21 July 2013

A holiday in Limone Lake Garda is more than restful. Just one word sums it up - Beautiful! The pretty, water lapped harbour is lined with delicious seafood restaurants and backed by winding, cobbled streets with buildings covered in multi-coloured, luxurious flowers and vines. Northern Lake Garda is where the Alpine and Mediterranean flora meet and grow side by side and it is just stunning. Limone is backed by dramatic mountains and a hotel with a lake view across to Malcesine is highly recommended. There are plenty of shops to wander around during the day and evening and whereas clothes and shoes are expensive the food and drink is surprisingly reasonable. Discover delightful family run restaurants in flower covered courtyards in the backs streets, always cheaper than the harbourside ones and just as good. You must try an Aperol Spritz, a fluorescent orange, prosecco based cocktail. A 20 minute leisurely and frequent boat ride will take you across the lake to Malcesine and longer to other resorts around the lake. A bus service will also ferry you around with main connections in Riva Del Garda, the next resort along. Verona is around 1hr 20 mins away and well worth a visit to see the famous Romeo and Juliet balcony and a night at the opera. There are opportunities to visit local wineries for wine tasting and lessons on how the local wine is developed. You can also take a trip into Austria it is that close. This is my second visit to Lake Garda and won't be my last. I can recommend restaurants and suitable hotels there and my only complaint is that I couldn't stay longer!

20 February 2013

I was lucky enough to visit the beautiful island of Bermuda with the tourist board and it was everything that I expected and more. Most people believe Bermuda to be part of the Caribbean. In fact it lies 100's of miles north in the Atlantic and is less than seven hours away from the UK. During the months from October to April the weather is mild and perfect for golfing or activity holidays. The summer months are for the sunshine lovers who want to wander along the stunning pink beaches and swim in the clear turquoise water! Bermuda is 21 square miles, made up of 181 islands connected by bridges. The houses are beautifully kept and painted in pretty pastel shades. The standard of living in Bermuda is very high and it is not a particularly cheap location to visit but so worth it. There are fabulous restaurants serving the very best seafood and you must sample one of the two local drinks, Dark 'n' Stormy and Rum Swizzle. There is no car hire on the island. You can use either taxi's, of which there are plenty, or scooters. Households are only allowed one car. There are many hotels to suit all tastes and mainly on a bed and breakfast basis. What could be better than sitting on your patio in the morning sunshine having breakfast delivered to your room? This isn't an island for all inclusive hotels and with the many restaurants serving the local fish chowder to a huge lobster meal you will never go hungry. There are forts, churches, dockyards, galleries and museums and with plenty of water sports and land sports there is no time to be bored. People are so friendly and happy here; who wouldn't be living on the paradise island of Bermuda? If you are toying with the idea of a holiday in Bermuda (perfect for honeymoons and ideal for a twin centre with New York) please give me a call and I will be happy to help.

02 November 2009

Imagine a perfect white beach and sparkling azure waters and you have the paradise island of Anguilla. This is the first view to greet you as you arrive on the short connecting flight from Antigua into a tiny airport manned by friendly locals. There are no long transfers as the island is small, just 35 square miles. It is easy to get around by taxi or self drive car hire - they drive on the left in Anguilla. The island is predominately associated with world class hotels such as the CuisinArt Resort and Spa for pampering, the Cap Julucca to get away from it all or your own villa in Cove Castles. There are many self catering options and private villas so there is choice for everyone, whether it is a group of friends or a honeymoon couple. There are no all inclusive hotels here but the choice of restaurants more than makes up for this. From street vendors selling corn soups and spicy chicken, the classic Caribbean beach bars like Johnno's for typical local fayre and jazz music to the romantic Barrel Stay by the sea or dining by candlelight in lush tropical gardens with sea views at Blanchards, one of the finest restaurants in the Caribbean. The seafood is all that you would expect from a Caribbean island. There is a board by the roadside in the north of the island which reads 'Life's a beach and then you dine' which says it all. By day you can snorkel, sail, golf, visit local markets, trek nature trails, visit galleries and museums or just chill out with a cocktail until the most amazing sunsets that I have ever seen appear. Birdwatchers are well catered for from the noisy Bananaquits to the brilliant green hummingbirds that are a treat to watch, hovering through the bright, vivid tropical flowers. Although there are plenty of watersports none of them are motorised. The island is unspoilt and low key, not for people that enjoy late nights and continuous party evenings, although everyone must take a trip to Elvis's Beach Bar for some local character, rum punch and local music. The Pumphouse is a hotspot on a Thursday evening for the more enegetic. No trip would be complete without a visit by short boat ride to the gorgeous Scilly Cay for a Sunday lunch of lobsters and local music. Anguilla is perfect. It's tranquil and the best wedding and honeymoon destination that I have visited. Relax and unwind in a little piece of heaven and if you would like to know more, just ask.

26 October 2009

It would be hard to beat wandering around the sights of Cape Town on a sunny day. From the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront with its quirky shops and street entertainment to the parks and markets selling the locally made African handicrafts. Traditional afternoon tea with champagne at the world famous Mount Nelson hotel is hard to beat, the best that I have ever experienced. The choice of restaurants in the area range from local fayre including bobotie, a kind of African meatball, to grilled Kudu, through to sushi bars and delicious seafood. Cape Town is roughly an hour's drive to the scenic wine region. Stay at the Village at Spier, close to Stellenbosch, and I can pre-book you a table in the trees at Moyo restaurant for an authentic African evening of entertainment and a huge buffet meal, which is so much fun. Visit Simonstown, south of Cape Town and see the statue of Able Seaman 'Just Nuisance', a Great Dane who was awarded this status for looking after the British Seamen in WW11. If you are lucky enough to be there on his birthday you will see people from miles around bringing their dogs all dressed up to celebrate - a sight to be seen. Drive along the dramatic Chapman's Peak for the stunning views and arrive into Noordhoek where you can horse ride along the fantastic white beach there. You can see Jackass penguins on Boulder's Beach and stay in Camp's Bay for an upmarket seaside experience. Beware, the sea is icy cold. You can even have a safari experience for a day or two at the Aquila Private Game Reserve which is only a 2 hour drive from Cape Town. The choice of accommodations in the area is vast. From the newly opened One & Only hotel to the boutique style bed and breakfast guest houses which are of the highest quality. Go cage shark diving, travel by cable car up Table Mountain, visit Robben Island and Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, the fishing village of Fish Hoek, the choice is endless. Jet lag is minimal as Cape Town is only 2 hours ahead of the UK and the flights are overnight so a short city break is not impossible. An enjoyable alternative to The Garden Route.