With the UEFA Champions League final coming up this weekend, we thought we’d share some juicy sporty facts with you.

From the track to the tennis court and the football pitch to the swimming pool, we’ve rounded up some fascinating things you might not have known about some of the world's top athletes.

Image by londonfilmgeek via Flickr

1. Despite being raised in Denmark, the famous footballer Jesper Grønkjær was actually born in Greenland. It’s probably just as well he left when he did as despite what its name might suggest, the ex-Danish colony cannot be part of FIFA due to a lack of grass grown in the country in addition to unfavourable weather conditions.

2. Golf legend Tiger Woods always wears the colour red on the last day of a tournament for luck as his mum believes it’s his ‘power colour’. Who said that the pros weren’t superstitious?

3. The Jamaican athletics star Usain Bolt didn’t always want to be a sprinter. As a kid Bolt aspired to be a cricket player like his idol Sachin Tendulkar, a veteran batsman for India.

Image by carine06 via Flickr

4. Scottish tennis ace Andy Murray attended Dunblane Primary School during the time of the 1996 school shooting where 16 of his classmates and a teacher were killed.

5. Basketball maven Michael Jordan has a dining room table with 32,292 holes in it – to symbolise the number of points he’s scored on the court throughout his career.

6. UK Olympic medallist Jessica Ennis isn’t just a great track athlete. The record holding heptathlon champion, who was just married over the weekend, also has a psychology degree from the University of Sheffield.

Image by nathanf via Flickr

7. While the former England captain David Beckham just announced his retirement, he also suffers from OCD and has admitted to arranging his belongings in a straight line or in pairs depending on the item. 

8. Serena and Venus aren’t the only Williams sisters. The world-famous tennis stars have two others - Lyndrea and Isha. In 2003, their eldest sister, Yetunde, was killed in a shooting in the LA suburb of Compton.

9. Not only does the US Olympian and world-record-breaking swimmer Michael Phelps have flippers for feet (which measure in at a size 14 and rotate 15 degrees more than the average person’s), but he also consumes up to 12,000 calories a day to help optimise his peak performance in the pool.

10. Rugby ace Jonny Wilkinson isn’t the only one in his family with a knack for sport. His grandfather Phil was also a pro and played for Norwich City Football Club during World War II.

Heading to Wembley for the final this weekend? Grab a last minute hotel deal in one of our London hotels.

This year on Saturday 18th May, Eurovision is kicking off in Sweden’s Malmö – the fifth time this country has held the flamboyant event.

In celebration of the 58th annual contest coming up this weekend, we thought we’d take a look at some of the most memorable performances to date.

Image by zeljkojoksimovic via Flickr

UK

Believe it or not, we’ve managed to win the contest five times since it started in 1956 – that’s the same number of times as Luxembourg, France and this year’s host, Sweden. Here are some of our proudest victories.

• 1969 was the year of Lulu's ‘Boom Bang-a-bang’: This Scottish singer’s performance racked up an impressive 18 points. 

• Britain’s Katrina & The Waves took home the gold with 227 points – one of our greatest triumphs to date. 

• We’ve had some less successful stints on the stage too. In 2007, Scooch's ‘Flying the Flag’ got us 23rd out of 24 acts in 2007 with the unusual aviation motif – yes, that’s second to last.

• However our worst ever act was this dud duo, Jemini, with their 2003 flop ‘Cry Baby’, which had us wailing for them to stop. Not only did we come last that year, but the disaster cost us our first ever ‘nil points’ in Eurovision history.

Finland

• In terms of bizarre, this winning Finnish sensation from Lordi (the ‘Hard Rock Hallelujah’) in 2006 gets our vote with their heavy metal, zombie-esque monster show.  

Israel

• ‘Diva’ Dana International made headlines back in the late ‘90s for being one of the first transsexual performers to grace the stage with the glitzy number ‘Diva’ which won her the 1999 contest.   
   
• A year later, she fell flat on her face while presenting the 1999 winners with their trophy before running off stage.   

Sweden

• Finally, we couldn’t possibly leave out the most successful of all Eurovision wins – the 1974 hit ‘Waterloo’ from none other than Sweden’s very own ABBA.

• Not only did their iconic performance get them a hefty 24 points, but they went on to be global, well known pop superstars to boot. A definite "win".

For places to stay in these and other noteworthy Eurovision destinations, check out the latest deals from Hotels4u.

Originating from the city of Limerick in Ireland, limericks are a witty or humorous verse or poem, which were made famous by Victorian writer Edward Lear.

Sunday 12th May was National Limerick Day, and a time to celebrate these popular five-line poems. It also gave us the chance to have some fun in the office and think of a few travel-related limericks featuring some of our favourite destinations...

The Limerick countryside (image via Flickr)

Despite a more than welcome bit of sunshine this weekend, we haven’t exactly been blessed with fantastic weather so far in 2013 - unless you’re a fan of wind, rain and snow!

But with half term approaching, families have the ideal excuse to pack their suitcases and head off to warmer climes.

Finding the ideal place to suit all tastes can sometimes be tricky, but don’t stress; here’s a look at some of the best holiday destinations that the whole family will love.

Image by Popofatticus via Flickr

With spring in full swing, and the bank holiday weekend coming up, we thought we’d give you some pointers as to where to go to soak up some sun.

Whether you’re planning a weekend trip or happen to live close by, from England to Scotland, here are some of our top sandy (and hopefully sunny) spots around the UK.

Image: shining_darkness via flickr 

After the Queen celebrated her 87th birthday at the weekend, we thought we’d commemorate this special occasion by taking a look at some of the things you may not know about Her Majesty.

