The poor weather which has hit parts of southern Europe is set to subside at the end of the week.

Countries such as Spain are likely to experience a heatwave from Friday onwards, with temperatures hovering around the seasonal average.

Indeed, Angel Rivera of the Spanish Meteorological Office believes temperature levels should go up “considerably” this weekend, reports the Typically Spanish website.

He said the mercury is likely to rise to about 40 degrees C in some parts of the country, such as Valencia and the Costa del Sol.

This could be good news for British holidaymakers who are looking to escape from the miserable conditions in some parts of the UK.

Earlier this week, Jonathan Powell of Positive Weather Solutions suggested that people who want some guaranteed sunshine in Europe should visit Spain.

However, he reminded people to be aware the heat may become more intense further south.

British leisure travellers have been urged to consider the financial cost of their summer holidays.

The International Currency Exchange (ICE) stated that tourists would benefit from taking exchange rates into account when choosing where they would like to visit.

This would allow people to get the best value for money on their trip, as they will be required to pay for more than just flights and accommodation.

Andrew Hamilton, head of marketing at ICE, commented: “The credit crunch means holidaymakers should make sure they are getting the most for their pounds, as all the little extras soon mount up.”

Figures from ICE illustrated how costs vary across the world, as entry into a tourist attraction in Florida can cost up to £30 per head, whereas the average entry fee in Spain is close to £8.

Meanwhile, the Edinburgh Evening News has revealed that the Costa Blanca is proving to be very popular with Scottish leisure travellers.

The newspaper cited figures from BAA Scotland which identified Alicante as a hotspot for tourists last month.

ITV1’s Bafta-nominated sitcom Benidorm is set to return to Britain’s TV screens for a third series.

Eight episodes of the show, which stars Johnny Vegas and Steve Pemberton, have been commissioned along with an hour-long special.

Peter Fincham, director of television at ITV, said he is “delighted” that the popular series will be coming back next year.

He commented: “Benidorm has a fantastic mix of warmth, charm, and fun.”

The sitcom, which was created by Derren Little, was recently credited with inspiring a surge of interest in holidays to the region.

According to LateRooms.com, the number of bookings for trips to Benidorm doubled throughout the duration of its second series earlier this year.

Kathy Gwinnett, spokesperson for the website, praised the resort for offering a number of different attractions for holidaymakers, including affordable hotels, good beaches and a very lively atmosphere.

Much of the TV series was filmed at the Hotel Sol Pelicanos-Ocas in Benidorm, while many scenes were also recorded at places such as Morgan’s Tavern.

A British expatriate has spoken to the BBC about his move from the UK to Spain’s Costa Blanca region.

Eric and Viola Summers relocated to Torrevieja back in 1999 and believe their lives have improved considerably as a result.

Speaking to BBC News, Mr Summers said the Costa Blanca offers a much better quality of life, partly because it has excellent weather.

He added that the region also has many cultural attractions, such as concerts and shows, as well as good public services.

In particular, the local hospitals were described as “tremendous”.

Mr Summers also believes he is financially better off in Spain than in the UK, even though both countries have been affected by issues such as rising fuel prices.

He commented: “We’re still much better off than we would be in England.

“If we were living there we’d have to be on benefits.”

This comes after Saga Travel Money suggested that expats save money by purchasing locally-sourced goods rather than imported items from home.

Many holidaymakers in Scotland are choosing to take breaks in traditional Spanish hotspots, it has been revealed.

Rick Green, chief executive of Flyglobespan, stated that flight sales from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen have gone up this year.

Speaking to the Daily Record, he said services to established European resorts such as Alicante are proving to be especially popular with consumers.

This suggests that people in Scotland are not being put off Spain by the fact that the pound is now at an all-time low against the euro.

Mr Green commented: “Although we are seeing strong demand for our non-Euro routes, our traditional European summer holiday destinations are still the most popular.”

He added that there has actually been an upturn in demand for flights to resorts including Alicante.

This area was recently flagged up by the Guardian as a good location for holidaymakers from the UK.

