Cascais is a pretty ancient fishing village just 15 miles from Lisbon on the Estoril coast of Portugal. Fishing boats still set sail from here, providing locally caught fish to the towns eating establishments. During the holiday season local people set up stalls along the roadside selling local handicrafts and unusual souvenirs.

Providing an excellent base for visiting the resorts along the Lisbon coast, Cascais is a lively resort with a relaxed atmosphere.

The quaint old town of Cascais has lots of cobbled streets, a 16th century fort, churches, museums, zoo, bullring, park and a marina to explore. There are plenty of opportunities for dining out in Cascais with a variety of restaurants, tradition tavernas and cafes. Evenings can be spent in the lively bars and clubs, by enjoying a relaxing meal at one of the top quality gourmet restaurants or by visiting the amazing casino at Estoril.

Walking is a popular pursuit here, especially along the coastal route from Cascais to the Boca do Inferno which is great fun during a storm or at high tide, but not for the faint hearted! There are lots of roadside cafes along the way, a great place to stop off for a drink is at the Esplanada Santa Marta which overlooks Santa Marta Beach and lighthouse.

With three beautiful beaches – Praia da Rainha, Praia da Ribeira and Praia da Conceicao – you will be spoilt for choice. The Praia da Ribeira is a working fishing harbour where you can watch the local boats leaving for their daily catch. There is also the large wild beach of Praia do Guincho which is just a short drive away from Cascais. Water sports including surfing, windsurfing, water skiing and sailing are on offer from the beaches here in Cascais.

Great days out from Cascais include taking a train ride to Lisbon, visiting the resorts of historic Estoril and Sintra, the Sintra-Cascais National Park and the 18th century Queluz Palace or taking a deep sea fishing trip.

Summer holidays spent in Portugal are ideal as you will always normally be guaranteed good weather.

If you are looking for a quiet relaxed destination then Santa Lucia on Cuba’s Atlantic north coast is the place for you. If you are in Cuba for sightseeing then this destination isn’t the best choice as most of the country’s tourist attractions are a far distance away.

Thousands of people come here every year to enjoy the glorious white sandy beach which stretches for over 13 miles. World renowned for excellent diving and snorkelling, Santa Lucia has one of the world’s biggest unbroken coral reefs, stretching for more than 14 miles. The reef, along with the clear waters, marine life and sunken ship wrecks, make it a haven for scuba divers and an ideal location to learn to dive. Here in Santa Lucia visitors can indulge themselves in watersports including diving, snorkelling, swimming, fishing and sailing, as well as lots of different beach activities.

A trip to the Cubitas Mountains which are home to some fascinating wildlife, stunning scenery and more than 300 species of plant is a great day out and a nice change to lazing on the beach. Nearby there is also the Sierra de Cubitas where caves and grotto’s are waiting to be explored.

About an hours drive from here is the city of Camaguey which has 80 miles of wonderful beaches, islands and bays. The nearest town to Santa Lucia is Nuevitas which consists mainly of hotels and is reached across a large lagoon. Santa Lucia is surrounded by muddy salt flats where flocks of rare Roseate Flamingos feed on the saltwater life that inhabits the flats.

Santa Lucia is hot all year round. From June till October temperatures during the day average around 32C to 34C with up to 8 hours of sunshine a day and water temperatures reaching 29C. During May, June, September and October Santa Lucia experiences quite a lot of rain, the driest period being December through to March. The temperature during these winter months averages around 30C with 6 to 8 hours of sunshine a day and less rainfall than the summer months, making this the best time to enjoy your bargain holidays to Santa Lucia. Night time temperatures here average between 22C during the summer and 18C during the winter.