One of the main reasons why Cornwall has long been visited by domestic and international holidaymakers alike is its wealth of beaches. Indeed, the south-west county has a greater amount of coastline than anywhere else in the UK, so if you want a getaway that enables you to lie back on a sandy stretch and soak up the sun, it is worth booking a holiday in Cornwall.

With over 300 beaches to be found in the region - not to mention the fact you'll never be more than 16 miles from the sea - finding beautiful beach holiday homes shouldn't be too much of a problem. By staying in such accommodation, you can take in wonderful sea views before going on a walk along the sand.

Cornwall is also an amazing holiday destination due to the wealth of water sports that are on offer. From windsurfing and stand up paddle boarding to sailing and canoeing, there is no shortage of active pursuits to try. Kayaking is another popular sport here, where you can paddle through clear blue waters to explore remote beaches and hidden coves.

However, as the county is commonly regarded as the UK's surf capital, you may be more interested in grabbing a board and riding the waves.

Book holiday cottages in Newquay - a town regarded as a hotspot for the sport - and you'll be able to take surf lessons run by experienced instructors who will get you carving up the water in no time. Fistral Beach and Lusty Glaze are considered two of the best surf breaks in the town, making these ideal places for water sport enthusiasts to show off their skills.

Culture vultures will also be in their element here, due to the county's range of museums, art galleries and stately homes. From the Tate St Ives and the Victorian-era Lanhydrock House to the National Maritime Museum and the grade I Port Eliot House, there are a wealth of fascinating sites to visit.

Families, meanwhile, will have an amazing day out at the Eden Project near St Austell. Home to the world's largest greenhouse and an array of tropical plants, a trip will here allows you to find out more about the natural environment, while having plenty of fun at the same time.

Whatever you decide to do in Cornwall, make sure you sample some of the tasty local cuisine such as Cornish pasties, saffron cakes and cream teas.

Cape Grace is the perfect romantic escape, thanks to its location on the V&A waterfront in its own private quay with stunning views of Table Mountain and the international marina. Guests can dine at the renowned Signal restaurant on locally inspired dishes including bobotie-spiced ostrich fillet with cinnamon roasted butternut and almond crumble crafted by head chef Malika Van Reenen; be pampered with the ancient secrets of the Kalahari Dessert at The Spa. Cape Grace has any amenity to make the proposal a memorable one.

The package costs £1,876 per room (R22 430 per room) and includes:  three nights for the price of two in a luxurious Suite, Daily breakfast, a bottle of chilled sparkling wine and home-made chocolates in room when requested and a personal consultation and bespoke design meeting with Platandia's Master Goldsmith.

Virgin Atlantic flies daily to Cape Town from London Heathrow. Fares start at £868 which includes taxes. For more information please call 0844 2092770 or visit www.virginatlantic.com.

For more information or to book please visit the Cape Grace website.

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The trip, which is available for guests travelling on a Hurtigruten cruise, will explore springtime in the Norwegian landscape – through excursions, on board activities, and the celebration of Norwegian Day.

Highlights of the trip include a brand new ‘Kayaking in Tromsø’ excursion where travellers can paddle along the coast surrounded by an impressive mountain landscape. Other excursions include a trip to the largest seabird colony in Scandinavia on the bird island of Runde and to the national park on the Varanger peninsula, which is home to an overwhelming number of different species of birds.  

Back on board, guests will be entertained by several talks and visits. Local fishermen will visit the ship to teach traditional Norwegien skills, including how to shell prawns and fillet fish.  

On the May 17th, which is Norway’s National Day, celebrations will include a variety of talks about the history of National Day, the royal family of Norway and the national costumes. 

The cruise will culminate with a huge National Day party. 

Prices for the trip cost £1384 per person on a full board basis. 

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Few places in Britain can match the dedication to delight in all its forms in which Brighton revels. Nearly two centuries after the Prince Regent invented the dirty weekend at his marine pavilion with an illegal wife, this miraculous pleasure dome of the south east coast is still pulling off its inimitable combination of culture and craic with all the freshness of youth and the skill of the seasoned voyeur.

My weekend started, poetically enough, at the Brighton Dome venue (pictured below). Originally part of a stable block for the Prince’s exotic Pavilion, the Dome now welcomes music lovers through ornately tiled hallways into a huge modern bar and well organised but easy-going concert hall.

That night the packed space rocked wildly to the tunes of Thin Lizzy. The boys of this revived 70s band were back in town with a vengeance and Brighton had come out to give them an appreciative welcome.

