Holiday Villas magazine issue 72.
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Welcome

Like many of the holidaymakers who book their low-cost flights independently – either directly online or through a ticket agency – it never occurred to me to check whether my annual travel insurance policy covers me for airlines crashing into insolvency; until, that is, the XL holiday and travel empire collapsed. Delays, lost baggage, stolen cameras, medical emergencies… yes, but what if the carrier goes under? And the answer? No, it didn’t, so it’s just as well that through sheer good luck rather than judgement I didn’t book with XL for my August break in Greece.

The XL crash robbed lots of people of their holidays, and left others worrying about how they were going to get home (although I’ve yet to be lucky enough to be stranded on a Caribbean or Aegean island). But it also sent an alert to independent travellers who, unlike people who book package holidays through ABTA tour operators, are not automatically covered for full refunds if their airline goes bust. To find out how to protect yourself, turn to page 6.

As far as I know, none of our writers needed to consult their insurance policies on their journeys for this issue of Holiday Villas.

The beaches, golf courses and year-round warmth of the Algarve attract millions of British holidaymakers, but what of northern Portugal? Could it rival the Algarve as a destination for self-catering holidays? John Kerswill thinks it can.

Planning a break on the Costa del Sol or Tuscany? Paul Murphy says there’s much more to Málaga than its airport, and for holidaymakers who might – just might – want a change from the serenity of the Tuscan hills, Jos Simon recommends a day trip to the mediaeval city of Siena, where the markets and piazzas have an entertainment value that’s high even by Italian standards.

Apologies for mentioning it, but the Christmas and New Year holiday is but weeks away. Organised people have already made their plans, but if you haven’t and you like the idea of getting some winter sun, Richard Covington’s report on the New Year holiday he and his wife had in Florida – in Orlando and near Sarasota on the Gulf Coast – could be just the inspiration for which you’ve been waiting. And if you’re near Clearwater, says New York City travel writer Margaret Shakespeare, do go to the town’s marine aquarium, one of the world’s leading marine life rescue and environmental education centers.

Back on this side of the pond and looking across to middle Europe, James Waddell tells us why his choice for a holiday villa purchase was Istria in Croatia.

And there’s another opportunity to win a luxury Mediterranean get-away by entering our holiday photo competition, sponsored by VillaSpain.

Editor