Spanish airline Iberia has revealed that it is to begin new flights from two Spanish cities to London's City Airport. Offering residents of the UK's capital a quick escape to the sunnier climes of the Mediterranean, the move has come about due to Iberia's code share agreement with British Airways (BA) and will increase London City as a favourable departure location for many.

Acting under a code share with BA subsidiary CityFlyer, Iberia will offer flights to both Barcelona and Madrid. Whilst Iberia already provides 13 daily services between London Heathrow and Madrid, the newest additions will offer city slickers a quick and stress free way of getting out of the metropolis and into the sun of Spain. Putting its IB code on two daily flights from Madrid's Terminal 4 hub, Iberia will provide extra services throughout the week apart from Sunday. Meanwhile an additional daily flight with the IB stamp will fly between Barcelona's Terminal 1 and London City.

The move will increase the services between London and Spain even more, offering tourists and business travellers a range of alternative travel times and flights. In addition to the existing Madrid flights London Heathrow already hosts seven daily flights to Barcelona. But as London City Airport becomes increasingly popular for urban dwellers, the latest additional services will no doubt prove highly poplar with those wanting a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Cheap Flights and Travel News – © 2010 – Just The Flight

Spanish airline Iberia has revealed that it is to begin new flights from two Spanish cities to London's City Airport. Offering residents of the UK's capital a quick escape to the sunnier climes of the Mediterranean, the move has come about due to Iberia's code share agreement with British Airways (BA) and will increase London City as a favourable departure location for many.

Acting under a code share with BA subsidiary CityFlyer, Iberia will offer flights to both Barcelona and Madrid. Whilst Iberia already provides 13 daily services between London Heathrow and Madrid, the newest additions will offer city slickers a quick and stress free way of getting out of the metropolis and into the sun of Spain. Putting its IB code on two daily flights from Madrid's Terminal 4 hub, Iberia will provide extra services throughout the week apart from Sunday. Meanwhile an additional daily flight with the IB stamp will fly between Barcelona's Terminal 1 and London City.

The move will increase the services between London and Spain even more, offering tourists and business travellers a range of alternative travel times and flights. In addition to the existing Madrid flights London Heathrow already hosts seven daily flights to Barcelona. But as London City Airport becomes increasingly popular for urban dwellers, the latest additional services will no doubt prove highly poplar with those wanting a quick getaway from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

Cheap Flights and Travel News – © 2010 – Just The Flight

There’s never a bad time to visit a vineyard, but one of the best is harvest time, when there are festivals, tasting events and even the chance to help pick the grapes

Vendimia festival, Jerez, Spain

Three weeks from Saturday, 4 September

Jerez de la Frontera in Andalucía, sherry capital of the world, becomes a hive of wine-related activity and parties from the first weekend in September to celebrate the Vendimia festival. There’s bullfighting (including a comedy bullfight), motorcycle racing and flamenco dancing, as well as grape picking. The family friendly festivities kick off with the Queen of Sherry parade, when she tosses a bunch of grapes into a press for four workmen to tread for the first official pressing of the vintage, and children run after her chariot to catch the sweets she throws. Then the party begins, with events in town and at the bodegas.
• See andalucia.com and turismojerez.com for details and accommodation. Casa Vina de Alcantara (vinadealcantara .com; doubles €160) is an elegant house in an arboretum, with 10 rooms and a pool, a short drive from the town centre

Marathon du Médoc, France

10-11 September

Thought marathons were all about sports drinks and energy bars? Not so in this event, where there are wine stops for runners pounding the pathways and roads of the Médoc region, passing 50 pretty chateaux and vineyards that are preparing for their autumn harvest. As well as the 8,500 or so runners, it attracts 50,000 spectators, many in fancy dress (comicbook heroes is this year’s theme), and food stalls along the route offer oysters, steak, ice-cream and cheese (obviously no one is there to beat their personal bests).

On the eve of the race the area’s estates open up their cellars and grounds and one property holds a Repas des Mille Pâtes (A Thousand Pastas’ dinner), which is reputedly great fun, and includes a cocktail hour. In the town of Pauillac, particularly along the quays of river Gironde, the party continues into the night. On the morning after the race, there is a 10km walk (the Ballade de Récupération), which provides an opportunity to taste more of the region’s wines.

OK, it’s the weekend after next, so if you haven’t registered yet, you’re off the hook, though you can still go and watch. And if you’re planning to run a marathon next year, this one has more of an incentive than most.
• marathondumedoc.com sells packages to the event and lists accommodation

Festa dell’Uva, Impruneta, Tuscany, Italy

26 September

The oldest grape festival in the region and one of a slew of harvesting events in Tuscany, the Festa dell’Uva in Impruneta pays homage to the region’s prized chianti and other varieties, with parades, dances, shows and food stalls. You can catch a bus from Florence to Impruneta.

• lafestadelluva.it. Tourist information: +39 055 231 3729, presidentefestauva@yahoo.it. Castello di Cafaggio (020-7193 1363, icastelli.net; from €90 per night) is a gorgeous 14th-century estate set in vineyards a few minutes from the village

Paso Robles Harvest Wine Weekend, California, USA

15-17 October

The small Central Coast town of Paso Robles celebrates the new vintage with more than 130 wineries holding their own events during the third weekend in October. A notably cool summer coupled with a slighter later bud break from a sluggish spring has the local wine industry predicting a much later harvest, possibly into November, but the festival dates remain the same and it won’t be any less fun. Wineries hold their own individual events, everything from novelty grape stomping to intimate winemaker dinners and wine seminars. The area also has hot springs (such as franklinhotsprings.com) if you need a different sort of liquid therapy afterwards. The drive to Paso Robles from either San Francisco or LA, along the Pacific highway, is truly spectacular.

