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Countries, Deals, Europe

Better lute than never to the Bouzouki party

17th April 202617th April 2026 funtime65

And when in Rhodes better lute than never to the Bouzouki party.

If bouzoukis strike a Greek chord with you then it’s probably because of Zorba the Greek.

Filmed in Rhodes which is where we’re billeting for the week on our loveholidays odyssey.

Its unmistakeable hook draws us into Socrates Garden in Rhodes Old Town.

Where we go full Hellenic with an oiled and olived-up Greek salad.

Although our waiters resist the temptation to smash plates.

Zorba dancing at the Amphitryon

We have a Greek night later back at the Amphitryon Hotel presumably for that.

With local group Buzuki playing for the international clientele by the pool.

And captured for posterity here by your Bandanaman even if his posterior was not.

Because somebody in the organisation took the executive decision that that was not fit for family viewing.

The Amphitryon family

The Amphitryon family were out in force to lead the dancing with one particular toddler holding court.

And for our entertainment too the band’s main and veteran bouzouki player looked like he grew up with Socrates himself.

While straight out of central casting ‘Archbishop Makarios’ with his beanie hat as a nod to modernity joining in the clapping.

While tour guide Rosa from group Travel One The Amphitryon took the mic to belt out Hellenic standards.

Before Manolis and his bar staff brought the evening to an end with complimentary ouzos, Greek medicine, for all cures.

Deal us in

Your friendly neighbourhood Bandanaman is travelling with loveholidays and EasyJet from Edinburgh.

And staying at the Amphitryon City Hotel, 800m from the Old Town.

All for £1,028 for two, B&B and evening meals, for a week with airport transfers.

YAMAS AND MEET YOU ON THE FLOOR

Countries, Deals, Europe

All Rhodes lead to… getting lost in the Old Town

14th April 202614th April 2026 funtime65

Kalispera and when we’re around then all Rhodes lead to… getting lost in the Old Town.

And all because the lady loves a holiday and loveholidays and it’s 32 years since we honeymooned in the Greek islands.

And she feels a debt to Saint Phanourios for finding her set of keys from the recycling bin after Christmas.

When I prayed to the heavens for intervention which is as we all know is where you go for lost and found.

Mapping Phanourios’s journey

And so we’re pounding the cobbled stones of Rhodes Old Town looking for the chapel dedicated to Phanourios.

Only to find that we’re going around in circles.

Sure, we find the excellent Path of Gods museum, an old Turkish library and Stavros sports bar.

But Phanourios’s pad, no chance.

Now, a word or a dozen here while she’s turning her map around, on Phanourios.

When you’re lost

The saint is revered on the island of Rhodes where he revealed himself in icon form when the invading Turks ransacked a chapel.

The rest has been handed down to us about the seemingly hundred different ways he was martyred.

And how the spectre of the holy man came to the rescue of three priests.

After a right odyssey with our old stomping ground Kythera also getting a name check.

And then the vengeance he sent on their captors.

It’s all in the name

Where he gets tied up with finding lost things is rather more prosaic.

With the name Phanourios deriving from the Greek verb ‘phanerono’ or to reveal or to disclose.

Which means that the islanders, and further afield, pray to Saint Phanourius to help them find lost objects.

And the object is retrieved, they bake a sweet bread and share it with the poor.

And offer prayers for the salvation of saint’s mother.

Anthony’s partner in rhyme

Now if there are shades of the Saint Anthony of Padua’s secret powers about this story we reckon that’s no coincidence.

And that Western Catholicism’s finest Anthony and the pride of the Eastern Orthodox church Phanourius likely divvy up the requests.

So efcharisto Phanourius for finding her keys back then at Christmas.

And maybe you could help her with her map which she left somewhere when bending down to pet one of Rhodes’ many cats.

Or maybe ask them because they seem to have the run of the streets.

The full package

Your friendly neighbourhood Bandanaman is travelling with loveholidays and EasyJet from Edinburgh.

And staying at the Amphitryon City Hotel, 800m from the Old Town.

All for £1,028 for two, B&B and evening meals, for a week with airport transfers.

Countries, Deals, Europe

Return of the real 18-30

21st September 202421st September 2024 funtime65

It was a symbolic casualty around the Brexit days but now our European friends are pushing for the return of the real 18-30.

In exchange for a deal on veterinary products the continentals are luring us with easier travel for young people in exchange.

Those sneaky Brussels bureaucrats.

The Thomas Cook Club 18-30 package holiday was something of a rite of passage for Britain’s young.

And was the inspiration for Wham!’s Club Tropicana.