The Dome hosts world class acts throughout the year, especially during the Brighton Festival in May. Its 2012 theme will be freedom and Vanessa Redgrave is the inspired choice of guest director.

In freezing Saturday morning sunshine, we strolled the huge promenade with its famous pier. Brighton enjoys a bright, sheltered climate and even in winter the pier’s entertainments are open for their particular taste of pleasure. On the sea front I spotted with a smile a rusting abandoned bike, like an alternative sculpture, and a poster for ‘Sea Swimming Adventures’ alongside others for meditation meetings and a gay club. Inclusiveness rules.

Down beside the beach are arty shops in the creative quarter and a fascinating Fishing Museum. The resort’s once thriving fishing industry became decimated when tourism took off – those pesky nets set out to dry got right in the way of the bathing machines.

But now local boats are once again plying their seafaring trade, so alongside the museum building and its open-air exhibits are a smoke house and a stall where you can buy fresh seafood.

If it’s shopping you want, then prepare to be in heaven. All the high street designer names are here – but the best browsing has to be in The Lanes (pictured below), a warren of specialist emporia and boutiques. Alongside the vintage jewellery, military memorabilia and funky frocks are restaurants, cafes and pubs galore with every kind of food and drink right on hand whenever you’re fit to drop – and right on into the small hours.

The Lanes area is traffic free and I loved the slow pace, the ‘all human life is here’ feel, the discovery of new delights both day and night around every twist and turn in the narrow passage ways. But the payoff for Brighton’s layout and the absence of engine noise is the difficulty of parking. Best to take the train or leave the car on the edge of the town centre, as I did, in a multi-storey car park that cost £12.50 for 24 hours.

The walk from here to my base for the weekend took about 15 minutes. The Market Inn is a friendly Victorian pub in a fantastic central location on the edge of the Lanes and close to the sea front, the High Street, the cultural quarter, the tourist information office and a taxi rank, should you need it.

Upstairs are just two spacious rooms offering great value B&B. We stayed in the King George III room, named after the Prince Regent’s father. I’m sure he would approve of the hearty breakfast that was served in our room beside an elegant bay window.

It was also a short stroll from here to the Royal Pavilion (pictured below), the outrageous pleasure dome that the Prince Regent eventually had built by architect John Nash in an oriental style with no extravagance spared. In the grand dining hall, above a huge table heaving with fine porcelain and glass, are gilt dragons supporting vast crystal chandeliers decorated with lotus flowers and every wall and ceiling surface is ornately painted.

The kitchen has been impeccably preserved and restored and I particularly liked the arrays of rabbits, pheasants, fish, herbs and a menu for the ultimate banquet of the era in all its glorious excess.

The Pavilion was eventually given back to Brighton by Queen Victoria and in fascinating contrast is a room devoted to its use as a hospital for Indian soldiers wounded in the First World War.

Close to the Pavilion – and less well known – is the amazing Brighton Museum. This treasure trove of modern art and design, Egyptology and the story of Brighton as a resort is a real gem and a must to visit.

Everyone can relate to its accessible exhibits of ceramics and furniture, including curvy chairs and Salvador Dali’s surrealist sofa in the shape of Mae West’s lips, and there are even displays on the theme of the ‘dirty weekend’ and moody photos of Mods and Rockers at battle on Brighton sea front in the sixties.

Another treasure is the Duke of York’s Picturehouse at Preston Circus, built in 1910 and Britain’s oldest cinema. Whilst watching a classic or arthouse film or even enjoying some live comedy, you can relax in a squashy seat with a glass of wine and perhaps a slice of homemade cake from the Balcony Bar. Now that’s what I call comfort.

By the time of our reluctant Sunday evening departure from Brighton, it was still freezing cold, but I couldn’t care less. Coleridge’s earworm chimed even louder in my head and I pondered just two questions: why aren’t more towns unashamedly devoted to pleasure and when can I come back?

By Faith Warn

Fact Box:
B&B at the Market Inn, Market Street, Brighton is from £65 per double room per night. Visit: www.reallondonpubs.com; 01273 329483
Visit Brighton has comprehensive tourism information and ideas at www.visitbrighton.com; 01273 290337 and is also on Facebook

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The Deal: Do your body a favor and treat yourself to a wellness vacation at the BodyHoliday in St. Lucia. The upscale, all-inclusive fitness and spa resort sits at the northwestern tip of the island and underwent a substantial revamp last year. Expect a new infinity-edge pool and boardwalk, a refurbished Cariblue restaurant (with a new-and-improved health menu), and an expanded watersports center. The stellar Moroccan-style spa comes with a relaxation courtyard touting a mosaic-tiled fountain, pool, and Ayurvedic temple. The resort’s benchmark mantra remains the same, catering to its four pillars of body health (relaxation, restorative beauty, exercise, and diet), with an activity-packed daily schedule, including everything from yoga and Pilates to fencing and scuba diving. Fodors.com readers can soothe their minds and bodies this spring (from March through May) with a 20 percent discount off rates and the single supplement, plus a $ 250 spa credit per stay.

