When anyone considers a specific golfing holiday, there are some areas in Europe that are more popular than others. While Spain and Portugal are typical destinations for the holiday golfer, southern Italy has the courses and weather to match them and Naples in particular is a fine city with much to offer. If you’re thinking of planning a trip here and looking to play some golf in Naples, then there are some great opportunities.

In the first instance, it’s easy to get into Naples and the city is served by its own international airport. If you cannot find a direct flight then you can easily get connections from Rome and other large terminals in the country. Once you’ve arrived, you’re greeted with an excellent tourist centre with plenty to see and do.

Primarily though, you’ll need to know what golf in Naples can offer you. A logical place to begin your golf in Naples is at the Napoli golf club which can be found some six miles outside of the main city centre. A good measure of any European course is the fact that locals use the facilities alongside the many holidaymakers here. This course is well maintained and it’s certainly worth seeking out the superb dining facilities on site.

It’s important to remember that the Napoli will require advance booking and a handicap certificate before you can go onto the course itself. This almost goes without saying for any golf Europe destination but it is worth keeping in mind. The course however is very hospitable and extremely popular and it’s well worth looking for the many golf offers that the course provides.

The area in and around Naples is home to many nine hole courses and Porto D’Orra Golf Club is an excellent example. Just because it’s nine holes, doesn’t mean it’s not of professional quality and Porto D’Orra golf offers a first class location with some testing terrain. You can of course play it twice to make up eighteen holes but a nine hole course can ease you into your holiday after your journey here.

There are many more courses in Italy to try and holiday golfers who have been here in the past have spoken highly of the Adriatic, the Bologna, the Riva dei Tessali and the Croara. Each of these courses is very different with varying difficulty and changing types of hazards wherever you go. The one thing that they have in common is immaculate fairways and greens that can be utilised all year round.

For golf Europe as a whole, Spain and Portugal in particular, may have a higher density of courses than Naples, but they are so popular that they can become overcrowded. One of the biggest complaints of any holiday golfer is that a course is overbooked and a round can take in excess of six hours. That isn’t the case in Naples and you can enjoy your golf in a more peaceful and quiet location.

When you consider golf Europe has some real hidden treasures and Naples is a shining example of this. The courses are beautiful and in top condition with differing challenges on each. Here in Naples, golf offers some unique sights in a wonderful tourist location and even the on course dining facilities represent the best in Italian cuisine. As a golfing destination, Naples has so much to offer.

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This is a guest post by Hugo Davison.

So you’re in Cyprus and you’re in search of a classic Mediterranean feast. Eating out in Cyprus is all about the Greek ‘meze’ – the endless platters of freshest local produce, sat over for hours with a few jars of local wine. For the best quality, it pays to get away from the crowds, and that means leaving the overrun consumerism of Cyprus’s beaches behind. Try Nicosia, the islands capital, which borders the Turkish side of the island and is separated by an old roman wall and the capital’s old town. It’s into the intriguing old town where many local tavernas await, so loose yourselves in its bohemian backstreets for an afternoons indulgence in the real Mediterranean Cypriot dining.

Always start with fresh bread with olive oil and olives. Then pile on the typical Greek dips, tahini, tzatziki, taramosalata, houmous and greek yoghurt. Cram in some basic fresh salad, some grilled halloumi cheese and jar of local wine and you’re already an hour in. Ah, but wait. That’s just the entree.

The Cypriots are incredibly keen on meat. Round two comes from the two local favourites, Lamb and Pork. These come in your normal skewer kebab, the ‘souvlaki’, or there’s the sassy grilled sausage called ‘sheftalia’, or perhaps try the ‘gyros’ – a mischievous little pita curled up with pork or chicken with fresh tomato and red onion, tzatziki and chips. Add some ‘keftethes’, the little fried meatballs of mince and potatoes and herbs, some ‘stifado’, a rustic rabbit or lamb stew, and top it off with a plate of ‘koupepia’, those classically stuffed vine leaves.

Another jar of wine and old town Nicosia is doing well. Yes it is here where the classic tastes are found, like in Tziellari, one of the more traditional tavernas, but its also where the local set jam up with bouzouki’s (an acoustic guitar of sorts) and strum the hours lazily by.  Another favourite is Aigaio, a cafe/taverna in the old Greek terrace style with an artsy scene where browsing books or sucking on a late afternoon shiesha is the norm. And the best till last? Head to Heraklis Garden Cafe for a great outdoor setting, the best in old fashioned Nicosian ice cream and a natter with the owner’s parrot.