• pasowine.com. Most of the vineyard accommodation is fully booked for this year, so you would be better off hiring an RV or camping. The Springs at Borrego (springsatborrego.com) has its own natural mineral baths and star parties with an astronomer, and weekly wine tasting. See tinyurl.com/3az3lhu for more campsites

Jurade de St Emilion, Bordeaux, France

13 September

The most picturesque of Bordeaux’s medieval villages, St Emilion is synonymous with fabulous wines, and its autumn festival is one of the most prestigious. The Jurade dates back to 1199 and is a celebration of some complicated political history, giving the rights of the area from King John to the locals, along with the control and quality of the wine. During the Jurade local winemakers open their cellar doors and estates for two daysto mark the start of the harvest.

• saint-emilion-tourisme.com for links to accommodation from €60 a night, and details of the festival

Spain’s Alhambra palace has inspired travellers for centuries. We explore the history and legends behind this Moorish architectural wonder

Who says you need to go barefoot in Asia for a traveller’s adventure? Here are three exciting – and affordable – backpacking itineraries in Europe

Eastern Europe by train

Backpacking in eastern Europe is relatively cheap, flights from the UK are affordable and countries are well connected by train. Begin your journey in Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, for Ottoman sites and bazaars; then travel, by bus, to the breathtaking Valley of Roses near the pretty town of Kazanlak. Rila national park’s peaks and wildlife are just 100km south of Sofia by bus or train.

Jump on a train to Bucharest for cafes and interesting shopping, and from there to Transylvania for Dracula trails, and on by train to the medieval town of Maramures to delve into unspoilt peasant culture.

Then head for Budapest to see Hungary’s lavish parliament building and Buda Castle and its museums.

Prague next for partying, culture and architecture, and day trips around Bohemia: see the Benedictine Brevnov Monastery, with its eerie crypt, skeletons and gardens; and Cesky Krumlov’s eponymous castle and quaint streets.

• For information and prices see InterRail (interrailnet.com) and The Man in Seat Sixty-One (seat61.com)

Surfing and cities, Portugal and Spain

Beach bums, look no further. The Atlantic coasts of Spain and Portugal make a great “surfari” itinerary, so even beginners can master the sport – or, if you’re not the surfng type, just enjoy the wonderful beaches, fun resorts and food along the way.

Autumn is a great time to go – it’s still warm but you beat the crowds, and the waves are at their biggest. Start in the Algarve – surfers can catch swells from both the south and the west. Praia Grande, Alentejo, is good for the experienced; São João da Caparica and the area nearby is less well known.

Baleal on the peninsula of Peniche is one of the most popular surf spots, though expensive – and it’s only an hour away from Lisbon, so you can head inland for culture, too. The new Surf Yoga Camp (surfyogacamp.com), 20 minutes’ drive from Peniche and Baleal beaches, has tipis and lessons.

Up the coast, Figueira da Foz isn’t the prettiest resort but the waves are empty even in summer, there are several beaches (and one of Europe’s longest right hand breaks) and a great hostel – Foz Holidays Surf House (fozholidays.com, €25 B&B per night).

If you’re driving, turn off down little lanes all along the rest of the coast heading north, to find isolated beaches.

Roll on to northern Spain and Razo beach in Galicia (try artsurfcamp.co.uk for accommodation and camps), then Rodiles beach in Villaviciosa, Asturias – one of the best surf spots in Europe. The Costa Verde is still off the beaten track and has some great surf, such as Somo in Cantabria, which has golden sand and consistent North Atlantic swells (check out the surf school: escuelacantabradesurf.com).

Save the best for last and show off everything you’ve learned at Zarautz, the surf capital of Spain, in the Basque Country. It’s only 21km west of San Sebastián and a hour from Bilbao, for great bars and pintxos, Basque tapas.

Campervanning

Campervan hire company Wicked Campers, which started life in Australia, has brought its budget, backpacker-friendly concept to Europe. It offers two-, three- and five-seater vans, all emblazoned with garish graffiti, in Spain, France, Belgium, Germany and Netherlands.

This year it also launched in eastern Europe, with pick-ups in San Benedetto (Italy) or Verditz (Austria) that allow travel in 15 eastern European countries, plus Turkey. You could do a huge route including several countries, and save money by sleeping in the van.

• 0808 234 8461, wickedcampers.co.uk. Seven-day round-trip hire in a two-seater van starts from £253 (from £453 in summer) including insurance for one driver who must be 25 or over.

From a zone one London base to a boutique Alpine lodge, Robert Savage finds 10 European hostels to suit backpacker budgets

Backpacking special: see tomorrow’s Guardian Travel

1. The Winston Art Hotel and Hostel, Amsterdam, Holland

With 40 unique rooms styled by local Amsterdam artists, the Winston wouldn’t look out of place on the cover of Wallpaper* magazine. More memorable design themes include bondage, ultra violet and vodka, plus another with life-size robots hanging off the walls. The PVC room even comes with rubber sheets. The beer garden overlooking the comings and goings of a popular red light alleyway may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but the complimentary access to the famed Winston Kingdom nightclub next door makes it a steal.

• st-christophers.co.uk/amsterdam-hostels, from £12 a night

2. Euro Youth Hotel, Bad Gastein, Austria

This vintage hotel has been given a new lease of life as a hostel with tidy dormitories for small groups: in other words it isn’t cheap simply because you’re sharing a room with a dozen or so other backpackers. The beer cellar bar stocks some of the heartiest ales from both Austria and Bavaria (it’s only 90 minutes from Munich), while the restaurant serves the oh-so-starchy kartoffelbrot, a hefty potato bread. All rooms have spectacular views of the mountains, the nearby Felsenbad Hot Springs Spa and the Eldorado Dorfgastein paragliding platform. The Euro Youth is also an integral part of a local ski run, with a lift 20m away from the front door. Discounted ski equipment can be hired directly from the hostel.

• euro-youth-hotel.at, B&B from £12 a night. B&B with ski/board and boot hire from £19.50 a night

3. Mosaic House, Prague, Czech Republic

This gleaming new hostel – it opened this May – blends boutique backpacker accommodation with the facilities of the on-site four-star hotel, including a funky bar and an unrivalled location, a short walk from the Charles Bridge. Housed in a former theatre, it has been redesigned incorporating several green features; the airport shuttle runs on cooking oil left over from the restaurant downstairs, they have the Czech Republic’s first grey water recycling unit and a super-computer automatically adjusts heat levels in the rooms based on the number of people it detects.

