Headwater’s quest for winter sun continues this year with the Caribbean jewel of Cuba in the frame. As Cuba has become more and more attuned to offering holiday activities like walking tours,  and hotels are opening that are more luxurious, it has become possible for Headwater to offer a tour of this alluring and fascinating island.

Many UNESCO heritage sites  pepper this stunningly beautiful tropical isle, and the diversity of glorious landscapes from beaches and palm trees to timeless Spanish architecture offer scores of opportunities for some special photographic memories.

This proposed tour will begin in November 2011 and will offer some much needed winter sun and superb walking in some of Cuba’s loveliest countryside so watch this space!

It’s official – Italy is 150 years old, although when you go there you’d swear it was a lot older.

Way back in 1861 the very first semblance of a Parliament was gathered together and the Italian nation was born in Turin. Whatever the state of the politics these days, Italy remains an incredibly alluring destination – romantic, exciting, stunningly beautiful, and the memories of a visit forever rewarding.

So many people love Italy – so here are some quotes to prove it – if you would like more information on the comprehensive range of tours that you can enjoy with Headwater click here.

“Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.”

Truman Capote

“As they say in Italy, Italians were eating with a knife and fork when the French were still eating each other”.

Mario Batali

“Italy will always have the best food”.

Diane von Furstenberg

“It’s easy to understand why the most beautiful poems about England in the spring were written by poets living in Italy at the time”.

Philip Dunne

If all of this freezing weather is getting you down and you are hankering for a pre Christmas or January sunshine boost to lift your spirits, then here’s some photographic inspiration.  Flowers, palm trees, clear seas and not an icicle to be seen. You can find sights just like this on our Canaries guided holidays coming up in the next few weeks in December and January, and also on our Valencia walking holiday, so don’t be down, get out of town!

So banish the snow and ice and zip off to the sun in the next few weeks  – you just can’t beat a health and strength giving dose of happiness inducing sunshine!

Click on the links for Tenerife, La Gomera, and Gran Canaria holidays coming up soon, and why not try our ever popular Valencia walking holiday for gourmet dinners and a spectacular week of sunny walks!

It doesn’t half come round fast – less than 5 weeks until Christmas and before you know it it will be 2011. Make sure you don’t miss out on your sparkly new Headwater brochure which will be winging its way to regular customers in the next few days. If you don’t receive one please let us know and we’ll pop one in the post!

Christmas markets are on the horizon, and the Daily Telegraph has graciously published a handy guide (click on the link) in case you would like to treat yourself to a Christmassy city break before the end of the year. Don’t forget that you can book many of the places mantioned like Salzburg, Vienna, Budapest, Prague and Barcelona (yes they do have a Christmas market called the Fira de Santa Llucía fair!) right here at Headwater so just call us and ask!

In the mean time sit back, relax and peruse the delightful offerings available in our new brochure – a genuine feast for the senses awaits, and if you book for 2011 by 17 December you’ll enter a draw to receive your holiday absolutely FREE!

Kulula are a South African budget airline that are leading the way in garishly painted lime green planes and in flight humour.

Have a look at some of the entertaining paintwork and in flight announcements that have been made and posted by appreciative passengers who have flown with them!

Here are some examples of cabin announcements:

“Please take care opening the overhead compartments because after a landing like that, sure as hell everything will have shifted!”.

“Your seat cushions can be used for flotation. In the event of an emergency landing on water, please use them to paddle ashore and keep them with our compliments”.

“Please take all your belongings with you when exiting the aircraft. Anything left behind will be evenly distributed between the cabin attendants”.

“Kulula is proud to have some of the finest cabin attendants in the industry working with us. Unfortunately none of them are on this flight”.

You have to love an airline with a sense of humour!

Portugal to many holidaymakers who aren’t in the know means the Algarve.

Not at Headwater it doesn’t. Not content with our fantastic Contrasts of the Alentejo Cycling holiday, we have been busy over the last few months carefully weaving together two of the most exciting cycling holidays to hit the UK market for years! Our two new cycling holidays -  an easy one bike level and the other a two bike level – will take you to some of the very best coast and beach cycling available in Europe.

Not only that, but each of the holidays are packed with cultural highlights, colourful beach scenes, wildlife, varied scenery and some of the best  seafood restaurants around. Look out for our brochure launch in a few months time, but in the meantime here are a few visual clues – some from each new trip – to help you guess where they might be!

Can we just emphasise – no other cycling operator in Europe offers these destinations! Amazing!

Let’s hear it for Portugal in 2011, and look out for our new brochure coming your way soon!

The lovely island of Madeira is exceptional value for the rest of this year, as both our guided and independent holidays have been reduced by £150 !

Our guided holiday here stays in the Quinta de Bela Vista Hotel that has a fabulous pool terrace giving panoramic views over the capital Funchal, where you have plenty of time to take tea at Reids Hotel and take in the intoxicating smells in the lively flower markets.

Our independent tour takes you between four different hotels on the island, and both holidays explore the enticing network of easy walking paths and famous levadas that transport water around the island. The scenery here is stunning, with high cliffs and plunging valleys remeniscent of a lost world, festooned with wild tropical foliage, flowers and scents. 

Click on these links for our guided Walks in the Floating Garden and independent Marvels of Madeira holidays. (Prices on the web have been reduced by £150)

If all of this excitement about football is becoming irritating what with the  sudden emergence of thousands of flags of the Cross of St George on cars and buildings across the UK, then there is a solution.

If you can’t stand it any longer, head for Italy and France! Both of them are out of the tournament having played hopelessly in Italy’s case, and in the case of France, behaved like spoiled schoolchildren to boot.  We may soon be able to add Spain to this list the way they are playing.

If you love the beautiful game and can’t wait to join the party, head for Germany, Portugal and  Slovenia who will all be in ultra happy flag waving moods at the moment!

Footballing wisdom:

“There’s no in between – you’re either good or bad.  We were in between.”
- Gary Lineker