Have an astro adventure
Not picking your holidays according to your star sign? Tsk tsk. Let the heavens choose your next trip...
LIBRA SEP 23 - OCT 23
STAR SIGNPOSTS: Librans love la dolce vita. In fact, most of Italy appeals to this star sign, especially the rocky coast of Liguria or the Lakes. Prague, Paris and Vienna with their rich culture also guarantee happy memories.
STEAL: The Czech capital of Prague has plenty of charm. Tourist activities focus around the old town square (Staromestske namesti), home to the city's famous astrological clock. For a taste of culture, a walking tour of Prague Castle is essential - don't miss the toy museum inside. If you fancy a boogie, the Karlovy Lazne Dance Club (Karlovylazne.cz) is the place to be seen. A week's B&B at the stylish Angelo Hotel costs £518 for two including flights. Visit Lastminute.com.
SPLURGE: Never heard of Liguria? The ritzy north-west coast of Italy is the place to be seen, especially if you stay at the glam Excelsior Palace Hotel. Seven nights on a B&B basis costs from £973 per person, including flights from London. Visit Citalia.com.
SCORPIO OCT 24 - NOV 22
STAR SIGNPOSTS: You loathe being a tourist - you'd much rather immerse yourself in a new culture. Peru, Madagascar and Sri Lanka all get you packing, but you're quite happy to make do with unspoilt corners of the UK, too.
STEAL: Indulge your wanderlust in a '40s caravan in Wales. Stationed in beautiful Rhayader, the Showmans van boasts a comfy kitchen, living room and bedroom. Prices start from £154.68 for two nights. Visit Underthethatch.co.uk.
SPLURGE: You don't get more culturally exotic than Sri Lanka. Try an all-inclusive trip with plenty of wildlife plus a stop at the Temple Of The Tooth (where you'll see a tooth belonging to Buddha). An eight-night tour, including flights, costs from £765. Visit Travelcollection.co.uk.
SAGITTARIUS NOV 23 - DEC 21
STAR SIGNPOSTS: Adventure and wide open spaces are vital ingredients for you and you think nothing of travelling halfway across the world. Seeing the sunset over Uluru would be the sort of thing that touches your spirit. Your idea of hell is being cooped up inside; your idea of perfection is a walk alone in a downpour, along cliff paths and sands - or, better still, riding on horseback.
STEAL: An equestrian weekend in the Tarn Valley, south-west France, will push your buttons. Les Juliannes riding school caters for all abilities and offers six hour-long lessons or three two-hour rides. You'll stay two minutes from the riding centre in a 17th century farmhouse, where rustic meals are prepared daily and served with local wine. There's also a pool to soothe saddle soreness. Prices start at £298 for four nights, including meals and the ferry from Dover to Calais, including a car. Visit Inntravel.co.uk.
SPLURGE: Seeing the Northern Lights should be on your Sagittarian things-to-do-before-you-die list. Iceland is a top spot for sightings and the rustic Hotel Ranga is run by a Northern Lights fanatic. Prices start at £722 for three nights on a half-board basis and include tours and flights from Heathrow. Visit Discover-the-world.co.uk.
CAPRICORN DEC 22 - JAN 20
STAR SIGNPOSTS: Capricorns are drawn to hills and mountains. You're happiest doing something useful, rather than lounging by the pool. Add to this your frugal streak, and a working holiday could be just your thing.
STEAL: Spend a week tree clearing for the National Trust at the Hackhurst estate in Surrey. Accommodation is basic, but food is included in the £240 package. Log on to Nationaltrust.org.uk.
SPLURGE: A two-week working holiday teaching English to local children and working on environmental projects in the Sapa hill communities of north-west Vietnam will keep you busy. Prices start from £499, including accommodation, meals and transfers from Hanoi airport (Thepodsite.co.uk). Asiana Airlines flies from London to Hanoi from £482 (Cheap flights.co.uk).
AQUARIUS JAN 21 - FEB 18
STAR SIGNPOSTS: Aquarians, you were born to backpack and are prone to taking off with few belongings in search of higher truths. A tent or campervan gives you the freedom you crave if the welcome is warm and the landscape stirring. Hot Latin countries and the cold North are equally appealing.
