Jet off to the Eastern Mediterranean this summer with a choice selection of holidays in the popular resorts of Turkey, the Greek Islands and the Egyptian Red Sea Riviera. A variety of accommodation from self catering apartments to luxury all inclusive resorts means there is something to suit every taste and budget.

From 9am on Friday we’re offering tickets to see the legendary Barry Manilow at The O2 in London from just £25.

Manilow will be playing at The O2 from the 4th – 6th May 2011 – so make sure you don’t miss out on the chance to see this world-renowned performer at an amazing price.

The Virgin Atlantic sale is now on until 20th July, with destinations available worldwide and travelling dates up to 9th December 2010 for many flights.

Don’t forget to enter your Virgin Flying Club number to make sure you earn your Flying Club miles.

Explore all the UK has to offer this Summer and enjoy your stay with Novotel and Mercure hotels. Book online today across over 60 hotels and stay between 8 July 2010 and 6 September 2010 with rates from only £59* per room per night including breakfast.

Jet off to the Eastern Mediterranean this summer with a choice selection of holidays in the popular resorts of Turkey, the Greek Islands and the Egyptian Red Sea Riviera. A variety of accommodation from self catering apartments to luxury all inclusive resorts means there is something to suit every taste and budget.

Following their recent sold-out tour and an incredible performance at Glastonbury, the unique and wildly entertaining Scissor Sisters are returning to The O2.

From 10am tickets will be on sale for what’s shaping up to be another brilliant show from the Scissor Sisters at The O2.

It’s week five of our our price countdowns and this week we’re getting ready to put your summer plans into full overdrive. We’ve tried to get the deals in this email to be things that you’ll want to do asap. This week you can get a special spa deals for just £20,50% off selected hotels or you could even jet off for a couple of days in Barcelona from £160. You’ll find more deals that we think are best for you detailed below (but there are even more available here).

Do you want to discover the true meaning of Swiss hospitality? Book two nights in one of our 26 European hotels between 27th June – 5th September 2010 and save 25% on each night with our Summer Savings. Find your destination of choice and book now.
This limited time offer is valid until 11th July 2010.

Family Travel Packages: Colonial Williamsburg & Maryland’s Eastern Shore
Do these family travel packages in Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg and Maryland’s Eastern Shore add up to big savings? We do the math, so you don’t have to.

Southern California Deals: Save On Summer Family Travel
Nothing says summer quite like a beach vacation. Pack up your kids and head to San Diego and these beach towns near Los Angeles, where the discounts are waiting.

Single Parent Travel Tips: How to Plan a Successful Family Vacation
Traveling as a single parent can be tough. Here are some simple travel tips and ways to even have some free time to yourself.

Paris Hotel with Kids
From jokapik: “I’m looking for a nice hotel in Paris that would be good for my children (ages 6 and 8). I was looking for something under €200 per night and safe for the three of us.”

First Time in Italy with the Baby
From fellow traveller: “May 2011 will be our first time traveling abroad with our 14-month-old son. We plan to go to Rome and do side trips like Pompeii. Are side trips possible with a baby?”

London with a 3-Year-Old
From alexa28: “If we go to a friend’s wedding in London, we’d be with a 3-year-old boy. Has anyone traveled there with a preschool-age child? Any kid-friendly entertainment and tours?

Costa Rica: OK for Two 5-Year-Olds?
From Amy1972: “One family member is excited about Costa Rica, but the trip involves three jaunts by bus and three hotels. What’s the youngest age you’d suggest for this trip and these venues?”

Family Vacation in Boston
From Wichita: “My family and I will be visiting Boston in July. What is a good hotel on a budget, and what are the best places to visit that are off the beaten path?”

Family Travel Packages: Colonial Williamsburg & Maryland’s Eastern Shore
Do these family travel packages in Virginia’s Colonial Williamsburg and Maryland’s Eastern Shore add up to big savings? We do the math, so you don’t have to.

Southern California Deals: Save On Summer Family Travel
Nothing says summer quite like a beach vacation. Pack up your kids and head to San Diego and these beach towns near Los Angeles, where the discounts are waiting.

Single Parent Travel Tips: How to Plan a Successful Family Vacation
Traveling as a single parent can be tough. Here are some simple travel tips and ways to even have some free time to yourself.

Smart Deal of the Week: Four Nights in London, from $649 With Air
Plan ahead for fall, and you can lock in this four-night escape to London. At a starting price of $649 with airfare, it’s a real steal.

Frommer’s 5 Deals: Miami, Australia, South America, Germany & London, Paris & Rome
Book now for a London, Paris and Rome package (from $799 with air), a three-night vacation at Miami’s Fontainebleau Hotel (from $415 with air), plus three more discounted deals.