• mosaichouse.com, from £7 a night

4. Balmer’s Herberge, Interlaken, Switzerland

Balmer’s Herberge was Switzerland’s first youth hostel and it’s full of helpful freebies that turn an Alpine trip into a stress-free dream. This boutique base is a two-hour train ride from Zurich and straddles two great lakes. It offers travellers private lodges, free bike tours, complimentary Wi-Fi, and paragliding tuition, and the receptionists can arrange trips to the mountain tops where you can eat fondue in outdoor hot tubs, watching the sun set over the glacier fed waters of Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. Staff can also help biking enthusiasts attempt the infamous Interlaken-Faulhorn-Meiringen cycling challenge.

• balmers.com, from £14 a night

5. The Village, London, United Kingdom

This central London hostel near London Bridge is not boutique by any measure but it is dirt cheap, and the little-known Belushi’s comedy club at the back attracts a number of big names, all eager to test drive new material on an international crowd. Michael McIntyre, Jo Brand and Lenny Henry have entertained budget travellers here over the years. Famed DJs of yesteryear, like Dane Bowers and Boy George, even play the adjoining basement bar. Throw in a few chandeliers, a location a few minutes’ walk from the London Eye and a female only floor, and there you have it: a bed in zone one for little more than a tenner and all the entertainment you can handle.

• st-christophers.co.uk, from £11.90 per night

6. St Christopher’s Hostel, Newquay, United Kingdom

This cliff-top retreat favoured by surf enthusiasts occupies a great spot above Towan beach. People stay here just for the bargain surf tuition, but if you don’t fancy a dip the hostel still has plenty of bonuses, not least the panoramic bar overlooking the Atlantic. The hostel is also a convenient base for exploring the area, such as King Arthur’s Tintagel Castle and the nearby Eden Project. Prices increase during peak season and summer weekends, but even then a dorm bed won’t break the bank.

• bedsandbars.com, from £10 per night. The Escape Surf School (escapesurfschool.co.uk), surf packages from £60 a night (two nights’ B&B and two surf lessons).

7. Yoho International Hostel, Salzburg, Austria

All bargain beds come with certain conditions and at Salzburg’s Yoho it’s The Sound of Music – playing on loop at reception, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Singing nuns aside, this is a hostel where you wake up to awe inspiring mountain views, chocolate box chalets and the caffeine-laced aroma of street-corner breakfast bars. The complimentary shot of Vogelbeer schnapps always goes down a treat at the bar, and bargain hunters will love the €3 all-you-can-eat dinnertime buffet. The organised mountain tours of Wolfgang Lake, an hour away from Salzburg, give visitors a rare close-up of the space-age Red Bull headquarters, for a heavily discounted rate. Just ask at reception.

• yoho.at, from £14.80 a night

8. Oasis Backpackers’ Mansion, Lisbon, Portugal

This secluded little hostel is on the Miradouro de Santa Catarina, a hillside spot with great views over the Tagus river estuary. The proximity of Bairro Alto, known as the Soho of Lisbon, might not be a plus point for everyone – but the top nosh served up at the patio garden restaurant has universal appeal. The staff at this mansion conversion also dish out free Portuguese lessons, complimentary Wi-Fi and Skype phones, not to mention directions to nearby beaches yet to be marked on the tourist trail. Oasis also throws in a laundry service for good measure: they may even iron your socks if you ask nicely.

• oasislisboa.com, from £12 a night

9. Cat’s Hostel, Madrid, Spain

Cat’s Hostel is in a 17th-century palace in the centre of Madrid, a few minutes walk from the botanical gardens and the buzzing Puerta del Sol square. Depending on the season, £12 will bag you a bed in either the four- or 14-person dormitory, plus a plateful of complimentary paella on Saturdays and free beer on Wednesdays. Another big draw at Cat’s is the mosaic-tiled courtyard at the heart of the hostel: a popular spot where travellers relax on the giant pillows that surround the fountain, bubbling away under the stained glass ceiling.

• catshostel.com, from £12 a night

10. The Pink Palace, Corfu, Greece

This is a rare find on the European hostel scene. Imagine a hillside dotted with olive trees overlooking sandy Agios Gordios beach, where crystal clear water shimmers in the tranquil bay. Now factor in a balcony attached to every room, free breakfast, a complimentary three-course dinner every evening, an open-air Jacuzzi and a free transfer service between the hostel and Corfu Town, 15 minutes away. Finally, bear in mind that there’s a private beach two minutes from your bed,and all for under £15 a night. Any downsides? The Pink Palace is the only hostel on our list to be overtly “for the kids”, and it books up fast.

• thepinkpalace.com, from £14.80 a night

• All prices apply to dorm beds

Hold on to that summer feeling – and beat the August heat and crowds – with an autumn break to one of these sunny short-haul destinations

Autumn is a great time to get away for a final blast of sunshine not too far from home. Not only have the crowds thinned, allowing you to find space on the beaches and enjoy the sights without the queues, but midday temperatures have receded – perfect for donningwalking shoes and exploring rural areas that are wonderful at this time of year. Best of all, many hotels slash their rates as soon as the summer crowds head home. We pick our top 10 spots for that perfect autumn getaway …

1. Sardinia, Italy

Average maximum temperature: 27C

Visit Sardinia in autumn and you can discover one of the island’s best-kept secrets: Autunno in Barbagia (Autumn in Barbagia). Running from September to December, a series of festivals take place across 27 villages in Barbagia, a mountainous area of inland Sardinia (sardegnaturismo.it). Streets are transformed into markets, local craftsmen hold workshops, locals throw open their doors – and dining rooms – to visitors and walks are held through the hills. Or you can just kick back on one of the island’s near-empty beaches and soak up some rays.

