From the water thrills of the Bahamas to the culture of Jordan’s Petra, we’ve found the destination for you
If you know what you like but you're not so sure where to find it, this holiday guide is about to make your life a whole lot easier
WHETHER you're after amazing food, adventure or culture, our holiday roulette travel guide tells you where you should head on your next vacay.
Warning: You're about to be overcome by a serious case of wanderlust.
THE BIG KID ONE
PIG ISLAND
Junior Stylist Lara Grayson hit the Bahamas for some family fun.
A trip to the Bahamas wouldn’t be complete without visiting the tiny island of Big Major Cay to see swimming pigs. It’s like something out of The Angry Birds Movie!*
A family of pigs live here and love joining you for a dip in the sea.
Nearby is Little Water Cay – known as Iguana Island – where you can feed these ancient reptiles grapes from sticks.
, including lunch at Staniel Cay Yacht Club plus feeding and touching sand sharks, is the best fun.
At £300 each for the day trip, it’s not cheap, but the memories will last a lifetime.
Refuel Try island delicacy conch fritters (a type of shellfish), £2.40 for 10, at one of the buzzy Arawak Cay’s fish fry restaurants in the capital Nassau, plus rum cake and “sky juice” (a mix of gin, condensed milk and coconut).
Meanwhile, the family run serves delicious conch chowder and local lemonade “switcha”.
Or for free.
Kip Wake up at the colourful , off the shores of New Providence, with a swim-up pool bar serving piña coladas and the Marina Village shopping centre on its doorstep.
Doubles cost £145 per night.
Don’t miss Staying at Comfort Suites gets you unlimited access to the Aquaventure water park at the .
It has terrifying slides such as the Leap of Faith, which whisks you down a tunnel surrounded by sharks.
Or chill on the resort’s beaches and visit the aquarium.
Drop by , a hotel and chocolatier in the heart of the island with a secret garden where, rumour has it, Jay Z proposed to Queen B.
THE CULTURAL ONE
PETRA
Digital Editor Sara Oldfield jetted off to Jordan’s ancient city cut into a rock valley.
As soon as you enter the Siq, a winding, atmospheric gorge, you’ll spy the figures of tradesmen and camels chiselled into the pink sandstone cliffs around 300BC, when a nomadic tribe started to create this incredible rose city.
And when the narrow chasm finally opens on to the Treasury – the iconic temple at the entrance to the city – you’ll feel dwarfed by its magnificence.
After several earthquakes, Petra lay forgotten for hundreds of years, so parts of it are badly eroded, but you can still easily spend days exploring. .
Refuel The food has Turkish and Lebanese vibes. Grab lunch and an Arabic coffee under an enormous ficus tree at Basin.
Then book an evening cookery class at and cook up Jordanian meze and Bedouin pizza.
Before rolling into bed, hit located in a 2,000-year-old Nabataean rock tomb. Cocktails cost from £6.
Kip A 90-minute drive south of Petra, at you half expect to find Aladdin’s lamp by your bed with its rich drapes and rugs.
After lively traditional music post-dinner, look up for shooting stars.
Camping costs from £34 per person per night.
Don’t miss Retrace the steps of Lawrence of Arabia in the .
Race over dunes on a 4x4 tour, from £24, or ride camels through canyons, from £4, before watching the sun set over the lunar-like landscape.
, the 2km Siq trail, £13, takes you through dramatic burnt-orange cliff faces and crystal-clear pools to a waterfall.
Or trek in the Dana Biosphere Reserve while trying to spot ibex, then wake up in a tipi at the Rummana campsite, B&B from £51, including park entry.
You can’t leave Jordan without a float in the Dead Sea, so stay at the . Double rooms cost from £79 per night.
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THE FOODIE ONE
PARMA
Writer Sophie Hines had a feast in the northern Italian city.
Butter-yellow buildings and peaceful piazzas give the city of Parma a feeling of retro elegance.
Locals whizz down cobbled streets on well-used bikes, baskets brimming with foodie fare.
Mouth-watering displays of Parmesan cheese, Parma ham, spiced sausages and porcini mushrooms beckon from shop windows.
Refuel In the centre of town, serves gorgeous 30-month-aged prosciutto, £6.30, and divine Parmesan rice, £5.60, while Michelin-starred Al Tramezzo on the city’s eastern outskirts dishes up ricotta and spinach ravioli sprinkled with truffles, £45 for five courses.
Visit to discover how the Bergonzi family have produced delicious culatello sausages since 1780, and sample their wares with a glass of Lambrusco.
Kip Sleep off your food coma at the , a modern five-star hotel 10 minutes walk from the centre.
Doubles cost from £110.
Don’t miss Want souvenirs? Try Salumeria Grisenti for Parma ham, £3 per 100g, or La Prosciutteria, for an array of meats alongside piles of Parmesan.
Pop inside the medieval Baptistery to marvel at the colourful murals, entrance £4.90.
The reconstructed Farnese Theatre, originally built in 1618 and resembling a huge indoor coliseum, is also worth a visit, entrance £1.40.
Both are included in , £70 for two hours.
Then check out opera house , home to the biggest chandelier we’ve ever seen.
*The Angry Birds Movie is out now on DVD.