Celebrated with fireworks and a huge party attended by local celebrities, the new ‘Zapadna Obala’ development stretches for more 600m from Matejuška to Sustipan’s ACI Marina.

Zapadna Obala, which means West Coast, has replaced an otherwise ignored part of the Dalmatian coastline with an expanse of exciting activities and features.

Celeb Watching

Costing 80 million Croatian Kuna, (£9m), visitors can enjoy the sun soaked waterfront resplendent with palm trees and interactive water fountains. Landscaped to accentuate the space too, and with bike lanes, tourists can relax on the teak benches and sunbeds, while enjoying a spot of celebrity watching.

One of the key attractions of the new promenade is the large harbour, allowing ocean-bound yachts to berth. With a filling station too, it is likely that many of the world’s rich and famous will enjoy imbibing and eating the typically splendid seafood offered here during their own holidays to Split.

Invigorating the city further to the west, the development is just the latest addition to a host of amazing sites that visitors to this part of Croatia can enjoy.

Anyone coming to this wonderful city can choose to soak up the evocative history (the Katedral Sveti Duje) is a definite highlight, immerse themselves in the local spirit at the vibrant Bačvice beach or enjoy stunning sunsets from the Riva embankment. There is plenty more to explore too.

While many thousands will flock to the boulevards, museums, galleries and restaurants for which the city is famed, for those looking up, there is a new attraction in town – and it is nothing to do with a certain famous tower.

Though that said, those looking down from the Eiffel Tower could well be intrigued by a sight little over a mile to the west. For it is there, hunkered down in a shopping centre in the 15th arrondissement of the city that Paris’ newest city garden has opened.

More Than Thirty Metres Above Street Level

Located more than thirty metres above street level and extending across 7,000 square metres, it truly is a celebration of green amongst the towering blocks of concrete.

The designers have created what is effectively an urban garden, which will help attract wildlife into the urban sprawl. To help, nesting boxes and hives will soon be installed.

While the boutiques and larger chains that line the Champs-Élysées may be where most Euros are spent by holidaying Brits with Jet2holidays, the Beaugrenelle shopping centre located within the space could be worth a visit.

Although the full roof meadow is preserved for its biodiversity work, 800 square metres of it have been set aside to be enjoyed by the visiting public.

Holidays to Paris could be just about to become entwined with another sort of birds and bees.

The popular attraction reopened at the start of May and also sees a special anniversary exhibition take place.

For art enthusiasts in particular, the exhibition will be well worth a visit. Following many thousands of hours of painstaking work and research into Van Gogh’s methods, the museum shows, in its own words:

“…how in 10 years’ time the Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh developed into a unique artist with an impressive oeuvre.”

More Than 200 Separate Items

To capture this impressive body of work, the museum will display more than 200 separate paintings, sketches, letters and other personal effects. On loan from the Musee d’Orsay in Paris, one intriguing exhibit will be the only existing palette known to be used by Van Gogh.

The reopening of the museum has wider significance too. For more than a decade, Museum Square has never had its major buildings open together, until now. With the Rijksmuseum reopening recently, and the Stedelijk museum of contemporary art available to the public, it will be a huge draw for tourists.

There are many more galleries and museums for Jet2holidays customers to visit on holidays to Amsterdam of course. The canals, bikes, and general ambience make the place a great stop for a day, two days, or as long as they like.

With €5,000 (£4,200) in prize money up for grabs though, it could be a good idea for any mums and dads travelling with Jet2holidays to get their kids earning their keep.

The Tenerife LAN Party 2013 runs from July 16 to 21, with battling gamers playing such titles as ‘Counter-Strike: Global Offensive’.

Naturally though, most people taking holidays to the Canary Islands will have their thoughts far removed from video console games.

Real Life Adventure

Some may not think much past the sun, sea, sand and, perhaps occasionally, the pool. However, for those wanting to strike a global experience, the volcanoes of this stunning archipelago are ripe for real life adventure.

Those not taking part in the Tenerife game-athon, would certainly do well to take in the Teide National Park. The third tallest volcano in the world, and the highest point in Spain, a strenuous walk up the slopes can deliver a stunning view of the crater, also jumping into the cable car with achieve the same effect.

Lanzarote, too, has its own great attraction – the Timanfaya National Park. This takes its visitors on a trip into a distant land of eerie shapes and shadows. Visitors to La Palma can also enjoy a volcanic time, though the 24k Volcano Route trek is far from a relaxing stroll, so a degree of fitness is required.

The city has not always been so accessible though, with the Communist regime keeping tourists far away for many years. It also caused many successful Czechoslovakians to seek a home elsewhere, perhaps no better typified than tennis great Ivan Lendl becoming a U.S. citizen.

Wonderful Collections

Today though, in an atmosphere of hope and celebration, the former world number one is displaying his private collection of Alphonse Mucha posters. All originals from the art nouveau artist, at 150 posters, it is the largest such collection in the world, taking Lendl many years to compile.

On loan to The Prague Municipal House, it is the first time that Mucha’s work has been so stunningly displayed in his home country too.

However, as with beer and music, art always comes hand-in-hand with the Czech capital. From the Charles Bridge which has been spanning the Vltava since medieval times, on to the legendary Wenceslas Square and the vibrant JazzDock, there is wonderful architecture, sights and sounds.