Stay: Agriturismo Testone (+39 0784 230 539, agriturismotestone.com), tucked in a forest of cork trees in the heart of Barbagia, near the village of Nuoro, is an old stone farmhouse with eight bedrooms, hearty home cooking and log fires in the sitting and dining rooms. Doubles from €38 per person per night, including breakfast.

Get there: British Airways flies from London Gatwick to Cagliari from £138 return.

2. Andalucia, Spain

Average maximum temperature: 32C

Autumn days in Andalucia are still exotically warm, often hitting the low 30s. While the beaches are great this time of year – far quieter than in July and August – this is the time to head to the cooler climes of the hills for some rambling. Sierra de Aracena national park, just north of Seville, is one of the least-known of Andalucia’s parks. Lace up your boots and explore its wooded valleys, whitewashed villages and groves of chestnuts – their leaves turning red and golden. Don’t miss the lively market town of Aracena, with its limestone caves and 13th-century church built by the Knights Templar. Stop for tapas at Café-Bar Manzano, opposite the square – this is the season to try the region’s famous setas (wild mushrooms).

Stay: Finca el Moro (+34 959 501079, fincaelmoro.com), in the heart of the Sierra de Aracena national park, is a 75-acre hill farm with three cottages, sleeping between two and six, each with its own pool. There’s no Wi-Fi, no TV, just excellent walking from the farm – take the donkey, Violetta, to carry your picnic, or set off on one of the farm’s horses (experienced riders only). From €500 per week for a one-bedroom cottage.

Get there: Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from London Stansted, London Gatwick and Bristol to Seville from £40 return.

3. Cyprus

Average maximum temperature: 33C

Cyprus’s southerly position means it enjoys a long, hot autumn, with temperatures well into the 30s. While Cypriot resorts are not among the most beautiful in the Med, an increasing numbers of village houses are being converted into cottages and inns, many in remote rural areas that – on cooler autumn days – are perfect for exploring on foot. After a day’s romp, cool off with a dip in the sea, still blissfully warm at this time of year; Coral Bay, a large horseshoe-shaped cove backed by steep limestone cliffs and with blue flag status should do just the trick.

Stay: Amarakos (+357 22 313374, amarakos.com), situated in the sleepy village of Kato Akourdalia – close to Coral Bay and Paphos – is a family-run guest-house with seven rooms around a flower-filled courtyard. Guided walks, cooking lessons and visits to archaeological sites can all be arranged. Doubles from €77 per night, including breakfast.

Get there: Easyjet flies from London Gatwick, London Luton, Bristol and Manchester to Paphos from £105 return.

4. Dubrovnik, Croatia

Average maximum temperature: 25C

Dubrovnik is extremely busy in the summer months; accommodation is hard to find and endless cruise ships dock in its port, adding to the already overcrowded streets and beaches. Autumn however brings out the best of Dubrovnik; it takes on a tranquil, laidback atmosphere, the weather is less humid, the sea is still warm enough for swimming and accommodation and ferries prices drop considerably. Hop on a 50-minute ferry to the tiny, car-free island of Lopud; it’s renowned for having one of the best beaches in the Dubrovnik region, Sunj (pronounced “shoon”); in summer everyone in the region with a motorised vessel heads there for a swim. Come autumn it’s the Adriatic at its best.

Stay: The Amoret Apartments (+385 20 324005, dubrovnik-amoret.com), in the old town, is made up of 10 apartments (sleeping two-three) housed in three former palaces, each mixing antiques with modern paintings inspired by the city. Doubles from €70 per night, accommodation only.

Get there: Flybe flies from Birmingham and Exeter to Dubrovnik from £250 return.

5. Dahab, Egypt

Average maximum temperature: 31C

Visit this small Bedouin coastal resort in summer and you’ll face unbearably high temperatures of up to 38C; by late September, they’ve dropped – to the low 30s – and unlike in winter, nights are not too cool. Located 100km north of its more commercial neighbour, Sharm el-Sheikh, it has a chilled backpacker vibe and is renowned for its diving, thanks to its diversity of reefs, and also its windsurfing (the resort has about 270 days a year of wind a year). Now’s also the time to visit stunning locations nearby – doable as day trips – such as the Coloured Canyon, with its dramatic rock formations, and St Catherine’s Monastery, situated at the foot of Mount Sinai.

Stay: Dahab Paradise (i-escape.com/dahabparadise.php), on the Red Sea, is right among the action. It has 35 bedrooms with high ceilings, terracotta tiles and handcrafted reclaimed furniture. The hotel also works in conjunction with one of the diving schools. Doubles from €58 per night, including breakfast.

Get there: Easyjet flies from London Gatwick, Luton and Manchester to Sharm El Sheikh from £190 return.

6. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Average maximum temperature: 29C

Just 70km from the Western Sahara, Lanzarote has a more desert-like climate than the Mediterranean, and is at its best come autumn: the north-easterly trade winds – which blow across the island from March to August – drop considerably; the sea, heated by the summer sun, is at its warmest; air temperatures still average around the mid-20s and the tourist crowds have subsided. This is the perfect time to don your walking shoes and trek the island’s volcanic peaks, for example Timanfaya national park (Fire Mountain), with its striking red and ocre lunar landscape and seismic activity.

Stay: Casa El Morro (+34 928 830392, casaelmorrolanzarote.com) is an 18th-century mansion, located above the village of Uga on the outskirts of the Timanfaya national park, that has been transformed into seven self-contained suites sleeping two to five, furnished with collections from Arabia, the Orient and Indonesia. From €107 per night, room only, sleeping up to three.

Get there: Easyjet flies from London Gatwick and Liverpool to Arrecife from £62 return.

7. Kas, Turkey

Average maximum temperature: 29C

Still sunny but not scorching, autumn is the perfect time to visit this relaxed old fishing village, situated on the Lycian coast in south Turkey. Especially if you’re planning on exploring the Lycian Way, a long-distance footpath that stretches for 500km from Fethiye to Antalya through the ancient land of Lycia (Kas is a good base for exploring the southernmost sections). If it’s watersports you’re after, the locals say the best time to dive is after the first autumn rain (usually between late September and early October), as this is when you can see the most fish activity.

