The top 9 summer holiday destinations of 2016

We have thought about the various types of experiences and destinations you may be dreaming about and have put together a fantastic summer holiday list for contractors to be inspired by this year.

From city breaks and beach holidays to culinary escapes and luxury getaways, our top summer holiday list will help narrow down your search.

Read on to discover our recommendations for the perfect summer holiday:

• Beach holiday: Zante (Zakynthos), Greece

Greece is quickly becoming a top 2016 destination if you are looking for beautiful blue waters and white sandy beaches to take your mind, body and soul away from a busy contracting schedule.

Across the island of Zante, a wide variety of beaches can be found offering a range of populated beaches or secluded bays and coves.

You may think of Zante as being popular with a younger crowd, but it also offers ideal retreats for couples and families. If you are looking for a four or five star resort for your stay, consider the four star Mediterranean Beach Resort in Laganas or the five star Lesante Luxury Hotel and Spa in Tsilivi.

Beach alternatives: Crete, Greece or the Algarve, Portugal

• Shopping: Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona, in the region of Catalonia, is one of Europe’s top cities for shopping and fashion. Whether you are a high end shopper or looking for bargains, Barcelona’s beautiful Gothic and Modernistic streets have something to offer every kind of shopper.

Passeig de Gracia can be considered Barcelona’s main high street with shops ranging from high-end Valentino to the more affordable Mango. There is also a plethora of boutiques and artisan markets to enjoy.

Shopping alternatives: Paris, France or Las Vegas, USA

• Night life: Ios, Greece

Greece makes our list once again with Ios, one of the top summer party destinations. Unlike Ibiza which attracts a much younger crowd, if you are looking for night life Ios is a place that welcomes all ages and offers a fine mixture of beach and night life. With beach parties and night clubs abound, Ios is a great place to unwind. Try Astra Cocktail Bar or Far Out Beach Club for a fun night out.

Night life alternatives: Barcelona, Spain or Berlin, Germany

• City break: New York, USA

If you are looking to spend your holiday in a bustling city, why not go across the pond and enjoy the buzz of the Big Apple. New York has everything to offer including shopping, Broadway shows, food, sights and the nature in Central Park if you want to escape the crowds for a while.

Take a water taxi to Brooklyn to eat the best pizza in America at Juliana’s or visit the Meat Packing District to experience the incredible night life. No matter what you choose to do on your city break, New York’s charm will captivate you and make you want to come back again.

City break alternatives: Madrid, Spain or Krakow, Poland

• Culinary experience: Bangkok, Thailand

For a unique culinary experience in Thailand, head to its capital, Bangkok. There are many five star cooking schools to give you an authentic Asian cooking experience. You can enjoy exploring the busy city streets of this thriving metropolis, observing the vast differences to British culture and also pay a visit to some of the peaceful Buddhist temples throughout the city.

While in Thailand, you should also take advantage of the close proximity of the gorgeous beaches in Thailand and pop over to Phuket or the island of Koh Samui.

Culinary experience alternatives: Kerala region, India or Tuscany, Italy

• Scenic escape: Torres del Paine National Park, Patagonia, Chile

This faraway escape is one of the most beautiful and underrated places to see in your lifetime. Spanning 598,000 acres, the park sits at the far south end of the Andes Mountains offering unobstructed vistas of the lakes and mountainous landscape.

Stay in beautiful top-rated hotels to enjoy the views as soon as you wake up and take guided tours of the National Park. Other activities include cycling, kayaking, horseback riding and hiking to glaciers and forests. If you are looking for an adventure in the great outdoors, this is the place to be. This southern hemisphere hotspot is best visited from September onwards to avoid cold weather.

Scenic escape alternatives: Banff, Canada or Reykjavik, Iceland

• Relaxation – Maldives

Maldives, an island country and archipelago in the Indian Ocean, has become the go-to spot for achieving ultimate relaxation. The sands are white and the ocean a brilliant blue, making it one of the most romantic and relaxing holiday destinations for couples.

There are dozens of spa resorts in Maldives to help you unwind; there is even an underwater spa where you can watch the fish swim by as you relax. Signing up for a scuba diving session in the coral reef is also a must while in Maldives.

Relaxation alternatives: Mauritius or Bali, Indonesia

• Luxury: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Over the last few years, Dubai has quickly become the go-to destination if you are looking to live luxuriously while on holiday. With Bugatti taxis and 7 star hotels, Dubai is certainly worth a visit if you are looking to splurge.

While in Dubai, you can view the sights of the sparkling city from 148 floors above the ground at the Burj Khalifa, the tallest skyscraper in the world. After descending back to the ground, tuck into 23-carat gold ice cream before heading to your hotel that is fit for a king or queen.

Luxury alternatives: St. Lucia in the Caribbean or Fiji

• Island hopper holiday: Cook Islands

If you are looking to go on a longer break in between contracts, why not be adventurous and choose a holiday that allows you to do some island hopping. Skip the closer to home options of Greece or Croatia and visit the Cook Islands, a collection of islands in the South Pacific.

You can spend your time cruising by boat between the 15 Cook Islands, swimming in lagoons, diving and enjoying the local food and colourful culture. It is an excellent way to spend an extended holiday and if you decide to move on to somewhere new you can pay a visit to nearby Tahiti or Bora Bora.

Island hopping alternatives: Greek Islands or Hawaii, USA

Are you in between contracts and looking for a holiday or just a quick break away? Then we hope our blog has helped you feel inspired to plan and book an adventure for yourself.

If you could do with a holiday, then receiving one of our Virgin Gift Cards to use on your dream holiday will be a great bonus. When you refer a friend or contractor to us, you could receive this multi-purpose gift card to use on a range of holidays or experiences.

Not only would you receive a voucher, but the friend you refer will too, making it a win-win situation for you both and the more referrals you send us, the higher the value of your gift card.

Churchill Knight & Associates Ltd has been providing accountancy services to contractors and freelancers since 1998. We want you to be able to focus on doing what you do best, so we take care of the necessary administration and accounting that is required for your contractor business.

Our all-inclusive contractor accounting services remove the hassle and burden of running a contractor business, giving you more free time to relax and take well-deserved breaks and holidays.

To find out more about our services contact us or request a callback. You can also try our take home pay calculator to find out how much more income you could take home using our contractor accountancy service.

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