TRAVEL: FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS

If there's one thing I love to do, it's get away from it all once a year and explore somewhere new. Somewhere I can forget about the daily grind and completely immerse myself in to new surroundings. I've been fortunate enough to be able to travel to some beautiful destinations with Dan, and have grown to love a number of places that I can see us both returning to again and again in years to come. Since I didn't get round to blogging about our last holiday in July (and part of me wants to keep the majority of that to myself as it was such a lovely peaceful two weeks), I thought it would be nice to combine some of our favourite getaways in to one travel post!
Also, keep reading until the end of the post to find out how you can win a trip away to one of my favourites places - Paris! 

Porto Santo

Kicking off with our most recent holiday, and hands down our favourite so far, Porto Santo was absolutely perfect for us. We both love a relaxing beach holiday away from it all, but we like to get out and about to do some exploring too. Porto Santo is a tiny island just off the coast of Portugal, and although very small, it had everything we wanted in a holiday. Nine kilometres of sandy beaches, miles and miles of crystal clear blue sea for as far as the eye could see, mountains and sights to explore and a quaint little town with lovely restaurants tucked away on the coastline. 

We loved it so much that we're planning to return again very soon, and would definitely recommend the place for couples or older families who love to relax but aren't scared of a little adventure too! 

Albufeira, Portugal

Albufeira is a busy little town in Portugal's Algarve, and somewhere we booked to go a couple of years ago when we both needed a break but couldn't afford to spend too much money. We'd heard a lot of great things about the place before jetting off, so our hopes were pretty high. Needless to say we weren't disappointed! Again, there is the bonus of a long stretch of sandy beach, but the thing we loved about Albufeira was the atmosphere. The town is always a hub of activity with lots to do and see, plenty of bars and restaurants to enjoy and lots of lovely little shops. It can be a little 'touristy' and isn't really what we would have called a relaxing holiday as there was always so much going on, but it was a great little break away on a budget, that we will definitely be revisiting in the future! 

Rhodes, Greece

Just pipped to the post for our favourite holiday destination is the beautiful island of Rhodes. Our first and only visit to Greece so far was to an area of Rhodes called Kalithea a few years back. We raved about this place so much that a number of our friends have also been on our recommendation and loved it too. Full of historic architecture and ruins in the old town, shops and cafes in the new town, and a harbour packed with expensive yachts and cruise ships, this is a place with plenty to see and do. Crystal blue sea and plenty of scenery made this the perfect mix of tranquility and culture. The only thing I wished was different about Rhodes was the beaches, as they are rocky rather than sandy, but that didn't stop us from having a lovely time!

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

This trip is definitely a blast from the past! Believe it or not this was actually our first holiday away together back in 2008 at the age of eighteen (student loan came in very handy that year) and one we probably wouldn't be able to afford now, but I'm so glad I got to experience such a gorgeous place. As you can probably imagine, the Dominican Republic was all kinds of perfect. The beaches were incredible, the weather was amazing (aside from one stormy day in two weeks), the pools were lovely and warm and the food was delicious. I do regret not getting out of the complex to explore a little, but with only ever going to Spain before this holiday, I was a little too bowled over by the place to move from my sunbed! This would make an amazing honeymoon destination or just a great relaxing holiday for couples, as it's so peaceful and laid back. Also apologies for the lack of photos for this one. Let's just say I wasn't quite prepared to let some of those resurface! 

Paris

Finally, one that's very different to all the above, but somewhere that will always have a special place in my heart is Paris. Dan and I went here when I was at uni and even though it was a short and sweet trip of 3 days, we had the best time. I'll admit now that we didn't go up to the top of the tower because 1. queues and 2. crazy wind, but everything else we went to see and do was just perfect. We strolled along the Champs Elysees, took a boat trip along the River Seine to see the Notre Dame and the Louvre, ate fresh crepes by the river and candy floss under the Eiffel Tower. Even though we didn't go for any special occasion in particular, the whole trip was so romantic and there was so much to take in. I'd love to go back soon and tie in a trip with Disneyland too! 

If you fancy getting away to Paris and seeing the sights like I did, then it might be your lucky day! Head over to Leisure Jobs where you could win a weekend away in Paris, flights and hotel included, and dinner at a Michelin Star restaurant! Whether you love to hit the shops or prefer to explore the sights, this would be the perfect getaway for a romantic weekend with your love, or a girly weekend with your bestie! Entering is easy peasy, just head over to the competition page to find out how! Good luck!

Have you ever been to Paris? What are your favourite holiday destinations?