Will there be April showers or April sunshine? Could be April snow…who knows?!

What there will be is Easter and long school holidays; the perfect time to explore many April holiday ideas and dust off your suitcases…

Easter Day is Sunday 4th April, with Good Friday the 2nd and Easter Monday the 5th, making for a fabulous long weekend.  Should you wish to holiday outside of the school holidays when holiday prices tend to drop, then stick to the last two weeks of April.

For warm April beach holidays, the Costa del Sol in the south of Spain and the Algarve in the south of Portugal are very popular Easter holiday destinations, as the temperatures rise and the smaller resorts start to open after the winter.  Book a low cost flight into Malaga or Faro, pick up a bargain car hire deal with easyCar and add cheap hotel or self catering accommodation for your cheap April holiday!

If you wish to explore, why not discover the delights of at the Neapolitan Riviera on the western coast of Italy?  Fly into Naples Airport and base your holiday on the steep hillside resort of Sorrento with its pretty maze of footpaths, many bathing platforms and pebble beaches. Visit the fishing town of Amalfi and spectacular cliff faced Positano and take a boat tour to Mount Vesuvius and the island of Ischia.  Don’t forget to spend an April day at Pompeii!

For a luxurious holiday or honeymoon in April, Tahiti in the French Polynesia is a superb holiday idea. Beautiful, romantic, full of adventure and the perfect location to escape the rat race, Tahiti could be your own paradise!  Fly into Faa’a International Airport half way between California and Australia, and explore a few of the fabulous 118 islands set in five archipelagos. On the exotic Tahiti islands, book an all inclusive package in a stunning resort, water ski, sail and snorkel, or jump in a 4×4 or quad bike, or take a tour of the islands by helicopter or speed canoe.

If the sun is too hot, then you may be in luck and the high European Ski Resorts may still have a good sprinkling of snow at the beginning of April!  High factor sun block will be a must but head to Tignes or Val d’Isere, Obergurgl or Obertauern, Les Arcs or Chamonix and you should be able to enjoy end of season skiing and boarding.  Best to look out for last minute cheap deals – just in case!

Travel in March and you should discover a travel lull before the Easter storm!

With Easter Day being on Sunday 4th April this year, the first few weeks of March should be quiet for holiday makers which means lower priced holidays, cheap flights, budget car hire and low cost accommodation available. UK schools break up between 13th and 20th for two to three weeks. Holiday prices will be higher but there are still many online holiday bargains to be had!

March is not too late to ski or enjoy a whole host of winter sports in the snow. Bardonecchia in Italy has been experiencing good snow conditions this season and offers a superb choice of cross country skiing trails, two ski areas offering 100 km of runs particularly good for beginner and intermediate skiers, and excellent snowboarding facilities, especially as Bardonecchia hosted the 2006 snowboarding competitions for the Turin Winter Olympics.

In France the deepest snow can be currently found in: Argentiere, Chamonix, Flaine, La Clusaz and Alpe d’Huez. For Austria ski resorts with good snow at the moment look at St Anton, Solden and Lech, whilst Swiss ski resorts recently experiencing a good “dump” include Engelberg, Saas Fee, St Moritz and Gstaad.

For a March city break holiday, Paris, Amsterdam, Madrid, Malaga and Lisbon are all superb holiday destinations. You may still need a coat and gloves whilst exploring these beautiful, cosmopolitan European cities but with the streets clear of most tourists (except closer to Easter) you shouldn’t have to queue at the galleries or city’s attractions. Alternatively include March 17th in your New York City break and the St Patrick’s Day celebrations will take your breath away!

The Canary Islands are a favoured sunshine location in Europe in March. The average temperature in Tenerife in March is around 25 degrees Centigrade/77 degrees Fahrenheit but do keep to the south of islands (Gran Canaria, Lanzarote etc) for warmer, dryer weather as the north tends to be wetter and windier.

School holidays and children equal Florida! Enjoy the Irish theme at Walt Disney World Resort and at the UK pavilion at Epcot around the 17th March or Epcot’s stunning Flower and Garden Festival; every Saturday throughout March enjoy Mardi Gras at Universal Orlando. Combine the Florida theme parks with the spectacular beaches of St Petersburg and Clearwater, or a Miami Beach come city break with scuba diving in the Florida Keys!

There are many beautiful cities close to home and what better than a special Valentine’s City Break to explore them!

Take your loved one to one of the world’s most romantic cities, Paris. Travel direct from central London or Kent by Eurostar, hop in a Paris cab or jump on the Metro and you could be strolling hand in hand along the River Seine gazing at the Eiffel Tower, meandering through the Louvre or gazing into each other’s eyes over a cup of steaming hot coffee in a tiny French Bistro or café!  This trip could be done in a day, as can Eurostar trips to Lille in northern France if you want to cut costs.

