Sailing the Med's edge  Spain became the centre of the world sailing circuit in 2007 when Valencia hosted the America's Cup, the biggest, most expensive and most prestigious event in the global sailing calendar. Valencia will also be the venue for the next event in 2009 thanks to its amazing new 'superyacht' marina.
Indeed the whole of the coastal strip from Barcelona down to Valencia is ideal yachting country, with the Balearic islands away to the east offering an ideal port of call for a long-distance yachting holiday, you might think of taking a three hour trip from Port Vell in Barcelona aboard a beautiful J/80sailing boat. While you're on board there's no time for cocktails as you'll be given a crash course in seamanship as part of the ship's crew. Ideal for anyone who wants a flavour of the Americas Cup without having to spend millions on developing a boat of their own! Lapping up the Italian lakes  Milan serves as the ideal access point for the Italian lakes of Garda, Como and Maggiore, bywords for elegance and sophistication in a stunning setting. All offer opportunities for water-based recreation, even if it's just a quick pedalo trip.
Lake Garda possesses some of Europe's best windsurfing and kitesurfing sites, so make for Torbole at the north of the lake if that's what you're after. Como is so beautiful that you probably won't want to do much more than marvel at the scenery from aboard one of the steam ships that still ply their routes around its shores or scull from one bank to the other if you're a rower. You might also like to consider Lago d'Iseo, a smaller and less crowded lake than its more famous neighbours where you can rent a canoe to paddle from island to island. Even if the weather's not good you can still make a splash, as there's a 12-pool swimming complex nearby as well. Proving that they can be every bit as aristocratic as the villas around the water's edge, watersports don't come any classier than waterskiing behind one of Italy's famous wooden speedboats. Makers such as Riva and Pedrazzini are rightly regarded as the Ferraris of the lakes – only much, much classier than their four-wheeled equivalents. Underwater in the Aegean – diving/snorkelling  The Greek isles are famous for their amazingly clear waters, a fact which makes them ideal for all manner of underwater exploration from swimming to snorkelling and deep-sea diving. Greece's excellent network of ferries means that within a few hours of arrival at Athens it's possible to find yourself up to your waist (or deeper) in the warm waters of Aegean.
Snorkelling is a cheap, easy and safe way to explore the undersea kingdom with Paros (Monastiri), Skopelos (Velanio) and Corfu among the most interesting sites. There is also a wealth of scuba diving schools across the islands offering safe instruction, and it's even possible to use your holiday to obtain an internationally recognised scuba qualification. But be aware that the wealth of ancient wrecks on the seabed are protected by law and only accessible if accompanied by a certified guide. In fact the Greek islands are something of a watersport paradise with windsurfing particularly popular and Rhodes regarded as one of the sport's major centres. Surfing Ireland's West coast  Think of the the West coast of Ireland and chances are you picture green hills, a craggy shoreline and plenty of rain. But in the summer (or year round for the hardiest practitioners) the West coast also offers some of Europe's most reliable surfing in both Northern Ireland and Eire.
Geography is the main factor – with nothing but sea West of Ireland until you hit America, waves have thousands of miles to gather swell and momentum before they crash on to the beaches of the Emerald Isle. Lahinch Beach in County Clare is ideal for novice surfers, with Spanish Point a few kilometres to the South ideal once you've attained a bit of proficiency. There are several surf schools in the area, and other beaches worth checking out include Rossnowlagh in Donegal and Tramore in Waterford. Winding it up on the French Riviera  France's West coast, and particularly the area around Biarritz is the place to head to for classic longboard surfing, while the Mediterranean on the opposite side of the country is the windsurfers' capital. The lack of a swell is more than made up for by the presence of reliable warm winds such as the famous Mistral which should provide more than enough to get you scudding over the waves.
St. Laurent du Var, just 5 minutes from Nice itself is probably the most accessible and best-equipped watersports centre on the whole Cote d'Azur and a great place for windsurfing. Esterel and Roquebrune-Cap-Martin aren't far behind, so a windsurfing week could easily take in all three locations. Windsurfers are spoiled for choice because as well as the coast there are several lakes inland for when they fancy freshwater instead of brine. The pick of the bunch is the Lac de St Cassien, 10 kilometres long and with an irregular shape to keep things interesting. | 