Stay: Villa Hotel Tamara (+90 242 836 32 73, hoteltamara.com.tr) in Kas has 26 rooms and suites – all with sea views – two swimming pools and terraces that lead down to the private beach. Doubles from €100 per night, including breakfast.

Get there: Monarch flies from Birmingham, Gatwick, Luton and Manchester to Dalaman from £91 return.

8. Saint-Tropez, France

Average maximum temperature: 25C

Summer playground of the glitterati, the flashiest seaside resort in the Côte d’Azur takes on a whole new identity come autumn. While temperatures can still reach the mid-20s, most of the crowds are long gone, leaving behind a more laid-back town. Beaches which are usually packed – such as Plage de Pampelonne and Plage des Salins – are blissfully quiet, as are its posh boutiques and restaurants. If it’s the Saint-Tropez buzz you’re after, visit between 25 September and 3 October, when the annual Regatta Les Voiles de St Tropez (societe-nautique-saint-tropez.fr) sees 300 sailing yachts, from all over the globe, compete in a week of racing and festivities – and the jet-set return in throngs to watch.

Stay: Pastis Hotel (+33 4 98 12 56 50, pastis-st-tropez.com) has nine beautiful bedrooms, complete with objêts d’art, leather armchairs, contemporary four-posters and their own private balcony or breakfast terrace. Doubles from €175 per night – down from €450 in peak season.

Get there: Ryanair flies from London Stansted to Toulon from £30 return.

9. Rhodes, Greece

Average maximum temperature: 28C

Whichever Greek island you pick in autumn you’re likely to find warm sunshine and few crowds. But if there’s one island that is particulary lovely at this time of year it’s Rhodes. Its medieval Old Town is teeming with tourists in July and August. Visit in the autumn, however, and you can have its narrow alleys, lined with Ottoman mansions, and tranquil squares virtually all to yourself. September is also the best time to visit Petaloudes (Butterfly Valley), the island’s most popular tourist attraction; out of season, this lovely green dell in the middle of the island is tourist-free, so it’s the best time to spot the thousands of brightly coloured insects (don’t leave it too late, they only inhabit the valley between May and September). The thermometer will hover around the mid to high 20s, perfect for catching some rays on the nearby beaches; head to Kalithea, just 8km south, famous for its hot medicinal springs.

Stay: Spirit of the Knights (i-escape.com/spiritoftheknights.psp), in the centre of Rhodes’ Old Town, is a family-run hotel with six elegant rooms, all stone arches, marble floors, iron candelabras and stained glass windows. Doubles from €145 per night, including breakfast.

Get there: Easyjet flies from London Gatwick to Crete from £66 return.

10. Île de Ré, France

Average maximum temperature: 23C

A longtime favourite with French holidaymakers, this tiny island, just off the west coast of France and connected to the mainland by a bridge, can be rammed during the summer. By September however, most have returned to the mainland. Île de Ré is one of France’s sunniest regions; though with temperatures a few degrees lower than in summer it’s one of the best times to saddle up and explore the island’s 100km of cycle tracks, all wonderfully flat. Cruise past endless sandy beaches – many empty this time of year – vineyards, pine forests and oyster farms (Île de Ré is one of the country’s major producers), ending up at Saint Martin, the island’s capital, overflowing with gourmet restaurants. Re-fuel on ocean-fresh lobster at La Baleine Bleue (baleinebleue.com), the island’s most renowned restaurant, which out-of-season you conveniently don’t have to book weeks in advance.

Stay: Hôtel de Toiras in Saint Martin (+33 5 46 35 40 32, hotel-de-toiras.com) is a handsome 16th-century merchant’s house which has just been awarded five-star classification (the only one on the island) and has 20 lavish rooms and suites, some with open fires, for those cooler autumn nights. Doubles from €205 per night, room only – down from €305 in peak season.

Get there: Rail Europe has fares from London to La Rochelle from £111 return. Buses run between La Rochelle and Île de Ré regularly.

• Prices valid for September/October 2010. All temperatures for September

Birmingham-based firm Sun4U’s demise leaves around 1,200 holidaymakers to find alternative means to return home

The travel company Sun4U has collapsed, leaving around 1,200 holidaymakers abroad facing uncertainty as to how to return home.

The Birmingham-based firm, believed to have been hit hard by the flight bans imposed during the Icelandic ash cloud crisis, announced on its website that it had ceased trading as of 9pm last night.

The statement advised passengers to contact the travel organisation Abta for information about refunds or arranging alternative holiday plans.

It is understood that around 40 members of staff at its call centre were informed of the collapse yesterday morning.

Most Sun4U customers who are still abroad are in Spain. It is not yet clear how they will get back to Britain.

Travel organisation Abta said those who had booked Atol (Air Travel Operators’ Licensing) package tours should be able to continue with their holidays as planned. An Abta spokesman said: “There are approximately 1,200 people away at the moment and most of them are in Spain. Anyone who has booked a package holiday must contact the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) or contact the supplier named on their invoice.”

The CAA said measures would be put in place to ensure those abroad with Atol packages can come home. But it warned those who used Sun4U as a travel agent simply to book flights might have trouble returning. Holidaymakers who made bookings with separate tour operators are advised to contact them to confirm whether their arrangements remain.

A CAA spokesman said: “The CAA will be putting arrangements in place to ensure Atol-protected Sun4U holidaymakers who are abroad can finish their holidays as planned and return to the UK.

“For Atol-protected people who have holidays booked in the coming weeks with Sun4U, they should submit claims for repayment to the CAA.”

Sun4Udirect.com specialised in holidays on the Spanish coast and Mallorca. It advertised a “dynamic packaging” service offering “much greater choice and greater flexibility” for holidaymakers.

The collapse of Sun4U follows the recent failure of tour operator Goldtrail Travel, which specialised in low-cost holidays to Greece and Turkey. It was estimated that up to 50,000 holidaymakers who had booked flights over the summer were affected by the company’s demise, including around 16,000 left abroad when the firm collapsed.