From receiving an elephant as a gift to breeding a new type of dog, it’s fair to say the life of Queen Elizabeth II has never been dull…

Image by Foreign and Commonwealth Office via Flickr

1. Puppy Love

Her Royal Highness is famous for her corgis and she has owned more than 30 of them during her reign. She received her first corgi - named Susan - as a gift for her 18th birthday in 1944, and she currently owns three, Willow, Monty and Holly. A new breed of dog was also introduced by the Queen, when a corgi mated with a dachshund, and is known as a dorgi!

2. On the Ball

The first football match the Queen ever attended was the 1953 FA Cup Final between Blackpool and Bolton Wanderers. Rather than Her Majesty though, it was a certain Stanley Matthews who stole all the headlines after a magnificent performance, inspiring Blackpool to win the game 4-3. Clearly impressed by his display, Matthews later received a knighthood from the Queen in 1965 for services to football.

3. That’s a Wrap

During her time on the throne, Her Royal Highness has received a number of expensive gifts, from diamond brooches to necklaces. But some of the more unusual presents she has been given from across the globe include an elephant from Cameroon, two tortoises from the Seychelles and two black beavers after a visit to Canada. You won’t be surprised to hear that none of these live at Buckingham Palace!

4. Horsing About

One of the Queen’s biggest passions is horse racing and she regularly attends the Derby at Epsom and the Summer Race Meeting at Ascot. She owns and breeds horses which have been victorious at Royal Ascot on a number of occasions, as well as other racing events around the country. The Queen’s racing colours are similar to those worn by King Edward VII and consist of a purple body with gold braid, scarlet sleeves and a black velvet cap.

5. Picture Perfect

If you’re known for shying away whenever a camera is brought out, then spare a thought for Her Majesty. The Queen is one of the most photographed people on the planet and has sat for 129 portraits, the first of which was in 1933, when she was just seven years old. Two of her portraits are together with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, while in 2004; she sat for the world’s first hologram portrait, created by artist Chris Levine after taking over 1,000 images to give it a 3D effect.

Tell us your best Queen facts over on our Twitter, Facebook or Google+ pages.

This year, April 19th doesn’t just fall on a Friday. It also happens to be National Garlic Day – an occasion dedicated to spreading awareness of the many uses of everyone’s favourite bulb-shaped plant. In honour of the occurrence, we thought we’d pick out some of the best places to go to grab your garlic fix.

Image by swanksalot via flickr

Although there are more than 6,000 islands in Greece, the majority of them are uninhabited. However, if you fancy an island-hopping holiday, there are still a hefty 227 inhabited islands to choose from. 

While there’s nowhere near enough time to visit them all on a standard two-week holiday, we thought we’d help you sift through the good ones. Here’s a list of some of the most popular destinations (with ferry links) that might help conjure up some inspiration when planning your Greek getaway.

Ferries in Greece (Image by Wallygrom)

Athens

As one of the oldest cities in the world, Athens is a great spot to start your holiday. The country’s capital, it doesn’t just give you a genuine glimpse into the Greek culture, but you’ll also be able to check some of the most famous landmarks including the Acropolis and the Parthenon. To see ancient relics from all over Greece, tour the Acropolis Museum.

Ferries Run To:  Crete, Samos, Lesvos, Mykonos, Rhodes, Aegina, Kefalonia, Spetses and Santorini

Mykonos

Greece’s answer to Ibiza, Mykonos is an ideal destination to visit if you’re looking to dance until dawn. Known for its nightclubs, the island is also home to a vibrant gay scene. The white sand beaches and classic tavernas are great places to visit during the daytime and recuperate in time for the evening. However, it’s not all partying and sunbathing and the traditional windmills at Chora are well worth a visit. The 16th-century structures are a focal point of the island and stem back to the times when the island produced large quantities bread and wheat. 

Ferries Run To: Athens, Santorini, Naxos and Paros 

Santorini

Known for its spectacular sunsets, Santorini is one of the most photographed Greek islands and is instantly recognisable by its blue-domed, white-washed churches. A holiday here can be incredibly relaxing and the island has some one-of-a-kind beaches from the black pebbled beach at Kamari, to red and white sand beaches. For the best views of the much celebrated sunsets throughout the whole island, go to the small coastal town of Oia. Be sure to get there early though to avoid the crowds and ensure you snag a good spot.

Ferries Run To: Athens, Crete, Mykonos and Naxos  

Corfu

Visited by a million holidaymakers each year, it’s fair to say that Corfu is one of the most popular islands. And there’s no surprise why – as Corfu has something for everyone from fantastic beaches to nightclubs and even Europe’s largest waterpark, which is guaranteed to appeal to both children and adults alike. Don’t miss Achillion Palace, a stunning 19th-century structure with an archaeological museum inside and landscaped gardens surrounding the grounds.

Ferries Run To: Patras, Bari (Italy), Brindisi (Italy), Sandara (Albania) and Venice (Italy)

Crete

Crete is the largest of all the Greek islands and is known for its legendary cuisine, which historically, has ties to Venetian food. However, Cretan cuisine isn’t just tasty but also features some of the healthiest dishes too such as stuffed aubergine and baked fish cooked in light sauces. One of the most picturesque places in Greece, it also contains ancient Roman, Turkish and Minoan remains. However, while it might be scenic, it’s also known for its nightlife, with destinations such as Malia famous throughout Europe. 

Ferries Run To: Athens, Ios, Paros, Santorini and Mykonos

If you still need to book a hotel on any one of the islands, check out our latest offers from Hotels4u.com.

At a glance…

Rhodes is one of the largest islands in Greece and the largest in the Dodecanese, the archipelago to which the island belongs. Known for its lively tourist resorts, such as the famous Faliraki, the south of Rhodes is far quieter than the north and known for its laidback pace of life and numerous archaeological sites.