Christmas Shopping in Spain | Marbella

Christmas Shopping Abroad

Another casualty of the recession is that the trend for Christmas shopping trips to cutesy European Christmas markets and extravagent trips across the Atlantic has dwindled. The fairy tales settings of Christmas markets in Europe are sweet but offer little different to the markets held in the UK and with the appalling exchange rate the idea of visiting New York for Christmas shopping is unlikely.

This year reportds have been that a greater number of travellers are taking advantage of cheap holiday packages to Spain where they can combine the winter sunshine with their seasonal shopping requirements.

Cheap flights to Malaga and lots of bargains for package holidays on the Costa del Sol are being taken advantage of by those who are able to get away during the weeks before Christmas.

Huge weekly markets in Fuengirola and elsewhere offer cheap novelty gifts and with an excellent public transport system serving the coast to malaga it's easy to get lots of gift ideas without the fuss of driving for miles and or shivering in the freezing cold winds of northern Europe.

Glitzy Marbella

For those in search of more glamourous gifts Marbella is a shoppers paradise.

If you are prepared to make the short drive along the Motorway from the cheaper Costa del Sol resorts - check out the low season deals for car hire marbella - the boutiques and fashion super stores of marbella are open late throughout December for your shopping pleasure.

News that Marks & Spencer are joining othe international stores to add to the international variety has been welcomed by the local press. As one reporter noted:

With this new super sized M&S locals and holidaymakers alike will be in shopping heaven

Other shops of note in Marbella are listed here so think about a finding a cheap package holiday to the Costa Del Sol and do your Christmas shopping in the sun this year.

Tiring of Hiring - Get a Donkey Ride

Frighening Car Hire Scare

It's that time of the year when scaremongerers begin to spread the rumour that people are at risk of having their summer holiday spoilt by failing to have car rental arranged in advance and that the longer you leave booking a hire car the less chance there will be that a car is available due to a predicted car hire shortage.

Car hire shortage - fact of fiction?

Is the shortage of hire cars a big dollop of donkey pooh?

Following various travel blogs and major car hire websites there is panic breaking out across Europe and beyond that the chronic shortage of cars will create havoc and cause misery for many thousands of disappointed holidaymakers this summer. It appears that the public transport systems of Spain will be stretched to breaking point as holiday makers fail to get hold of a hire car and take the bus instead.

Alternatives to Car Hire

Problems are expected too elsewhere around Europe and some innovative companies have already begun to offer an alternative to car hire. In cyprus for example kebab-autos.com have a drop down menu that includes donkey, golf cart and motorbility scooter - all of these will comfortably get holiday makers around the island.

In Croatia - due to the tail off of building activity many under employed traders are offering their vans for hire. A smart move during the blistering heat when builders would rather be enjoying the good weather at the beach or lazing by the swimming pool checking out the latest swimwear fashions whilst they know that they are earning a few bob from their van hire activities.

All this talk of vans - tiome for a little light entertainement - here's 10 dirty van jokes - http://www.10to1.com/entertainment/Dirty_Van_Jokes the amusement scribbling on the side on a dirty van never ceases to fail.

"Clean Me" - Priceless!