Biologists blame climate change and overfishing for attacks along coast near eastern city of Elche

A vast flotilla of small, virtually undetectable jellyfish have stung hundreds of people on Spanish beaches this week – an event swimmer’s nightmare biologists say will become increasingly common due to climate change and overfishing. The jellyfish attacked three areas near the eastern city of Elche along the stretch of white sand beaches on the Costa Blanca. On Tuesday 380 people were stung, compared with the usual four or five swimmers a day, said Juan Carlos Castellanos of the Elche city tourism department. There was no sign of the jellyfish on Wednesday, but since Sunday at least 700 people have been stung.

“In the five or six years I have been in this job, I have never seen anything like this,” Castellanos said.

The beaches were never closed but officials put up warning signs and stationed lookout boats offshore.

The tourism official blamed strong currents for sweeping the jellyfish onto the beaches and then calm seas for letting them hang around for three days. Particularly warm waters – which jellyfish like – also helped boost their numbers during Spain’s key summer tourism season.

The jellyfish were small and almost transparent, not readily visible, and thinly spread out over five kilometers (three miles) of coastline.

“The swimmers could probably not even see them,” Castellanos added.

Far to the north, a much more menacing species looms – the Portuguese Man-of-War, a floating, violet-coloured sack with long tentacles. They have stung more than 300 people over the past three weeks in Atlantic waters off Spain’s northern coasts of Cantabria and the Basque region, officials said.

Spanish marine biologists say, in general, they are seeing fewer jellyfish this summer than in other years. In the Catalonia region and the Balearic islands – both hugely popular with British and German tourists – officials said this summer has been relatively quiet on the jellyfish front.

But scientists also say Spanish beachgoers are going to have to get used to higher concentrations of jellyfish.

Normally jellyfish are kept from getting close to the shore by a natural barrier of less-salty water formed with runoff from summer rains. But with rain more scant because of global warming, this protective cushion is weaker, said Jose Maria Gili, a jellyfish specialist at the Institute of Marine Sciences in Barcelona.

Another problem is overfishing, which depletes stocks of tuna, swordfish and other species that are natural predators of jellyfish. And fewer fish means fewer competitors for tiny plankton that jellyfish feed on, allowing the latter to flourish, Gili says.

Fancy five-star style with a two-star price tag? We pick out 20 top-notch short-haul hotels at prices that don’t go through the roof

1. St Moritz Hotel, near Rock, Cornwall

Following a modest £15m makeover in 2008, this is now one of Cornwall’s chicest boltholes. Each of the 48 bedrooms boasts oak floors, whitewashed walls and crisp furnishings – all in shades of sand, aqua and pale blue. Watch the chef whip up seafood classics in the open kitchen, be pummelled in the glossy Cowshed spa, or raid the selection of buckets, spades and surfboards piled up in the lobby and head to the beach. The Cornwall Coastal Path is on the doorstep, too.

Book it Doubles from £99 per night, including breakfast (+44 (0)1208 862 242; stmoritzhotel.co.uk)

2. Hotel Los Castaños, Andalucia, Spain

Tucked away in the tiny mountain hamlet of Cartajima (population 100), this gem of a hotel makes a great base from which to explore Andalucia, with the historic town of Ronda just 10 miles away and Marbella – a holiday choice of Michelle Obama – 35 miles away. It has six bedrooms with tiled floors, Moroccan fabrics and small balconies, three of which overlook the valley. The best views are from the rooftop terrace, complete with plunge pool. There’s also a relaxation and massage room, a Moorish patio, sitting room and dining room serving home-cooked suppers. Tracks from the front door lead into the forest, and the village swimming pool opens at 4pm every day in summer.
Book it Doubles from €80 (£68) per night, including breakfast (+34 952 180 778; loscastanos.com)
Get there Monarch (monarch.co.uk) flies from London Luton and Gatwick to Malaga from £60 return

3. Hotel Corte Altavilla, Puglia, Italy

Located in the historic centre of Conversano, an ancient town in Bari province, this hotel is housed in a building that dates back to the 11th century, parts of which were the court of the Counts of Altavilla. It has 32 elegant rooms (some with self-catering facilities) – with exposed stone walls, wood beams and wrought-iron furniture – as well as a restaurant, roof terrace and newly opened “wellness” centre built in the court’s old stone basements. The dramatic cliffs of Polignano, underground caves of Castellana and trulli (unique architectural structures, with conical roofs) of Alberobello are all nearby.
Book it Doubles from €98 (£83) per night, including breakfast (+39 080 4959668; cortealtavilla.it)
Get there Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from London Stansted to Bari from £50 return

4. La Villa, Lopud, Croatia

This 16th-century stone villa gets the crown for the best location: right by the sea on the tiny car-free island of Lopud, just an hour’s ferry ride from Dubrovnik. There are six stylish rooms – with whitewashed walls, wicker chaise-longues and colourful Indian cotton bedcovers. Relax in the lounge, with its library and internet corner, follow the footpath that winds its way across the island to Sunj beach –one of Croatia’s rare sand beaches, set in a sheltered horseshoe bay – then return for supper made using La Villa’s homegrown vegetables and herbs.
Book it Doubles from €70 (£59) per night, including breakfast (i-escape.com/lavilla.php)

Get there Easyjet (easyjet.com) flies from London Gatwick to Dubrovnik from £57 return. Then take a ferry from Dubrovnik to Lopud. For timetables and prices visit jadrolinija.hr

5. Casa Grande de Bachao, Galicia, Spain

This 12-bedroom hotel is situated in a 14-hectare estate, with direct access to the River Tambre. The buildings which make up the hotel are typical of 18th-century Galician architecture, with two houses, corn granaries and spacious stone terraces. It has a mix of singles, twins and doubles, combining exposed stone walls and classic furnishings. There’s also a sauna, library, games room, restaurant and outdoor pool. Make use of the free bike hire and head to the historic city of Santiago de Compostela, just 15km away.
Book it Doubles from £85 per night, including breakfast (+44 (0)1223 328 721; casas.co.uk)