New York City Summer Fun: 7 Great Places to Hang Out
Save this summer guide to New York City’s best parks and piers, with free movies, concerts, and festivals.

Where Does the Dollar Do Best? Frommer’s Global Price Index for July 2010
Stretch the value of your U.S. dollar by heading to one of these places with the best travel exchange rates. This month, we look at cities in Spain, Honduras, Russia, and more.

Travel Troubleshooter: I Didn’t Wake Up Happy at My Hotel
A traveler thinks she books two nonsmoking rooms through Hotels.com, but winds up with two smoky rooms that make her family feel ill. Should this online travel agency have guaranteed her request?

Win an all-inclusive Oregon Adventurecation! Lazy vacations are overrated. Travel Oregon wants you to get out this summer, so they’re offering up a chance for you to win a weeklong, all-inclusive Oregon Adventurecation. You and a friend could tee it up with golf legends at the JELD-WEN Tradition in Central Oregon. If cycling is more your thing, take a scenic ride through the wine countries of the Willamette Valley and Southern Oregon (not forgetting to stop and enjoy a glass or two along the way). Or if you’re feeling especially daring, immerse yourself in an outdoor adrenaline trek, with rafting, skiing, water sports and more in Eastern Oregon and the Mt. Hood/Columbia River Gorge region. Think of it as the polar opposite of a Staycation. Or a proven cure for the Lazycation.

Learn how easy it is to enter to win one of these three Oregon Adventurecations simply by clicking here and visiting www.traveloregon.com now! Travel Troubleshooter: Full Fare For Two Flat Tires? Our readers’ trip is ruined when their van spends the entire vacation in a repair shop.

Now their car rental company wants to charge them for the rental, plus the damage. Slideshow: 9 Best Moments in Hawaii Here are nine sights — from the USS Arizona to the top of Mauna Kea — you’ll likely return to again and again. Arthur’s Blog: Can Spirit Survive Higher Pilot Salaries? The Spirit strike will help decide whether an airline known for treating customers poorly can survive on low prices alone.

Budget Family Getaways for July 4th Weekend The long July 4th weekend is tailor-made for a quintessential all-American summer getaway, so here’s a sampling of some top packages for families this Independence Day weekend. From feudal castles to Romanesque churches, wineries to walking tours, there’s so much to experience in an Alsace adventure that you’ll want to allow plenty of time to savour it all… Nestled between the Vosges to the west and the Rhine to the east, on the borders of Germany and Switzerland, Alsace is called the crossroads of Europe because of its situation at the very heart of Europe.

How Much Does an Airline Ticket Really Cost? Once you add the price of a checked bag, a confirmed seat reservation, and a day-old turkey sandwich, you’ll pay more than you expected. On Location: “Robin Hood” Tourism Forget the celebrities: “Robin Hood” co-stars Britain’s ancient oak forests and Wales’ unspoiled beaches.

Here’s how to visit. Airfare Deals and News for the Week of June 17, 2010 Bargain flights from the U.S. west coast to Australia, specials on Alaska-bound trips, discounts on Atlanta routes, and more deals and tips for flyers. Slideshow: 10 Best Cities for Bicycling in Europe Planners have made a big drive to make Europe’s cities more bicycle-friendly, both for residents and visitors.

New Fast Lanes at the Airport? Waste of Time Remember the “Clear” system that would allow you to pass through security so much faster at the airports? Can it’s followers do a better job of it?

The sound of a city
Sufi music and the Whirling Dervishes. These amazing, free performances by Sufi dancers and musicians take place at the Citadel and at the Mausoleum of Al-Ghouri. It’s an array of traditional dress, drums, cymbals and flutes. You won’t be disappointed.

You just HAVE to….
Marvel at the Pyramids. Obvious? Yes. But for one very good reason – they are spectacular and the last surviving Wonder of the Ancient World. Like the sand around you, you’ll be blown away.
Visit Old (Coptic) Cairo. Inhabited for more than 2000 years, it’s the oldest part of the city and the original site of Babylon.
Sail a Felucca on the Nile. Escape the busy streets and head for the peace of the Nile. You can rent a Felucca (an ancient sail boat) by the hour and have a stolen moment of romantic tranquility like Anthony and Cleopatra.

An early taste of Cairo
Koshary. A traditional Egyptian dish of rice, lentils and spicy tomato sauce. Brown a large onion and three garlic cloves in two tbsp oil. Add around 500ml of sieved tomatoes (passata), cumin and chilli powder to taste and a tsp of white wine vinegar. Cook for 10-15 mins. Layer cooked rice and lentils into bowls and pour the sauce over. Done.

