Londonderry – Co. Londonderry is one of the biggest cities in Ireland, second only to Dublin. It is often just called “Derry.” It spreads wide, the area being both a city in the center and then rural land out by the edges. This port city is walled all the way around with two main bridges helping to connect it to other areas nearby.

It has almost two hundred and fifty thousand people as residents, though they are not tightly compacted. Its high population derives from early history where the area was a sacred oak grove. Derry is a modern translation of the old Irish word for oak. The London part of the name came in the seventeenth century when London guilds saw the significance of Derry and forced themselves upon the town, also forcing their name.

The city walls are a huge tourist attraction. It is the only official walled city left in Ireland, since other places do not have complete walls or their walls have fallen into disrepair over time. It is one of the few places in Europe to be walled, too, and is a fine example of what a wall is supposed to do. The structure is four hundred years old and lasted completely unbreached, protecting the Irish from Scottish and English invasion and siege.

Christian focus in Ireland was centered in Londonderry. It was a good central point for a monastery to be built, allowing Christian settlers to spread out from there and convert the pagans. Though a bulk of the conversion was due to Saint Patrick, this monastery helped. Not all requests to conform were met with the same degree of acceptance.

Some other transitions which ultimately failed were the attempts to make the area a plantation in support of the English monarchy. There were countless rebel groups, full scale rebellions, and endless battles. Finally when things quieted, the town gave itself a new look and was rebuilt. For a brief time it was a refuge for other Irish citizens who were fleeing the Potato Famine, since Londonderry was not hit nearly as hard as some areas.

Local problems and small-scale wars continue in the demonstrable tensions between Catholics and Protestants. The area is mostly Catholic, which makes things tough on Protestant neighborhoods. These tensions only get stronger when one throws in the long-term struggle with unemployment.

High unemployment was present for most of the nineteenth century. Men were out of work and, oddly enough, the women were the ones getting jobs. A large factory opened and employed only women. The struggle for work continued until after the turn of the century. Many men therefore left Londonderry in search of better opportunities.

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Skipton – North Yorkshire is a small English market town which is often visited by tourists. The nearby Yorkshire Dales is a main tourist attraction; therefore many visitors base themselves in Skipton. Because of this, the town is called The Gateway to the Dales. The last census showed that Skipton has around 14,000 residents.

The town’s history goes back right to 1085 and is therefore steeped in a rich heritage. Skipton appears in the Domesday Book after having played a big part in the English Civil War. During World War 1, the town was used as a POW camp.

Skipton Building Society, and its associated companies, is the main employer. Retail businesses and tourism also provides jobs for the locals. One of the main attractions is the market day. This attracts many people who live in villages and small towns in the Dales. Market day is a vibrant affair and shoppers have an abundant selection of goods on offer.

The market is so popular that in 2008, High Street was proclaimed to be among the best shopping facilities in Britain. Market takes place on four days every week. Livestock is also auctioned at a mart in the town. Skipton also boasts a brewery that makes 5 varieties of beer.

A gala was held in 1901 to raise money for the local hospital. The event was so successful that more trains had to be organized to cater for visitors from far and wide. After the formation of the NHS, the hospital received funding, but the gala was still held every year. Today it takes place in June as a fund raiser for local charities. This is quite a spectacle with entertainment, a procession, live music and fireworks.

Visitors will find lots of interesting exhibits at the Craven Museum and Gallery. Here you can learn about the history, geology and archeology of Skipton and view interesting art pieces. There is no entrance fee. Children can enjoy a host of activities that include dressing up, doing puzzles and quizzes, grinding corn and even digging in an archeology pit.

The Skipton Players is an active drama group. They have been performing regularly for the last 50 years since the Skipton Little Theater was built. Prior to this they had to use the town hall for shows until a fundraiser enabled them to acquire a derelict store room which they bought for 250 pounds.

There are plenty of pubs in Skipton, plus 2 popular nightclubs and many fine restaurants. Tourists and locals can enjoy genuine cuisine from India, France, Mexico, China, Greece, Italy as well as traditional British food. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal runs through Skipton. This enables tourists to take in all the sights on boats.

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Flying to Tenerife is easy any time of year with wide a selection of low-fare airlines and UK and Ireland airports.

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Flights to Tenerife are very reasonable, currently staring at around-8. The largest of the Canary Islands, Tenerife is a popular destination among UK travelers. Tenerife generally has two busy seasons. The first is during the winter when it experiences an influx of older tourists escaping winter’s chill. The second extends from May to October, with families and college students on holiday.

The world-famous Tenerife Carnival is held in February in Santa Cruz. Held in the two weeks before Lent, Tenerife Carnival rivals Rio for size and grandeur. The party culminates with a parade and the Burial of the Sardine, in which a huge model sardine is carried through the streets, followed by mourners, and eventually burned.

You will likely find the best deals in the off-season. The climate is fairly constant, so you’ll still be able to enjoy the beaches and attractions in less-crowded conditions.

There are two airports on Tenerife. Most traffic comes into Tenerife South Reina Sofia Airport (TFS), which also offers more than 100 connecting flights to additional destinations. Tenerife North handles inter-island flights for island hoppers. You can also take the ferry to explore the other Canary Islands.

The Canary Islands are known as the Islands of Eternal Springtime for a reason. There is little difference between summer and winter temperatures with winter temperatures bottoming out at-C. Summer months are balmy but comfortable. But, as an illustration of this island’s contrasts, the average annual temperature at the inland the Teide National Park is only 9C.

As you would expect, Tenerife offers white, sandy beaches and a lively night life. Beyond the usual tourist attractions, visitors find vast natural beauty and splendid landscapes. The snow-capped Mount Teide rises from the center of the island, providing its breathtaking backdrop. In the north, you’ll find a variety of wildlife and their habitats, ranging form rugged rocky coves to lush greenery. Farther south, the beaches stretch in the sun – home to resorts like Playa de las Americas and Los Cristianos.

Tenerife’s capital city, Santa Cruz, offers tax-free shopping for bargain hunters. The Mercado de Nuestra Senora de Africa, an Artistic Historical Monument, has galleries of merchants of all varieties surrounding a central courtyard and clock tower. One of Spain’s largest ports, this cosmopolitan city also offers parks and historical theaters.

Cable rides to the top of Mount Tiede, one of the world’s largest volcanoes, will offer spectacular views from the highest point in the Atlantic Ocean.

For children of all ages, the Monkey Zoo is a must. Located in Los Cristianos, most of the animal cages are open for visitors to walk into. You can buy food for the animals at the entrance, so you are guaranteed an up-close experience with a variety of animals including ring-tailed lemurs and iguanas.

Susan is the marketing director for the UK’s leading Flight comparison portal, which includes detailed information on Flights To Tenerife