Expert Tip: While rates may seem on the high side at first glance, they actually include all meals, premium-brand cocktails, wines, one daily spa treatment per guest, and all activities, which run the gamut from diving, tennis, and fitness and golf lessons to motorized water sports, personal trainer workouts, archery, and fencing.

The Details: Reduced all-inclusive rates start from $ 464 per person, per night, for a Luxury Room. The $ 250 spa credit can be used for additional, specialized treatments. This deal must be booked by March 20. Note that the discount is not valid for Single Garden Rooms, Grand Luxury Oceanfront Suites, or the Penthouse.

Book It: Call 800/544-2883 and mention code FOD12.

Thinking of a trip to St. Lucia? For up-to-the-minute hotel and restaurant recommendations, plus the best planning advice, check out our St. Lucia Travel Guide.

Photo Credit: Courtesy The BodyHoliday

If you visit Rome and want to get a taste of Italy outside the hectic capital, here are five places that make ideal day trips from Rome:

Ostia Antica

The harbour city of ancient Rome Ostia Antica is only a 45-minute train ride from downtown Rome. The archeological park contains the uncovered Roman city and the vast remains give you a good idea of what a city of the Roman Empire would have looked like. The site has been compared with Pompeii and include baths, temples and a forum. One of the unique features here is the ruins of apartment buildings (did you know they had apartment buildings then?) and there is also a museum at the site. The village of Ostia Antica is home to the Ostia Castle and if you have time, also visit Portus (the old city port) and take a look at the Isola Sacra Necropolis.

Via Appia (Appian Way)

For some rural peace away from the mainstream Rome tours try visiting the Via Appia. This used to be the main road leading into the city (312BC) is now an ideal hiking, walking and cycling route through green parkland. Exit Rome past the Aurelian Walls (Porta San Sebastiano) and the sites of the Appian Way appear starting with the Church of Domine Quo Vadis with Christ’s footprints left in a slab of stone. Continue on to the Church of San Sebastiano, the Catacombs and the Tomb of Cecilia Metella. From this point the countryside opens up in front of you and you can walk along the Roman road past the occasional ancient ruins and tombs. Reach the Via Appia by the Archeobus (€8) which is a hop-on-hop-off bus that takes you to the Tomb of Cecilia Metella. From the Via Appia Regional Park you can rent bicycles and enjoy a day in the car-free Italian countryside.

Fiumicino beaches

The fishing village of Fiumicino is in the Roman Coastline Nature Reserve, it is a town centered on one of the Tiber River’s “little rivers”. If you would like to see some wildlife around the water’s edge follow the river banks, if you want to wander around the fishing village and have a very fresh fish meal go into Fiumicino, and then there are the beaches. Isola Sacra has a unique beach with dark sand and calm blue sea water. The town and area on the whole is geared towards tourists and all the facilities and amenities you could desire are here – chairs, umbrellas, stores, cafes, clubs and sports activities. Capocotta Beach is also nearby. Fiumicino is accessed through its neighboring town of Ostia Antica which is about 15 minutes away, and from Rome to Fiumicino shouldn’t take you more than 45 minutes.

Tivoli – Villa d’Este

The city of Tivoli is famous for Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa which makes it worth the hour long journey from Rome. The Villa d’Este is a UNESCO site and has remarkable Renaissance architecture, frescos, Cardinal Ippolitos’s library, furnished bedchamber and chapel. However the stunning gardens are the main attraction. In the terraced gardens are 500 fountains, ponds, a grotto with a statue of Diana, mosaics, a nymphaeum and sculptures with each terrace connected by sweeping staircases. The historic town of Tivoli and the other villas in the town make a peaceful escape from the hectic pace of Rome.

Tarquinia – Etruscan tombs

Tarquinia was one of the capitals of the ancient Etruscan civilization which pre-dates the Roman Empire. The historic city boasts the Medieval Piazza Cavour, the 1508 Tarquinia Duomo and the Etruscan Tombs. The tombs are on the outskirts of the town dug into volcanic earth created after an eruption. 6000 tombs were discovered here some with brightly colored murals on them dating back to the 2nd century BC. To see the tombs you need to navigate the steep stairs carved out of the hill side. In the town square is an archeological museum with an outstanding collection of Etruscan artifacts like the terra-cotta winged horse statues. While in Tarquinia check out the medieval town walls, the stone turrets and the nearby beach. This day trip is an hour to an hour and a half journey from Rome.

