SOME of the most exciting cities in Europe are just a phone call away for any young adults in South Devon who fancy a lengthy and rewarding break abroad — and all of it paid for by Euro-funding.

Torquay's Training Partnership is looking for anyone over the age of 18 in vocational training who fancies a six-week or 13-week spell in Spain, Italy, France or Germany.

The Spanish centre to lure hopefuls anxious to improve their knowledge of the country's language and culture is Seville.

On the other side of the Med the carrot is dangling from the magical southern Italian town of Matera, described in the acclaimed Lonely Planet guide books as one of the most unusual places in Italy and one of the oldest inhabited centres in the world.

France's temptation to the continent-bound hopefuls is wine-soaked Bordeaux while Germany will turn heads with its chosen honeypot, Leipzig.

Altogether 26 young adults from the South Devon area can take advantage of the once-in-a-lifetime offer which extends into 2010.

TP spokesman Ian Smith said: "These are four truly exceptional destinations which we are confident will attract adventurous spirits who want to know more about our neighbours in Europe.

"It's a magnificent opportunity which we are more than happy to help them achieve."

He added: "All they have to do is pick up the phone and talk to me on 01803 321210, and we will take it from there.

"We anticipate a pretty good take up but it's difficult to gauge what the response might be because we've never been in such a privileged position before to change young people's lives.

"We hope the interest is there from anyone over the age of 18 who is in NVQ vocational training at level one or two. We will take their details and then get back to them."

Ideally, applicants should have a smattering of the language of the country they hope to visit with a desire to improve their linguistic accomplishments.

The venture is paid for by the Europe-wide Leonardo da Vinci funding programme which has brought hundreds of young people to the Bay from Europe.

But until now there has been only one-way traffic with no-one in South Devon making the hop across the English Channel to enjoy the same advantages.

These include free return flights to any of the four magical centres and free accommodation once you get there. The only demand on the travellers' purse will be spending money. Altogether the TP has nearly £100,000 funding for the Euro-trek learning experience.

Ian said: "We know it sounds too good to be true — but it really is.

"It was the first time we had made a bid for this Leonardo grant — and we were successful. There is every chance that we might succeed again.

"The expectation is that our first stab at this brilliant scheme will reap fantastic results and enable us to pursue a second application.

"Ultimately, this is for the good of people who want to learn more about other countries and find new friends across the Channel."

So what do the quartet of cities offer the curious traveller?

Matera:

Matera is easily the most unknown and enigmatic of the four destinations — and perhaps the one most worth discovering.

For too long Southern Italy has been ignored by the guide books which all too often parade the joys of the north, but rarely trouble themselves to even admit to the existence of the far more interesting mezzogiorno.

Only in the last few years have the sparkling jewels of the poor and undeservedly neglected south been noticed, and Matera is among the 24-carat gems rightly catching the eye.

Anyone with a view to the unusual and downright odd will to want to explore this mysterious city with its rock-hewn troglodyte cave metropolis — the Sassi — which just a few decades ago housed 50,000 souls.

No words can do justice to this entrancing throwback to more primitive times.

The Italians are to be thanked wholeheartedly for preserving this unique poor man's citadel.

The picture included here was taken by 'Materana' Melinda Silletti, one of the many young blades who have taken advantage of Leonardo funding to leave Italy and see the delights of the Bay.

Now her home is doing for the Bay what it did for them only last year when she and her compatriots enjoyed a 12-week stay on the English Riviera.

"I hope they enjoy my town as much as I loved Torbay. There are many things to see in Matera and many stories and legends to learn about. They are very welcome to my home," she said, adding: "Highlights are the Ridola Museum and the Museum of the famous writer Carlo Levi who wrote Christ Stopped at Eboli.

"There are many good bars, pubs, restaurants and pizzerias — especially those in the Sassi where people are returning to work and live."

Seville:

Perhaps the most exciting city in Spain. Madrid is marvellous. Toledo is terrific, Segovia is stunning, Barcelona is beguiling and Salamanca is sumptuous.

But Seville is simply superb and quite sensuous, tucked away in the exotic south where near neighbours Granada and Cordoba are a welcome distraction if the visitor is minded to explore further afield in Andalucia's tempting tourist triangle of must-see cities.

Seville is the home of the highly-charged erotic dance sensation we all know and love as flamenco.

Only a complete ignoramus would pass through Seville without taking out time to experience a live session of flamenco dancing.

Once seen, never forgotten.

The city simply pulsates to the rhythm of this mesmeric and exhilarating, knee-trembling sequence of bodily posturing.

More sedate distractions are the superb cathedral which features the amazing Giralda minaret, easily climbed for a breathtaking panorama of the city which gave us the shapely form of the world's most famous cigar maker, Carmen.

The 15th century cathedral, the biggest Gothic church in the world, also houses the tomb of the New World discoverer himself, Christopher Columbus.

Other head-turners are the Golden Tower astride the Guadalquivir river, the amazing 14th century Alcazar and the immense Plaza de Espana.

If you catch Seville in Holy Week or the Feria afterwards you will be giving yourself the ultimate treat that Spain can offer, the city in party mood and dressed in its finest.

It's a sight worth catching if the visiting dates fall in your favour.

And there are tapas bars around every corner and guitar buskers on every other corner.

Bordeaux:

It's almost a home from home for the Brits — at least for those who have a fond regard for the juice of the grape.

But there is much more to this rich and bustling city than just wine. Gardens, public walkways and cycle tracks grace the waterfront this charming city shares with the imposing River Garonne. The spring-cleaned buildings display the honey-coloured limestone in all its original glory as it reflects the golden sunlight of the south.

Traffic is all but banished from the city centre.

Seek and ye shall find vehicles de-cluttering the place in huge subterranean car parks to keep the wide pedestrian boulevards, shopping areas and superbly renovated squares above it free of pollution.

Public transport is efficient. Buses are electric and the tram system transports the Bordelais around the city and across the Garonne.

Bicycle lanes are everywhere and, for the more energetic, roller skates are for hire.

New parks have been opened and, even if they live within its most built-up parts, locals are never far from a patch of greenery where they can watch the world go by.

Bordeaux, like Matera's unique Sassi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its 'outstanding urban and architectural ensemble' from the 18th century.

It's a retail therapy seekers' paradise — and at its heart is Rue Sainte-Catherine with 1.2km of shops, restaurants and cafes, the longest shopping street in Europe.

The shops become progressively more upmarket as you head towards the Place de la Comedie and the nearby Cours de l'Intendance where the more exclusive shops and boutiques can be found.

And then… there is the wine.

Leipzig:

Leipzig, like Matera, is a bit of a dark horse.

Its brilliance never quite managed to shine through the bleakness which was Eastern Germany.

But its starting to show its true and vivid colours as part of the new united Germany — and many more visitors are becoming acquainted with its many attractions.

Like many German cities, it was not spared in the late round of Allied bombing at the end of the Second World War.

The city has preserved its strong links with Bach, now boasting a museum in the name of the great 18th century maestro.

And the musical note is maintained with Mendelssohn House, the only surviving residence of the great man who died here.

On the literary front, Leipzig was immortalised in a scene from Goethe's Faust.

And if all this rushing around in pursuit of high culture does make you flag, there is always a pick-me-up to be had at the world's oldest surviving coffee house and restaurant — Zum Arabischen.