Take it or leave it?
Take it:
Something warm – it’s toastie in winter, but take something to keep you warm at night, (your partner doesn’t count).
Leave it:
Jewellery – it’s not really the place to have it on show, plus you can buy great local jewellery when you’re there.

Price of a pint
Egyptians are moderate in their views towards alcohol. The most widely available being Stella (not normal Stella), Saqqara and a mild home brew called Buza. And it’s only around £1.50.

Did you know?
•Cairo means “The Vanquisher” or “The Triumphant”
•Ancient Egyptian men and women were clean shaven, including their scalps. An Egyptian with hair was almost always wearing a wig.

A book for when you’ve booked
The Cairo Trilogy, Palace Walk, Palace of Desire and Sugar Street, written by Egyptian novelist and Nobel Prize winner, Naguib Mahfouz. The trilogy follows the life of a Cairene patriarch and his family, from World War I to the overthrow of King Farouk in 1952.

We shine a light on the smartest people in travel. This week, bmi.

We all know who bmi are. But what you might not know is that from November this year they began flying to 17 exotic new destinations in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa from Heathrow. With connections from 20 airports across the UK and Ireland all conveniently via the same terminal at Heathrow they’re perfect for warming up winter, wherever you are. And the extra tinsel on the tree is that bmi are seriously enhancing their in-flight product across all their mid and long-haul flights – offering improved food and drink, kids’ packs and in-flight entertainment, including the latest blockbuster movies and programming exclusive to bmi.

Smart stuff. Especially at these prices. And with 36 destinations from Heathrow alone this winter, ’tis the season to be making that ‘special someone’ very jolly this Christmas.

Make Bangkok your base
Cheap transport and close vicinity to the sea make it the perfect hub from which to go exploring:
Island hop. Full moon parties, a different beach every night – paradise is yours for the hopping.
Elephant trek. Most tourists stay south. Be smarter, fly north and go Elephant trekking through the jungles of Chiang Mai.

You just HAVE to…
Haggle on the Floating Market. Catch a bus to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, rent a boat and don’t stop haggling until you get at least 50% off.
Visit the Grand Palace. The Thai Kingdom’s heritage and home of the Emerald Bhudda – hundreds of years of spirtual culture in a matter of hours. Read our staff review

An early taste of Bangkok
Try a ‘Bangkok by Night’ cocktail. Havana rum, citrus vodka, strawberry liqueur, banana liqueur, orange juice and bar syrup. Sweet. Perfect to counter the hot food.

Did you know?
On Mondays, everyone wears yellow for the King. Why? Well, in Thai tradition every day has a colour associated with it, Monday is yellow. And, you guessed it, the King was born on a Monday.

Take it or leave it?
Take it:
Your haggling skills. You’re expected to barter in touristy areas like the Khao San road.
Leave it:
As much as possible. The pound goes so far you may want to buy everything new – even your suitcase.

Price of a pint
Bangkok is fairly touristy, but you still only pay around £1.50 for a Singha beer.

A book for when you’ve booked
‘The Beach’, Alex Garland. Obvious, but perfect to get you in the exploring mood. It follows a traveller’s search for a fabled island utopia on an uninhabited island. Why not visit the beach where the film was shot? The island of Phi-Phi.

Eva Air Arilines

We shine a light on the smartest people in travel. This week Eva Air.

We think a holiday begins with the journey. Which is exactly why Eva Air is the perfect choice if you’re flying to Thailand. Not only are they competitive on price and service, they give you a flavour of the East from the moment you step onto the plane. Based in Taiwan, Eva Air remains true to the Asian tradition of hospitality – from courteous service to their fantastic range of Asian meals which you can order online before you travel. What’s more, they have all the technology and entertainment features you expect from a long haul carrier, plus some you don’t. How many airlines have personal handsets that let you send text messages and emails from every economy seat?

So, if you fancy celebrating a second New Year in Thailand, take a look at Eva Air. And begin your holiday as you mean to go on.

Comfort – the essential holiday accessory.

Do your research
Research the best routes, restaurants, sights and tours before you go. With a loose itinerary of top things to do, you won’t waste any time or money when you’re over there. Book before you go to avoid queues and disappointment.

Car hire
Don’t wait until you get there –pre-book your car. And don’’t skimp on a few extra pounds either – comforts like air con and GPS can be priceless.

Check-in online
Whenever you can, check-in for your flights online. You’ll escape dreaded airport queues and secure the seat you want (perfect if you have long legs).

