted in around 1650BC and collapsed, creating the caldera you see today. It is estimated that 61 cubic kilometers of magma must have been thrown out of the inner depths of the volcano to create what you see today. This makes it one of the three largest eruptions of the past 5000 years. The small island in the center of the bay is a small volcano that is still active.

Naples is famous for Pizza amongst other things so where better to experince pizza than in it’s birthplace, Naples. Culture, art and fashion are also high on the list of priorities for Naples. Naples has stunning views of the surrounding islands, Capri and Ischia and has it’s skyline dominated by Vesuvious. Visit the museums, art galleries and many restaurants to get the full Naples experience. Surrounded by all things volcanic you will have some exposive experiences!

You may think the only thing volcanic in Naples is Mount Vesuvious, but you would be wrong. Campi Flegrei or The Phlegraean Fields as they are also known is a 8m wide caldera just to the west of Naples. It is now a National Park and although most of the caldera lies under water you can still find at least 24 craters and volcani edifices. The last know eruption was around 1538.

Have a look at some great deals to Naples here!

Antigua in the Caribbean is renowned for its long white beaches, weddings and incredible water sports. Full of history and culture the island truly is a tropical paradise. Many people choose Antigua as their wedding destination, either for their honeymoon or for the wedding itself. The market is great for picking up some local treats and gifts for the family.

Antigua lies to the East of Montserrat, and the island itself is constructed from a volcano and coral reef beds. Boggy Peak is the highest point of the island at 410m. From the top you can often see Montserrat and St. Kitts the neighbouring Islands. The island itself is fairly low lying compared to the other Caribbean islands but this doesn’t detract from the amazing geology you can find there. Limestone hills dominate the East of the Island with the volcanic mountains in the South West.

Check out the great deals to Antigua through Sunshine.co.uk here.

Santiago Island is situated in a chain of islands mid-way between Brazil and Portugal in the Atlantic Ocean, just off the West coast of Africa. There are ten islands but Santiago is the largest and home to the  Nations Capital Praia.Full of a mixture of cultures including Portuguese and African the city is alive with music, food and colour. Set that amongst some of the most truly spectacular beaches in the world and you have a dream holiday. Watersports, diving and turtle watching are just some of the things you can do when in Santiago.

The whole set of islands is known as an archipelago which is a chain of islands. Cape Verde are volcanic islands with the last eruption being in 1951 on Fogo. Santiago is made from volcanic basalt rocks, some sedimentary rocks and some pyroclasts (ash flows) meaning for any hiker or walking holiday maker you will get a full spectrum of walking environments, from beach, to fertile plantations, to baron volcanic lands.  A truly spectacular island.

See what amazing deals sunshine.co.uk have on Santiago holidays here.

There is a great 7 day trekking guide here too.

Sorrento is draped in lemon trees with lemons the size of your head which of course make Limoncello the famous Italian alcoholic digestif. Found in the South West of Italy (just before the toe of the boot!) Sorrento is situated in panoramic mountains, that cascade into the clear blue seas overlooking Naples.

Situated between Sorrento and Naples lies one of the most famous volcanoes in the world, Mount Vesuvius. A short trip on Circumvesuviana rail line which takes you round the bay giving you incredible views will bring you to the base of Vesuvious. You can get a bus most of the way up the volcano and will be dropped off just below the summit (luckily there is a cafe and gift shops if you need a breather first) I would recommend hiring a cane to help you up to the craters edge.

These are a few of my pictures when I went in March 2007, snow on the top but gorgeous sunshine too!

Have a look at the great holidays to Sorrento Sunshine.co.uk have here.

Tenerife isn’t just famed for booze and beaches, it is also home to one of the most incredible volcanoes this planet has to show. Mt Teide stands at 3718 metres above sea level and dominates the island. Surrounded by the UNESCO World Heritage Site National Park – Parque Nacional del Teide (Teide National Park). The voclano is home to a cable car that takes you to very near the top. On a clear day the views are incredible, even on an unclear day you will not be disappointed by what this magical volcano has to offer.

Tenerife itself lays just off the West Coast of Africa in the Canary Islands. The largest of the seven islands Tenerife is a Spanish island that has great weather all the year round. The immaculate beaches and blue skies make it a hugely popular tourist destination for young and old all through the year.

For cheap holidays to Tenerife I recommend you use Sunshine.co.uk who have a huge selection of holidays to Tenerife and the Canary Islands