LONDON, September 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

This year marks the 140th anniversary of Thomas Cook holidays to Spain - a destination still proving to be top of the list for British holidaymakers.

In 1872, the travel firm was giving the UK the chance to travel beyond Great Britain on tailored tours into the Mediterranean, and the love affair with countries like Spain continues to this very day.

Back in the day

In the late 19th Century foreign travel really started to take-off. In 1870 Thomas Cook commissioned luxury steamers to cruise down the Nile and a few years later regular breaks to Spain and holidays to the Algarve were being organised. Tourists could travel by train from London to Spain via major cities in Europe, including Paris, Bordeaux and Madrid. On Spain's sunny Algarve coast, steamers were also available, so visitors could travel between Gibraltar and Spain, then continue on with arranged train tours to Seville.

Fast forward

Lots of the places visited by tourists in 1870 still remain favourites with UK travellers, but there are also newer resorts that are just as appealing. It's likely that hardly any of Thomas Cook's 1872 travellers booked tickets for cheap Benidorm holidays. This destination is currently a thriving holiday location, with resorts bordering its long stretches of sand. Young and old can chose from a range of activities, food and drink. Gibraltar was a key destination for holidaymakers travelling to southern Spain with Thomas Cook, but there are lots of island destinations to choose from now, including the Canary and Balearic islands.

Wide reach

In the 19th Century, Thomas Cook made as much of the travel links as possible. In 1870, passengers had to wait at least another 100 years for jumbo jet flights to be available. Although the travel firm made its name in rail tours, some trips started and ended with steamers. In 1877, Thomas Cook advertised how UK holidaymakers booked on Portugal holidays could travel from London's dockyards to cruise by sea to Lisbon. The bustling medieval city, and indeed Portugal itself, is still a popular location for British tourists, with its rugged coastline, picturesque capital and national parks.

Thomas Cook Children's Charity  is committed to making dreams come true for sick and disadvantaged children in the UK & Overseas - to find out more about the work we do visit our website.