Even though many exotic destinations with stunning beaches beckon, Germans' favorite travel destinations are in Europe. Right at the top is the Spanish island of Mallorca. Bookings for Portugal are somewhat more modest, even though Portugal offers wonderful city breaks and beach holidays.

We ourselves were also thrilled by our rental car road trip through Cyprus. Whether you're into hiking, culture, sunbathing or mountain scenery — Cyprus has something for everyone.

The island of Malta, south of Italy, is a great destination for the culturally minded and is also the top address for English language courses abroad. We have documented some of our European travels as travel guides in the form of trip reports.

Currently we are exploring the Canary Islands. A perfect destination for those looking to escape winter and soak up some sun while avoiding long-haul flights. Most of the Canary Islands can be reached in 4 to 5 hours of flight time and offer plenty of variety.

A travel guide and trip report — Malta — where cultures meet in Europe and a top tip for English language courses abroad. Malta offers plenty for beach lovers, divers and culture enthusiasts. Malta is a popular cruise ship stop in Europe.

Planning a trip to Cyprus? A travel guide and trip report of our rental car road trip around Cyprus in January. Ideal travel time for exploring the island and escaping winter. With a bit of luck, enjoy the sun at the beach at 25°C and go skiing on Mount Olympus.

Our friends, the Möhwald family from Schallbach, report on their extraordinary trip to Lapland and the North Cape in a VW Beetle. A detailed report can be found on their exciting blog lappland2016.

Photo: Petteri Möhwald

Unforgettable experiences at Tarifa, the southernmost point of Europe. In the Strait of Gibraltar, you can observe free-roaming dolphins and whales almost year-round.

The Swiss foundation firmm offers daily whale watching trips from April to October aboard a research vessel from the southern Spanish town of Tarifa into the nutrient-rich strait. Four dolphin and whale species — bottlenose dolphins, common and striped dolphins, and pilot whales — live here year-round. Sperm whales appear between April and July, fin whales traverse the strait throughout the year. In midsummer, you can even watch orcas hunting tuna. Thanks to decades of research, sighting chances are 99%.

Before each trip, guests receive a short briefing in their language covering the essentials about the dolphins and whales. German-speaking marine biologists lead special one- or two-week intensive observation courses for adults and children, sharing extensive knowledge about these marine mammals. Through the personal experience and the close proximity to the dolphins and whales, one becomes aware of how important it is to protect these fascinating animals and their threatened habitat.