Get there Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from London Stansted to Santiago de Compostela from £40 return

6. Riad al Jazira, Marrakech, Morocco

Marrakech has its fair share of riads, but this one, tucked away in the Sidi Ben Slimane district of the medina, has to be one of the coolest – and most affordable. It’s made up of three beautifully restored 17th-century riads, with 15 bedrooms featuring cool stone floors with brightly coloured rugs, linen drapes and little windows. The central covered courtyards and colonnaded swimming pool are equally tranquil – just the ticket after a day spent haggling and getting lost in the crazy souks. Had enough shopping? The riad can organise cooking, pottery and dance courses.
Book it Doubles from €89 (£76) per night, including breakfast (+212 524 426 463; riadaljazira.com)

Get there Easyjet (easyjet.com) flies from London Gatwick to Marrakech from £75 return

7. The George, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire

This foodie-themed boutique hotel gets the prize for the best-named bedrooms; there are 16 in all, with names including chocolate, oyster, chilli pepper, popcorn and fig, each with a huge canvas print representing its theme above the bed. Some also have freestanding rolltop baths, beamed ceilings and bay windows overlooking the market square. The sitting room/library is just as smart, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves and leather armchairs in front of an open fire, and there’s also a private dining room and decked terrace for a pint in summer. Blenheim Palace, Charlecote Park and Warwick Castle are all within driving distance.

Book it Doubles from £70 per night, including breakfast (+44 (0)1608 661 453, georgehotelshipston.com)

8. Hotel le Dormeur du Val, Ardennes, France

This uber-cool hotel caused quite a stir when it opened in the serene 16th-century town of Charleville-Mézières last year. Housed in an old factory building, it has 17 bedrooms, all of which have an edgy industrial feel, with steel girders, funky furniture and bright wallpaper. There’s also a bar, library and relaxation area with a sauna, Turkish bath and massage treatments. You’re very close to Place Ducale square, the basilica and the Rimbaud Museum, and it’s a great base for exploring the Ardennes, with its rolling landscapes, historic towns and grand châteaux.
Book it Doubles from €102 (£85) per night, including breakfast (+33 324 420 430; dormeur.fr)

Get there Take the Eurostar from London to Paris, then a connecting train to Charleville-Mézières from £92 return (raileurope.co.uk)

9. Dun Na Mara, near Oban, Argyll

Not only is the location unbeatable – it is perched on the seafront with views of Ardmucknish Bay towards the Isle of Mull – but this Edwardian house is also as chic as they come. The seven minimalist bedrooms (two singles, five doubles) mix original Edwardian fireplaces with whitewashed walls and Oriental detailing, like bowls of zen stones, buddhas and Chinese teapots. There is no restaurant or bar, but a hearty breakfast is served in the light-filled dining room, and there’s a decanter of sherry in the sitting room. Walk to the Iron Age fort on the headland, take a day trip to the Isle of Mull or kick back on Dun Na Mara’s private beach, which is reached via its informal gardens.
Book it Doubles from £98 per night, including breakfast (+44 (0)1631 720 233; dunnamara.com)

10. Lu Ciaccaru, Sardinia

The owner of this traditional farmhouse, located in Arzachena on the northern tip of the island, has converted her childhood home into a charming hotel. There are 10 spacious and elegantly furnished suites, with separate living areas and large covered verandas, plus two smaller doubles decked in cane and local stone. You will probably spend most of your time outside, catching some rays by the pool or dining on fresh seafood on the terrace of the restaurant. The hotel (which has its own boat) can arrange excursions along the Costa Smeralda coast, and sandy beaches are a short drive away.
Book it Doubles from £95 per night, including breakfast (+44 (0)1223 460 100, essentialitaly.co.uk)

Get there Easyjet (easyjet.com) flies from Bristol to Olbia from £40 return

11. Le Tresor, Languedoc Roussillon, France

Step inside this classic three-storey “maison de maître” (master’s house) in the quiet village square of Sonnac-sur-l’Hers, near Carcassonne, and you’re in for a surprise: contemporary prints and fabrics, cool chandeliers and eye-catching art. There are four rooms (one suite, a twin and two doubles), all with high ceilings, original wooden floors and marble fireplaces. This is a place in which to put your feet up – in the sitting room-cum-games room with its full-size pool table, TV and collection of DVDs or perhaps in the garden with its hammocks. The Pyrenees are on the doorstep, or you can head to the lakes at Puivert or Montbel for an afternoon’s windsurfing.
Book it Doubles from €85 (£72) per night (i-escape.com/letresor.php)

Get there Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from London Stansted to Carcassonne from £30 return

12. The Drawing Room, nr Builth Wells, Powys

Dating back to 1725, this Georgian country residence is now one of Wales’s best restaurants with rooms. Have a pre-dinner tipple in the drawing room and feast on Welsh Black beef or lamb from local farms in the homely dining room – perhaps rounded off with a lip-smacking hot apple and calvados soufflé – before retiring to one of the three bedrooms upstairs. Each one has Laura Ashley bedlinen and underfloor heating, though Oliver is the pick of the bunch, with a leather armchair, wrought-iron bed and a free-standing bathtub. Ask the owners to arrange a visit to some of the local food producers, or put on your walking shoes for a romp through the Elan Valley.
Book it Doubles from £80 per night, including breakfast (+44 (0)1982 552 493, the-drawing-room.co.uk)

13. Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol, Granada, Spain

This carmen, or traditional house, dates back to the Moorish period and is located on a steep cobbled street above Granada’s historic Realejo district. Inside are seven bedrooms filled with furniture and antiques that have been in the owner’s family for generations, as well as great views of Vega – the fertile plain which stretches south towards the Sierra Nevada. Most rooms have private verandahs or open on to the terraced garden and orchard – a perfect spot in which to unwind. Don’t miss the Alhambra – an ancient hilltop palace and fortress – and the old Moorish warren of the Albayzin.
Book it Doubles from £82 per night, including breakfast (+44 (0)20 7580 2663, travelintelligence.com)

