St Barths: Come and enjoy internationally renowned artists playing at the St Barth Jazz Music Festival, held annually in January

Barbados: Sink your feet into the soft sand and dip your toes in the crystal clear sea as you forget about the winter chill on a sunshine break.

Andalucía: The Fallas festival in Valencia honours patron saint San José (St Joseph) with huge papier-mâché puppets, explosive fireworks and amazing food.

Algarve: Springtime is perfect to enjoy a a family villa break in Portugal. With heated pools and plenty of child-friendly activities, there's no better place to get an early taste of summer.

Cote d'Azur: Explore the eclectic shoreline and retreat to your own private villa to cool off. The annual Nice Jazz Festival on the French Riviera was ther first jazz event to reach international status and is not to be missed.

South West England: This summer is the time to be in the UK, twin a trip to London with a stay in a rural cottage.

Crete: Round off the summer in Europe with a stay on the beautiful island of Majorca. Visit Palma for sightseeing and shopping and head north for some of the most beautiful, unspoilt landscapes and beaches.

Tuscany: The summer heat has cooled down, the Italians are back to work and the grapes have just been harvested - the perfect time to enjoy Tuscany at its best.