All holidays to Prague are not complete without a visit to the Old Town and its galaxy of baroque buildings celebrating the magnificence of religion and royalty. With a great cafe culture too, it is little wonder that this most beautiful of cities is a repeat visit for many Jet2holidays customers.

Tenerife is a firm favourite of people in the UK who want to escape to the sun. In winter, the Canaries are perfect, with temperatures being around the low twenties, and this is accompanied with lots of sunshine. Even during the winter months, rainfall is a rare occurrence on the south of the island.

A Perfect Climate for Outdoor Types

The climate is perfect for those who like to play golf and enjoy other activities outdoors. The spectacular Siam Park water park offers relaxation and the chance to enjoy more than 29 rides, restaurants, bars, a Thai floating market, and even the beach.

Lanzarote is another popular choice for holidays to the Canary Islands at this time of the year. This is a much-fancied holiday destination for people in the UK, and the flight is just four hours.

Temperatures on average are around 21°C and each year sees only about 5.5 inches of rain. This makes the island one of the best year-round holiday destinations. Winter months are typically the quietest, which means no fighting for sunbeds, and it is a generally welcome change from the drizzle and frost of the long British winter.

What with the Great British weather however, getting on a bike can be tricky. This is not the case elsewhere though, with cycling holidays to the Balearic Islands a fantastic option for many families, for example.

The Balearics, made up of Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza, are a great destination for a break in the sun – with or without a bike of course – but cycling around these wonderful isles is a truly great way to see the scenery and soak up the local traditions.

A Delightful Setting

With over 300 days of sun each year, it is no surprise that so many Brits head to the Balearics with Jet2holidays. Many are attracted to the miles and miles of beach, while others head there for the party spirit synonymous with the isles.

This is all well and good, but biking it offers so much more. From gently riding through the wild-flower strewn, honey-walled roads, to climbing a summit and looking down on olive and orange groves, the setting is delightful.

Mix this evocative spirit with the sights and smells of the numerous hillside villages, complete with ubiquitous sheep, and there is something delicately pastoral which is seldom seen anywhere else.

For food and for sun, holidays to the Balearic Islands are always a pleasure. Add a little physical activity and sightseeing into the mix though, and the pleasure count simply rises.

While many people will lounge around by the pool or the beach during the day, readying themselves for another all-nighter, Ibiza has waters begging to be fully explored, making the island amongst the best in the Med to try out scuba diving.

Dive Head First Into the Beautiful Waters

A great area to check out is Las Salinas national park, with its plumes of sea grass seeing it attain World Heritage status. Across the island though, there are many excellent dive sites, for which any Jet2holidays rep will be able to provide more details.

For something a little more relaxed, a visit to the old town is an absolute must.

Historically a strategic point to settle, wars have been fought over the island for hundreds of years. The oldest part of Ibiza Town – complete with 16th Century city wall, cobbled streets, medieval mansions and a cathedral – is a great way to experience this first hand.

If something a little more current is needed, then shopping is always great on Ibiza, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, is a popular pastime for many enjoying holidays to the Balearic Islands.

Whether partying the night away, or dancing to a slower, more relaxed tune, Ibiza is set to rock again through the 2013 holiday season.

The saying goes that if you can remember the sixties you weren’t there, but Arn Strohmeyer certainly does remember. In particular, he recalls the Matala caves of 1967, where he hung-out as a hippie student with the other flower children, free to love, act and express his creativity as he wished.

Now a respectable academic writer, Strohmeyer’s experiences at Matala inspired both a book and a reunion festival, held in 2011. It was so successful that the Municipality of Phaestos made it an annual event, and the third Matala Hippie Reunion Festival will take place June 11-13 this year, mainly within the caverns themselves.

Exciting Events

No two festivals are ever the same, but confirmed events include photographic exhibitions, live concerts, hippie crafts, art exhibits and fireworks. While the event will appeal to baby boomers (who will no doubt turn up wearing flowers in their hair), it will have equal appeal for their grandchildren, with a family day and children’s area to keep them entertained – and, of course, the glorious beaches of Matala.

Encompassing the free spirit of the flower power era, the festival is totally devoid of charges – and that includes camping and parking. Holidays to Crete are available from Jet2holidays, and any hippies-at-heart that are planning to attend are advised to book these and their accommodation in plenty of time, as the weekend looks set to be another sell-out.

1. Costa Cantabria – well worth a visit for anybody with an explorative mind. They can take a walk in Picos de Europa and then enjoy the Vinos de la Tierra

2. Costa de la Luz – the ‘Coast of Light’ is where the surfers go to catch waves. Here, sun seekers can enjoy sandy beaches of sheer perfection

3. Costa del Sol – one of the best known of the Spanish Costas and also one of the busiest regions in Spain, and no wonder. There are many choices for dining and partying here

4. Costa Tropical – home to a plethora of hidden coves and small beaches that are virtually deserted. It is also known as ‘Costa Granada’ and one option for the adventurous is to ski in the Sierra Nevada in the morning and then head to the beach to sunbathe during the afternoon

5. Costa Almeria – known as ‘The Mirror by the Sea’, Costa Almeria is the driest and the hottest Costa of them all. Visitors may wish to have a go at playing cowboys and Indians at the Mini Hollywood during their stay.

These are just five of the eleven regions that are well worth taking into consideration when booking holidays to the Spanish Costas with Jet2holidays.