According to the newspaper, Alicante is a “real” city that offers a more authentic Spanish experience than some tourist hotspots.

A growing number of American golf fans are choosing to visit the Spanish Costas, it has been revealed.

According to David Brice of Golf International, Spain saw a double digit increase in the number of visitors from the US last year.

Writing for PGATour.com, he said this occurrence is practically unheard of in most European countries, as an increase of about six per cent would be considered a major achievement.

Mr Brice partially attributed this to the growing international profile of Spain’s golf courses, such as Valderrama in the Costa del Sol.

Commenting on this trend, he said: “Americans becoming increasingly aware that the Iberian Peninsula is filled with everything they are looking for in a destination.”

He added that the dollar can go much further in Spain than in many other European countries.

This comes after easyJet highlighted the Costa del Sol as a hotspot for British tourists during the recent bank holiday weekend.

The Spanish Costas are set to be a major hotspot for holidaymakers from the UK this weekend, an airline has revealed.

According to budget carrier easyJet, about 450,000 are set to board its flights during the forthcoming bank holiday break.

The airline has stated that major resorts in Spain are among the most popular destinations, including Alicante and Malaga.

This is likely to be good news for tourist officials in the Costa del Sol and Costa Blanca, as well as people who are affiliated with the sector.

Commenting on Spain’s appeal, Marianne West of easyJet remarked: “It’s impossible to rely on the great British weather and let’s face it, sunshine and relaxation is far more appealing than DIY.”

She added that a record number of people are now choosing to spend their bank holiday break overseas.

According to the Post Office, Spain currently offers lower prices than any other nation in the single European currency.

The mayor of Costa Blanca has spoken out in favour of the popular holiday resort Benidorm.

Manuel Perez Fenoll described it as the perfect example of a sustainable resort, as buildings such as skyscrapers occupy less space than smaller structures, reports the Guardian.

He added that they also save on infrastructure, as fewer gas and water pipes are needed if they are only supplying a single building.

Mr Fenoll added that the resort does not deserve the negative image it has in some quarters, especially as it is becoming more and more eco-friendly.

He commented: “Some say the place has no green areas, but we are going to develop a big park and bring in a regulation saying every hotel must have a green area round it.”

The mayor was speaking after the recent death of Pedro Zaragoza Orts, the man who has been credited with creating Benidorm as it is today.

Benidorm was recently made the subject of a sitcom in the UK, which involved lots of location shooting.

Overseas property investors could be set to benefit from new opportunities in Spain, it has been revealed.

According to a study by estate agency Engel & Volkers, Malaga is currently seeing high levels of investment by local authorities and developers, reports Homes Worldwide.

Money is being pumped into a number of projects across the region, including the creation of new facilities and buildings.

Furthermore, new jobs are also being created due to the recent influx of international businesses.

This has resulted in positive economic growth across Malaga and the Costa Sol, thereby enhancing its appeal to foreign property buyers.

Commenting on the state of the market, Engel & Volkers said it currently offers plenty of potential for property buyers.

This comes after Homes Worldwide stated that the Spanish Costas are currently benefiting from the so-called “Ryanair Effect”, which means that areas serviced by low-cost airlines tend to have relatively high rates of house price inflation.

One airline is interested in starting routes to Alicante, Malaga and other Spanish destinations from Norwich International Airport this year, according to the managing director of the East Anglian hub.

Richard Jenner told the Norwich Evening News that these services - known as sun routes - could be offered again in the coming months, following Flybe’s decision to cancel them last July.

More routes into Spain from the UK may alert property investors to the country as accessibility to a nation is traditionally an important consideration for people who buy bricks and mortar abroad.

Mr Jenner told the newspaper: “Since Flybe pulled off that route we have been talking to about ten airlines - most of them want to start from next summer but there is one interested in starting this year.”

He added that the airport hopes to announce further information within the next two weeks.

Earlier this week, budget airline easyJet started routes from Manchester Airport to Malaga, having set up a base at the north-west hub.