And the object of potty politician Ann Widdicombe’s ire when she called it ‘moral anarchy’

Forced to pack up its party props in 2018 we don’t know whether Europe’s charm offensive will see the Club reform.

Or whether that ship has sailed.

Ready, steady Cook

In the meantime our travel industry has reimagined how to cater for our Millennials.

With Thomas Cook pitching its product at the next Generation Z of travellers with Cook’s Club.

Not quite as alluring sounding we think for those reared on the exploits of the Love Islanders.

But in further exploration we see that Thomas Cook have the right price points to draw in the young pound.

If you’re looking for the types of pool and bar games your parents might, or might not, have told about you.

Then you’ll have to start them yourselves.

Because the emphasis on their blurb is about barbecues and responsible cocktail drinking.

All Rhodes

All the old favourite destinations are still there though with Millennials still as drawn to Greek islands as we were.

With all Rhodes leading to foam… well, we can live in hope.

You’ll get seven nights B&B at the Sunlight Studios at Theologos on Rhodes, flying out of London Gatwick from £249pp on October 15.

Or seven nights B&B at the Amfhitryon Boutique in lively Rhodes town from the same date with London Stanstead flights.

So the young traveller never went away they just got upgraded.

But if you reckon being young is all about getting messy.

Then you might hope Britain and Europe get back in bed together.

And we can soon herald the return of the real 18-30.

America, Countries, Europe

Turk holidays in Turkiye

5th March 20245th March 2024 funtime65

Sorry senor but Brits now prefer to Turk holidays in Turkiye than Spain.

Bizarre right? Well, no, it’s a Costa living thing and our friends at the crossroads of Europe and Asia have got the jump on everyone else there.

Leading online travel agency Superescapes.co.uk have boiled down the figures and found Turkey is our fave so far this year.

Now, every tourist country has its attractions and for Brits sunseekers well it’s the big yellow ball in the sky that’s at the top of our lists.

And to be fair, all of them on the top ten from Superescapes boasts a hot experience.

While, and it may be just us, but we’ve found a friendly welcome in each of the countries picked out.

With particularly fond memories of Bodrum.

Where our son Ally would be feted over by market stallholders on account of his name sounding the same as Turkish favourite Ali.

Price is right

But it’s on price that Turkey scores highest.

With Jason Waldron spokesperson for Superescapes.co.uk commenting: ‘Turkey offers exceptional value and its prime position in Southern Europe creates an incredibly appealing climate for those wishing to escape the dreary UK weather.

‘We’re finding, this year, whilst consumers won’t give up their annual break, they are more price conscious than ever before.

‘With prices for Turkey and Istanbul starting from as little as £129pp for three nights it’s not surprising that bookings are booming’.

Hot list

Please Miss: Miss America meets Mr Scotland in Vegas

‘Spain remains popular at position two but that’s being driven by growth in the Balearic Islands, with both market share and booking volume on the rise.’

Corfu and Rhodes are also performing very well for Greece, according to Waldron.

Long-haul tourists continue to favour the United States and again ranks within the top 5 countries booked, surpassing traditional mainstream winter destinations.

With Las Vegas is the most popular US destination, accounting for over 30% of the total US bookings.

‘Las Vegas is hugely popular with Brits, with the tourism board stating Britain is one of its biggest feeder markets,’ he added.

“Sin City” is like an adult playground with a huge allure for those looking for fine dining, glitz, glam and a bit of fun.

The first XV

Among the areas that have shown remarkable growth in terms of booking volumes and market share are Morocco.

Particularly driven by Marrakech, Croatia, and the United Arab Emirates.

Our habits

Waldron goes on to discuss how Brits are booking their breaks post-Covid.

‘Prior to the pandemic, there were distinct booking peaks particularly in January and June,’ he said.

‘Since the outbreak of Covid, these significant trading periods have ceased to exist.’

And holidaymaker booking patterns have become less predictable.

‘For instance, we have observed strong bookings for holidays departing between March and June this year.

‘But our summer holiday bookings are down.

‘This could be attributed to fewer individuals taking summer breaks.’Or people holding off on booking their summer holiday until nearer the time.’

Book early

Historically, Brits would book their holidays 7 to 9 months in advance.

But Superescapes.co.uk has found that 38% of the sales so far this year have been late bookings.

Departing within two months of the booking being made.

Waldron advises travellers ‘Whilst Brits may be booking late in a bid to secure the best prices it’s generally better to book well in advance.’

As airline costs tend to be lower and there’s generally better choices available.’

All good advice… and here’s even better. Turk holidays in Turkiye.