The Spanish cities of Barcelona and Madrid are simply gorgeous. In a little more than two hours, fly from the UK to Madrid, Spain’s romantic capital city.  Take a pleasant walk through Buen Retiro Park or discover the delights of the El Prado Museum and many stunning Madrid art museums.  On the Mediterranean Sea, is Barcelona, a stunning cosmopolitan city; perfect for a dreamy Valentine’s holiday. Stunning architecture, nonstop entertainment, a cultural delight to explore!

Prague in the Czech Republic is alight with fairytale buildings, and its historic surroundings ensure the city is one of the top romantic holiday hotspots.  Enjoy a candlelit valentine’s meal on a cruise along the Vltava River then wind through Prague’s beautiful streets in a horse drawn carriage.

For cheap February flights throughout Europe, Ryanair have a seat sale that finishes at midnight tonight (4 Jan 10). Fares start from £5 per person each way excluding taxes and the choice of locations to fly to is endless. Sadly the Valentines weekend is a blackout period, but travel from Stansted to Malaga in Southern Spain on Friday 12th February and return on Monday 15 February and the flight only price is under £160 for two inclusive of taxes and online check in. Book accommodation with lowcostholidays and you could stay in the Hotel Los Arcos, Torremolinos (about 15 minutes from the airport) in a twin room with balcony/terrace for 3 nights self catering for a total cost of £89.00 (price quoted on 4 Jan10).

In the north east of Spain, south of the Pyrenees and bordering the Mediterranean Sea, is the stunning historic city of Barcelona. The second largest city in Spain and capital of Catalonia, Barcelona is overlooked by the Collserola Mountains.  Whilst most won’t be as interested in the geography of the city, they will not help but be amazed at Barcelona’s magnificent architecture including many works by Gaudi including La Sagrada Familia, the Gothic Olympic Village, the many bustling squares, the Ramblas and fantastic assortment of shops around the Barcelona Shopping Line.

Fly into Barcelona El Prat Airport, eight miles southwest of the city, and collect your Barcelona hire car from Terminal B or C, jump on a train or metro or take the Aerobus A1 from any of the three airport terminals (A, B, C) into the city centre.

Definitely the most cosmopolitan Spanish city, Barcelona is an ideal city break location where you can choose from luxury hotels or budget accommodation, spend time on one of the city’s beaches, visit the many museums in Barcelona, sightsee on day trips or excursions, take a boat tour along the coast, exploring the beautiful parks such as the Parc de la Ciutadella, or discover Catalan life and the gourmet cuisine.

With many UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Antoni Gaudi’s work at the Park Guell (gardens), Casa Mila (or La Pedrera) and Palau Guell (town mansion), you may not want to leave Barcelona but for added excitement just outside of Barcelona, head to the Port Aventura Park and Caribe Aquatic Park, where thrill riders can enjoy the rolling and diving roller coasters, many water rides and tour the “lands” of different countries!

For an extensive choice of beaches whilst staying in Barcelona, why not travel to Sitges on the Costa Dorada, less than 30 miles southwest? Renowned for its all night partying, Sitges boasts 17 sandy beaches; many awarded the EU’s Blue Flag award.

About an hour’s drive from Barcelona is the small city of Girona. A lively city, there is much to explore as it is a location rich in history and culture.  Visit the Cathedral, Houses on the Onyar, the Arab Baths and Sant Feliu.

On the Costa Brava is Tossa del Mar, also an hour’s drive from Barcelona.  A popular holiday beach resort, Tossa has a lovely old centre, a gothic church and is perfect for delightful strolls through the old town.

easyCar, the low cost car hire specialist, would like to wish all their clients past, present and future, a wonderful Christmas and a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

For the Christmas season, easyCar are offering an excellent range of superb budget car rental deals and hire car offers.  Just enter BARGAINS in the promotional code box online, and the savings start!

It’s not too late to book your car hire for Christmas, but be aware that in busy locations in the UK and Europe, certain (particularly small) car sizes may be booked already so larger vehicles may only be available.

Book a car hire in London, from a station, airport or downtown location or in Spain, France or Switzerland. You could book a rental car from Edinburgh, Glasgow or Plymouth, Swansea, Cardiff or Malaga, Sydney, Wellington, Jamaica or South Africa! Wherever you are due to spend Christmas, call easyCar for car hire…

With the snow currently causing disruption throughout the UK, why not hire a larger car than your own or a four by four, for an easy trip through the white stuff; don’t ruin your Christmas because you’re snowed in at home!
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas …. easyCar.