STEAL: Meet Flo. She's a four-bed VW campervan with an adorable Cath Kidston-esque interior. For a real back-to-nature experience, stop off at the Acorns campsite in Tiverton, Devon. It's a naturist site (but if you're shy you can keep your bikini on) with pool and hot tub (Acornsindevon.co.uk). Flo costs from £500 per week. Visit Snailtrail.co.uk.
SPLURGE: You'll adore the superb sea views from the beachfront cabanas of the Shambala Petit Hotel in Mexico's Yucatan. There's no electricity after dark so it's candlelight all the way, and the mini bar is a cool box outside your hut. Prices start at £72 per room, per night (I-escape.com). Flights from the UK to nearby Cancun cost from £399. Visit Firstchoice.co.uk.
PISCES FEB 19 - MAR 20
STAR SIGNPOSTS: It's no surprise that Pisces fishes love being near the water, but you're also stirred by mystery and faded glory. Venice touches you most of all, but Paris, Amsterdam and Budapest also hit the spot, as well as many towns around the coast of Britain. You also love places made famous in classic novels, such as the Brontė country of the Yorkshire Moors.
STEAL: With limited rooms and endless tourists, Venice is one of the most expensive cities in the world. But there are bargains to be had. The Lux Hotel is small and basic, but it's centrally located in San Zaccharia, a short walk from St Mark's Square, and is phenomenally cheap. Myvenice.co.uk offers three-nights B&B in November, including flights, for £152.84.
SPLURGE: Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights are obligatory holiday reading at the five-star Feversham Arms Hotel in Helmsley, North Yorkshire. The rooms are sumptuous - especially room 22 with its wood-burning stove and huge bed. There's also a state-of-the-art spa offering treats such as the coconut rub and milk ritual wrap for £65. On your doorstep are amazing moor walks, plus traditional pubs - try the nearby Durham Ox (Thedurhamox.com). A five-night B&B stay costs from £750 per room. Visit Fevershamarmshotel.com.
ARIES MAR 21 - APR 20
STAR SIGNPOSTS: Lordy, Aries, do you ever slow down? Most people take a holiday to relax, but not you. Your ideal break is all about being physical, so safaris, rafting, riding and trekking all appeal - anywhere you can escape the sun-lounger brigade.
STEAL: How do three days of non-stop action around the unspoilt Derwent Water in the Lake District grab you? After climbing, abseiling, mountain biking and gorge scrambling, stay at the three-star Keswick Country House Hotel. Meals and tuition are included, and prices start from £340 per person. Visit Adventuresportsholidays.com.
SPLURGE: Travel under your own steam and tour the Kiunga Marine Reserve in north Kenya by open kayak. You'll paddle 10 to 20km each day, with guides travelling ahead to set up camp. Prices start at £655 including flights from Nairobi to Kiwayu. Visit Tribes.co.uk. Emirates flies from the UK to Nairobi, from £379 return (Emirates.com).
TAURUS APR 21 - MAY 21
STAR SIGNPOSTS: For Taureans, holidays are all about pleasure and pampering, so book a room with a view in a homely B&B or a country hotel. You love nature as long as it's tamed, so it's gardens not jungles for you.
STEAL: At Standen in West Sussex you can stay in the gorgeously cosy Servants' Wing. It sleeps four and costs from £433 for a week self-catering. Visit Nationaltrustcottages.co.uk. Nearby country house hotel Ashdown Park offers gourmet suppers as well as a gorgeous spa (Ashdownpark.com).
SPLURGE: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in South Africa's Cape Town is worth the airfare alone, but there's plenty more. Take a trip to Robben Island, a World Heritage Site, and don't miss a tour of the area's famous vineyards. Cape Town's restaurant culture is thriving - check out Jardine (Jardineonbree.co.za). Five nights in Cape Town staying at the four-star Winchester Mansions Hotel costs £999 for B&B, flights and transfers (Key2holidays.co.uk).
GEMINI MAY 22 - JUN 21
STAR SIGNPOSTS: Ah Gemini! You can never decide where to go, which is why holidays for you are all about the journey, not the arrival. It means the world is your oyster, from the Americas to Asia to Africa, but you're just as happy exploring Britain by the back roads with overnight stops in pubs and guest houses.