Five Day trips from Rome was written by Petal Mashraki. We also have posts on Two Days in Rome and Top 10 Historical Sights in Rome. 

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Visit the Portes du Soleil region of France and you can soon enjoy cycling across an extensive network of well-maintained trails.

In addition to ten dedicated mountain biking areas, there are also five parks in which you will be able to practice jumps and other freestyle manoeuvres. You'll discover runs to suit riders of all abilities - although it is perhaps best suited to those who like the thrill of downhill riding - while the presence of two dozen cable cars and lifts allows you to quickly travel between routes.

Alternatively, you may be inclined to visit Austria in order to bike along the magnificent Tauern Cycle Path. Stretching some 270 km, following this route not only provides you with stunning views of the Austrian alpine countryside - including the Saalach and Salzach rivers and the majestic Krimml waterfalls - but you will also get to see a range of amazing manmade attractions, such as the 11th-century Hohenwerfen Castle and the extensive Hallein salt mines.

In addition, there will be the opportunity to explore the picturesque marketplaces of Golling and Kuchl.

With around 90 per cent of the route seeing you travel along designated cycle paths and side roads that are generally free of traffic, you ought to find the trail can be completed fairly comfortably in the space of about a week.

To see more of the country's stunning sights, you may also want to ride along the amazing Danube Cycle Path. Although this route starts in the German city of Passau and ends in eastern Europe, some of the most beautiful and popular stretches of the trail are to be found in Austria.

On your way to Vienna - the nation's capital - you'll get to pass by picturesque monasteries, pretty villages and the wonderfully-preserved medieval Clam Castle. Following the path of the Danube river, another wonderful highlight of this mountain biking route is Enns, which is considered to be the oldest town in Austria.

Alternatively, you may want to visit Lake Garda in Italy. Commonly regarded as one of the best destinations in Europe for cyclists, it's a good idea to first invest in some new mountain biking shorts and other specialist clothing prior to heading out here. That way, you can be sure that you'll be well-equipped to explore the dozens of high-quality routes.

There are more than 1,000 km of signposted trails for cyclists of all ability levels to explore here, so you needn't fear that boredom will set in anytime soon.

Perhaps one of the most popular trail is Tremalzo, a single-track route which will see you cycle along ancient military roads.

Alternatively, you may want to go on a ride through the Arco valley in which you can see beautiful olive groves and ride through pretty villages, such as Vigne, Ceole and Varignano.

The above are just a few of the places on the continent where you can experience wonderful mountain biking and you can be confident that wherever you go you'll have a fantastic active break.

The Heritage Village resort is one of the most popular all-inclusive hotels in Goa due to its great choice of facilities, activities and perfect location.

The hotel is surrounded by countryside and is only 350m from the soft sandy beach at Arrossim. A la carte and buffet restaurants are on offer as well as the Casa Rosa pub for food and refreshments. Learn new skills whilst away by getting involved in some of the activities at the Heritage Village from aqua aerobics, pool volleyball and yoga to cooking demonstrations and vegetable carving!

Take a river trip to see the wild crocodiles, or snap up local handicrafts at the vibrant market in Anjuna. There’s nothing quite like walking along the beach at sunset watching the brightly coloured fishing boats come in to shore before heading back to the hotel restaurant for some delicious Indian food.

Flights depart on March 24th 2012.

For more information or to book please call 0800 408 6324 or visit the Directline Holidays website. 

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The new resort aims to submerge guests in Dinsey culture through 1,120 themed suites - all based on animated Walt Disney and Disney Pixar classics. The themed rooms range from modern films like Finding Nemo, through to the golden oldies - like the Lion King and The Little Mermaid. 

The suits sleep up to six guests and standard rooms are also avaliable. Additional facilities at the new resort include three swimming pools, four animation themed courtyards and a video arcade to entertain young holidaymakers. 

Extra facilities also include self parking, magical express transfers from Orlando International, and Disney’s transportation to Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. For worn-out mums and dads, there are also in-room child care options and concierge services - to make the holiday a more relaxing one. 

Tickets can be booked through the holiday specialist Complete Orlando. Seven nights for two adults and two children in a family suite will cost from £1,400 from 31st May 2012 when the hotel opens.  

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