With more and more Brits growing weary of the hectic summer holiday period, Easter is fast becoming the getaway season of choice. The short holiday is a perfect opportunity for families to come together, so we’ve profiled five of the top destinations that you and your loved ones could visit.

The Algarve, Portugal

Always a favourite with families, The Algarve comes into its own during the Easter break. Egg hunts are widely organised by tour operators across the region, and with the famous Portuguese sweet tooth never far away you’ll be spoilt for choice over chocolate delights. Another popular treat during the season is the Folar de Pascoa, a traditional sweet bread widely held to symbolise Jesus sharing food during the last supper. And once you’ve had your fill of Easter activities, Mum and the kids can relaxed on the beach while Dad dashes off to one of The Algarve’s popular golf courses.

Oman

Though not traditionally thought of as a typical Easter getaway, the Sultanate of Oman offers everything you could want from a family trip – and it does so at a fraction of the cost of better known destinations. Dolphin watching is a firm favourite for many, while the stunning coral reefs situated off Al Sawadi Beach are also ideal for deep sea divers. Head in-land and the Sharqiyah Sands make for an ideal Deser Safari, with operators running both camelback and four-wheel drive adventures across the 200-metre high dunes. Finally, history buffs need look no further than Oman’s numerous ancient forts, settlements and tombs.

Crete, Greece

To get a flavour of the religious significance of Easter look no further than the island of Crete. Greek Orthodoxy dictates that Easter is the most important holiday of the year – even more so than Christmas – and the island is bustling with festivities for all to enjoy. Parents may want to observe the midnight mass and the procession through town which marks the resurrection of Christ, but there’ll be plenty to keep the kids entertained too. Fireworks shows kick into full swing after the march is completed, and the island bursts back to life with hearty spitfire feasts and the famous ritual of breaking coloured eggs.

Cape Verde

An altogether more tropical experience awaits Easter vacationers in Cape Verde. The archipelago, a former Portuguese colony situated of the West African coast, basks in year-round temperatures above 25 degrees and is blessed with some of the most spectacular scenery anywhere in the world. Alongside their stunning Volcanic landscape the Cape Verde islands offers a wide array of activities sure to keep the whole family entertained. Take your pick from lazing around on Boa Vista’s white sandy beach, to hiking up Mount Fogo, to windsurfing around the pleasantly breezy coast of Santa Maria.

Kenya

Easter may fall at the start of the rainy season in Kenya, but once the showers have passed visitors stand to benefit from cheaper prices and much more bearable temperatures. The off-peak period also offers plenty in the way of game spotting, giving your kids the opportunity to swap those familiar Easter egg hunts for something tens times as exciting – a real-life safari adventure. The Maasai Mara reserve and Kikuyu moorlands are just some of the other attractions in this diverse and ecologically gifted country.

This entry was posted on Sunday, February 14th, 2010 at 10:06 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.