STEAL: Flex your pedal power in Ireland with a tour of the south-west, passing some of the country's prettiest spots from the Killarney lakes to Kenmare. Four nights cost from £369 including bike hire with Freewheelholidays.co.uk. Ryanair flights from Stansted to Kerry cost from £12 (Ryanair.com).
SPLURGE: Fancy a continental rail adventure from Spain to Morocco? During this 10-day tour you'll stay in traditional hotels, beginning in Malaga and taking in Tangiers, Fes, Rabat, and finally Marrakech. Prices start from £865 including flights from London (Responsibletravel.com).
LEO JUL 23 - AUG 23
STAR SIGNPOSTS: 'Fancypants' is the word that best describes the way you like to holiday. But sadly, for most Leos, a yacht in the Med or five-star luxury in the Bahamas are beyond your budget. The party atmosphere of Italy and Spain, plus great food and wine, make them winners with you, or you'd be just as happy on a city break in Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Rio or Dublin.
STEAL: Do Dublin in style at the Dylan Hotel. It oozes boutique bling, including hair straighteners in every room! There's also a hip cocktail bar and restaurant. For your hedonistic tendencies, just 10 minutes away is the Halo restaurant offering world cuisine and Spy, a swish nightclub. Rooms at the Dylan start from £135 (Mrandmrssmith.com). Aer Lingus flights from London Heathrow to Dublin cost from £80 (Aerlingus.com).
SPLURGE: You love to party, and will adore Brazil's Rio de Janeiro, with its 110 miles of incredible beaches, non-stop nightlife and beautiful people. Learn to samba (Sambacity.info), eat at a churrascaria (with an 'all you can eat' buffet) and catch a footie match at the legendary Maracana stadium. Prices soar come carnival season (from Feb 13th) but it's not always so expensive - Expedia currently has week-long deals to Rio including flights for £750 staying at the Orla Copacabana Hotel (Expedia.co.uk).
CANCER JUN 22 - JUL 22
STAR SIGNPOSTS: Sensitive Cancerians tend to suffer from homesickness so you don't like to stray too far for too long. Also, you love being around your friends and family, so packing them up with you and heading for a villa, farmhouse or cottage with a big kitchen is ideal. Because you're not a huge heat lover, Switzerland, Scotland and Austria have a special appeal.
STEAL: Easterheughs Castle in Aberdour sleeps 10, and has a magnificent dining table for entertaining. There's even a secret room leading to a private movie theatre and three acres of gardens.
And don't miss the Room With A View seafood restaurant just over a mile's walk away. A week's stay costs from £250 per person (Easterheughscastle.com), while Easyjet flights to Edinburgh from London start at £19.99.
SPLURGE: The Mooserwirt catered chalet in St Anton, Austria, has an outdoor hot tub, steam room and roaring fires. The nightlife is legendary - the Mooserwirt bar serves more beer than any other in Austria! Prices start at £721 per person, per week (visit Luxury-ski-chalets.co.uk). Innsbruck airport is 60 miles away and served by Easyjet from London Gatwick, with flights from £28.99 (Easyjet.com). Direct transfers are by rail - singles start from £15. Ski hire costs around £130 (Snowrental.net).
VIRGO AUG 24 - SEP 22
STAR SIGNPOSTS: Virgos suit breaks that focus on relaxation, preferring mountain air to the hustle of the city. Switzerland, with its ordered, organised society, appeals to you, although you're also a fan of the new trend for 'staycations' closer to home.
STEAL: Visit the uncrowded ski resort of Bettmeralp in the Swiss Alps. Stay at the family-run Hotel Alpfrieden with its pretty balconies and hearty home-cooked meals. Prices start at £479 per person on a B&B basis, including flights from London and train transfers (Switzerlandtravelcentre.co.uk).
SPLURGE: If it's good enough for the Beckhams, Hampshire's Champneys Forest Mere health spa is good enough for you! Sunday to Saturday deals include all meals and a bundle of treatments. There's also a gym, tennis courts and a pool. Rooms cost from £799.95 per week. Visit Champneys.com.
ILLUSTRATIONS: MICHAEL CRAMPTON PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY, GETTY IMAGES, PHOTOLIBRARY, PICTURES COLOUR LIBRARY, SCOPE BEAUTY
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