Get there Monarch (monarch.co.uk) flies from London Luton and Gatwick to Malaga from £60 return

14. Casa da Lapa, Serra de Estrela, Portugal

Constructed from old shepherds’ cottages, this hillside hotel is perched above the small village of Lapa dos Dinheiros in Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in Portugal (almost 2,000m). It has eight bedrooms, each decorated with contemporary furnishings, including cube armchairs, cylindrical lamps and contemporary paintings. Set off on a ramble through the mountains or go cycling (there are free bikes for hire), then return to the casas for a swim in the pool, sunbathe on the rooftop solarium or steam in the sauna and Turkish bath.
Book it Doubles from €90 (£75) per room, including breakfast (i-escape.com/casasdalapa.php)

Get there Easyjet (easyjet.com) flies from London Gatwick to Porto from £49 return

15. Hotel Victorie, Amsterdam

This is easily one of the hippest – and most affordable – hotels in the city. It’s located in the trendy De Pijp district and has 24 simple but stylish bedrooms featuring polished wood floors, bold retro furniture, furry cushions and wall-mounted magazine racks. The breakfast room is equally cool, with one long white-leather banquette running the length of the room and cowhide pouffes, and in the lobby you’ll find an open fire, menu of bar drinks and free internet access. Head to the nearby Albert Cuypstraat market with its mile-long stretch of stalls, or Museumplein (Museum Square) – a 20-minute walk away.
Book it Doubles from €69 (£59) per night, including breakfast (+31 20 3057470, hotelvictorie.nl).

Get there Take the Eurostar from London St Pancras International to Brussels, then cross the platform and take the Thalys train to Amsterdam, from £115 return (raileurope.co.uk)

16. Kemp Townhouse, Brighton, Sussex

Once a derelict B&B, this Grade II-listed Victorian townhouse, just off the sea front, was transformed into Brighton’s most sophisticated hotel in 2008. It has nine individually decorated rooms; pick of the bunch is Fabulous Four Poster, with its bay window with sea views, free standing bath and enormous mahogany four poster bed. Chef-cooked breakfasts (full English, pancakes and pastries) and afternoon tea are served in the dining room, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and original fireplace. Take a stroll through The Lanes, lined with jewellery shops and arty boutiques, or pack a picnic and head to the beach.
Book it: Doubles from £95 per night, including breakfast (+44 (0)1273 681400, kemptownhousebrighton.com)

17. La Hacienda del Buen Suceso, Arucas, Gran Canaria

With 50 hectares of banana trees, this working plantation – the oldest in the Canary Islands (established in 1572) – is also one of the most luxurious rural hotels in the Canaries. It has 20 bedrooms and suites with exposed stone walls, floral wallpaper, shuttered windows and some with four poster beds, as well as a good restaurant. Divide your time between the communal terraces, scattered with white wicker sofas, outdoor pool and wellness area with Jacuzzi and Turkish bath, or, if you can tear yourself away, walk to the nearby town of Arucas, nicknamed the “pearl of Gran Canaria”.
Book it: Doubles from €105 (£89) per night, including breakfast (i-escape.com/lahaciendadelbuensuceso.php).

Get there Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from London Stansted to Gran Canaria from £74 return.

18. The Railway Inn, Burnham Market, Norfolk

Owner and interior designer Jeanne Whittome has transformed the station house of the old railway at Burnham Market, which ceased functioning as a station in 1957, into seven en-suite bedrooms, which are part of the Hoste Arms Hotel. Stylishly furnished, with contemporary wallpapers, fabrics and plump beds, they are set around a central sitting room, where guests can choose from the sink-in sofas or seats right on the platform. There’s also a converted railway carriage, which opened last year and sleeps two. The Royal Estate at Sandringham is just a few miles away, or grab the binoculars and head to the nearby nature reserves at Titchwell, Holme, Holkham and Cley.
Book it: Doubles from £89 per night, including breakfast. Railway carriage from £137 per night (+44 (0)1328 738777, hostearms.co.uk/Railway/)

19. Blue Sturgeon, Charente-Maritime, France

This hotel is all about the finer things in life, from the location – situated in the small port of Saint-Seurin-d’Uzet, famous in the 1920s for being the first place in Europe to produce caviar – to the house itself, a converted wine store tranformed into a luxury haven by Yorkshireman artist Robert Stansfield, who in a past life created window displays at Harrods. It has five bedrooms, each featuring one of Robert’s abstract paintings above the bed and L’Occitane goodies in the bathroom. In the restaurant-cum-sitting room, caviar serves as an entrée to a four-course seafood dinner, and there’s a swimming pool outside in the garden. You’re a 10-minute drive from one of the loveliest beaches in Charente, and Bordeaux is just over an hour away.
Book it: Doubles from €95 (£81) per night, including breakfast (i-escape.com/bluesturgeon.php).

Get there British Airways (ba.com) flies from London Gatwick to Bordeaux from £97 return. Or take the Eurostar from London to Paris, then change to the TGV to La Rochelle or Bordeaux from £109 return (raileurope.co.uk).

20. Cortijada Los Gázquez, Andalucia, Spain

Artists Simon and Donna Beckma spent three years transforming a dilapidated complex of five farmhouses (or “cortijada”), set in the heart of the little-explored Sierra de María-Los Vélez National Park, into a gorgeous eco guest house. Run on solar and wind power, it has six beautifully decorated bedrooms, featuring art from the couple’s collection and large wet rooms. Meals, cooked from locally sourced ingredients, are served around a large communal table and guests are invited to join in hosted creative courses, from landscape painting to botanical illustration. Or set off to explore the national park, with its lush pine forests, varied flora and over 100 bird species.
Book it: Doubles from €85 per night, including breakfast. Three-day courses from €314 a night for two people (+44 (0)20 3137 2096, losgazquez.com).

Get there: Easyjet (easyjet.com) flies from Bristol and Newcastle to Murcia from £44 return.