Wear to go
Clothing makes a comfortable journey. Wear comfy shoes and dress in layers so you can easily adjust to the temperature. Remember, airports aren’t catwalks – you can always pop something stylish in your hand luggage for when you arrive.

The morning after
Plan for the morning after, before you go out. Organise room service to bring you breakfast in bed and get your hangover cure ready. Alcohol reduces your body’s vitamin and sugar supply, so fruit juice or even a soluble Vitamin C tablet are perfect.

Soothing sunburn
If you don’t have any Aloe Vera gel or lavender oil to treat your sunburn, try teabags – the tannin in them soothes sunburnt skin. Soak a cloth in some strong, black tea (let it cool first!), and drape across the irritated area.

Confirm your taxi
Call the taxi firm that’s taking you home from the airport. The last thing you want after a great holiday is to be stranded in the cold at the airport with your bags.

Keep your holiday going
Make it easy on yourself. Finish your holiday in style and book that cheap little restaurant down the road. There’s probably nothing in your fridge anyway.

We shine a light on the smartest people in travel. This week, Qantas.

Qantas is renowned as one of the world’s finest airlines. And with the introduction of their new Premium Economy class, you can see why. From the moment you enter the airport, you’re sidestepping the queues with priority check-in (at all major airports). At the gate you’re fast-tracked again with priority boarding. Once you’re on the plane, sinking into your extra-wide seat with in-arm entertainment screen, you can literally put your feet up for the journey with the full length leg-rest and enjoy a premium menu, newspapers or even a pre-takeoff drink. Finally, to round off an effortless journey, upon arrival you’re queue-hopping again with priority disembarkation.

In fact, we can only see one problem with Qantas’ Premium Economy class – once you’ve experienced that much comfort and convenience, you may find it hard to travel any other way.

A Valentine’s to remember
Imagine all the brownie points you’ll earn when you whisk that special someone off for a romantic Valentine’s getaway. Click here now – and remember, they don’t need to know that their 5-star treatment was actually a bargain.

Make it a happy Easter
This year, Easter arrives before the school holidays. So, not only will holiday prices be cheaper than normal, but you’ll get a double saving if you take advantage of our sale now. You’ll even avoid the crowds too.

Summer holidays, winter prices
The peak-season may seem a long way away, but you can plan ahead now and book your summer escape with these off-peak sale prices. Click here and enjoy the best of both worlds.

Beach holiday deals
If the only thing you know for sure is that you want sun, sea and sand, we can point you in the right direction. Spring, summer or right now, click here to get all the inspiration you need at the prices you want.

City break deals
Explore a new urban jungle. We’ve got city deals from Amsterdam to Marrakech and even as far as Tokyo. Click here and sample inner-city culture in another country.

We shine a light on the smartest people in travel. This week, VISIT FLORIDA.

When you’re travelling to Florida, a place bursting with tourist attractions, it can be hard to plan your perfect holiday. Where should you start? The beach? The Everglades? A theme park – VISIT FLORIDA®, Florida’s official travel source, has called upon 10 Florida travel experts to share their stories on blogs and videos. From an art and culture buff and an outdoors enthusiast to an adrenaline junkie and a mother of two – the travel experts are as diverse as Florida itself. Their blogs and videos offer inside stories into some of Florida’s most popular and lesser-known tourist attractions, allowing you to hand-pick the pearls from an ocean of activities.

New York’s Easter Parade and Bonnet Festival
Although there are no marching bands or red-white-and-blue floats, the Easter Parade is still a vibrant affair. Marvel at the weird, wonderful and wildly coloured Easter bonnets and outfits on Fifth Avenue which is closed to traffic from 10am – 4pm.

Prague’s Easter markets
The Czechs love Easter and you can see it in Prague’s Easter markets. In the Old Town Square market sellers display hand-crafted goods, traditional food and drink, while women in colourful Easter costume personalise their hand-painted Easter eggs for you.

Budapest’s Spring Festival
Staying true to Budapest’s culturally mature style, Easter lies right in the middle of the capital’s Spring Festival. Historic buildings and open spaces provide the venues for an indulgence of classical music, exhibitions, folkloric events, theatre and film.

Sofia’s National Opera and Ballet
As well as being a globally respected theatre, Sofia’s National Opera and Ballet also holds a cultural Easter Festival. Premieres and gala performances headline the program with the participation from famous Bulgarian composers and singers, plus guests from abroad.

Barcelona’s Easter processions
They aren’t on the same scale as Seville, but they’re still great to see with opulent religious floats, drummers and people in costume walking the main streets. Truly spectacular, however, are the Easter ‘Monas’ (huge elaborate cakes) displayed in cake shop windows.