After a full afternoon, with the sun firmly set, you wander back through the old streets and marvel at the local stamina, the elderly Greek Cypriots sitting at taverna tables, sucking on frappes and cigars and chuckling at the merriment and madness of the bohemian beats their old haunts still play.

Check out my destination Cyprus for more local knowledge and places to tempt you in for the day.

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When we’re booking our holidays or planning a period of extensive travelling, we all look to cut costs where possible. We can do this in many ways, such as reducing the amount of baggage we take on flights, seeking out the best deals on hotels, and booking everything as early as possible. We might also cut back on anything we see as an unnecessary purchase before travelling, but it really is vital that we don’t allow travel insurance to fall into this category.

The potential cost of not purchasing worldwide travel insurance to protect us on our travels is many, many times greater than the cost of the insurance itself. Most journeys can be fully insured for the price of a meal out at a restaurant and the cover will protect you against costs that could seriously dent your finances if you had to pay them yourself.

Here are just a few reasons to make sure travel insurance does not fall victim to the cuts made to your austerity travel budget.

Medical
The cost of medical care in other countries can be frighteningly high. If you have the misfortune of becoming ill or fall victim of an injury while abroad, you’re very unlikely to receive free medical care. Some countries, such as Australia and the UK, have reciprocal healthcare agreements that ensure citizens are provided with free emergency procedures, but even under these agreements many aspects of medical care will be carried out at the cost of the individual. To save yourself the worry, conduct a travel insurance compare with moneysupermarket. Its team of insurance experts will get you a wide range of quotes from widely differing insurers at the click of a mouse.

Luggage
We’ve all heard the horror stories of lost or damaged luggage on flights. That luggage doesn’t always reach its destination in one piece or at all is an unavoidable fact of the airline industry, and no airline is perfect. Next time you consider skipping the travel insurance on your flight, picture yourself being the last person waiting at the luggage carousel in vain for hours after everyone else has left, or imagine being the person opening their case to find their beloved possessions damaged. Don’t run the risk – insure your luggage with worldwide travel insurance.

Missed connections
Delayed and cancelled flights, buses or trains can be a real headache when you are travelling. But they needn’t be a financial headache when you can insure yourself against the cost of missed connections and cancelled journeys for a relatively tiny fee. Make sure that any unwanted extra nights in a hotel are covered by your insurer.

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Whether you’re a business traveller, taking a holiday in the UK’s capital, or in the process of relocation, using short stay apartments in London may well be the answer to your accommodation needs. They are much cheaper than an equivalent standard of hotel room, as much as 30% in many cases and they offer more space, comfort and flexibility, whilst at the same time benefitting from a concierge and maid services.

When using London apartments short stay accommodation will be the ideal solution for many business travellers. Whether the stay is just overnight, when for example you need to go to an early morning engagement or meeting, or whether you are in town for a lengthier stay, perhaps attending an exhibition or conference, this option does away with the unwelcome anonymity of hotel rooms and gives a great deal more flexibility.

For companies whose staff are frequently required to stay in London, using short stay apartments is much more economical and flexible than maintaining a company apartment on a permanent basis. They are able to pay for just the accommodation that’s in use and it is easy to scale up or down as required.

When personnel need to relocate to London serviced apartments provide the ideal solution. For an employee who is engaged on a short term contract, or for one who needs to permanently move his or her base, a short stay apartment offers a much more conducive environment than a hotel and is available at very short notice for as long as is needed. This is especially valuable to an employee who needs to find a new home in the capital and takes away much of the stress at what is a very busy time.

Serviced apartments in Central London are far more spacious than the standard capital city hotel room and they are appointed to a high standard. Rather than being restricted to eating out, residents can enjoy cooking in the well equipped kitchens, or can simply use the microwave to heat up a convenience meal. A dishwasher and washing machine are often included.

If you’re visiting the capital for tourist purposes and considering London apartments short stay units have much to offer. As well as proving better value than conventional hotels they give you far more flexibility when it comes to entertaining, eating and relaxing. Choosing an apartment in a smart and central district means you are well placed for exploring the city.

For groups and families, apartments represent great value as they are priced per unit not per person staying. Phone calls are charged as extra but all taxes and utility bills are taken care of in the rental price. After a busy day out and about in London, your apartment is a welcoming place to relax and chill out and will be equipped with cable or satellite TV and may have a DVD and audio system as well. And you don’t need to worry about making the bed or tidying up as the maid will take care of all that.

Short stay serviced apartments in London are increasingly popular with both business and leisure visitors and provide the highest levels of comfort and flexibility.

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