Next month — June 12-16Larnaca, Cyprus: 164.98 pounds round tripFly Monarch from London Gatwick to Larnaca.
Start at the palm-lined seafront promenade of Phinikoudes Beach, which has plenty of shops, restaurants and bars to keep even the most likely to sunburn busy. Sun worshippers should grab a towel or rent a lounge chair and watch boats that offer daily trip to the adjacent marina.
Also on Larnaca’s seafront is a fort — once a British prison — that is now a medieval museum with finds from the ancient city of Kition.
Vacationers preferring more action should head to the white sands of Makenzie Beach for its water sports facilities and excellent Cypriot cuisine. Scuba divers will enjoy the opportunity to explore one of the world’s top sea wrecks, the Zenobia, a passenger ferry that sank in 1983.
Other museums worth visiting are the Larnaca Archaeological Museum, host to a variety of local finds from the Neolithic Age to the Roman period, and the Pierides Foundation Museum, which houses Cypriot artifacts.
Several side trips worth making include the nearby Mosque Hala Sultan Tekke, a jaunt around the four salt lakes next to it, or a scenic hike in the Troodos Mountains.
In the evenings, head back to Phinikoudes Beach, where the town’s best nightlife is found.
Three months — Aug. 8-10*Esbjerg, Denmark: 48.87 pounds round tripFly Ryanair from London Stansted to Esbjerg.
Denmark’s fifth-largest city offers a captivating harbor with plenty of activities. The Fisheries and Maritime Museum, with a large outdoor exhibit, illustrates the history of fishing and shipping. The museum also contains a saltwater aquarium, sealarium and live mink complex. Horns Rev, a former lightship, is now a floating museum showcasing the lives of sailors.
Across from the aquarium, visitors can see the impressive nearly 30-foot-tall “Man Meets the Sea” sculpture that was raised to celebrate the town’s 100-year anniversary as a municipality.
The Clausen’s Water Tower is built on a Bronze Age burial mound above the harbor and presents a great view of the city below. Art aficionados will enjoy the Esbjerg Art Museum, said to house the country’s finest collection of local works.
Looking for a deal or a meal? Stroll Konensgade, a large pedestrian street, lined with shopping malls, specialized boutiques, markets, cafes and restaurants. Try the bakskuld — a fish similar to flounder — salted and smoked in Danish butter. And don’t forget to try a seasonal favorite — green cabbage.
* Editor’s note: As of Monday, the Ryanair flight to Denmark was unavailable on the dates indicated. However, alternate dates may become available, so please check the Ryanair Web site at Ryanair.com for updates on flights to Denmark.
Airfare prices include taxes and are courtesy of each airline’s Web site. Prices were verified as of Monday afternoon when Stripes UK went to press. Deals are not guaranteed to be available; restrictions may apply.
