07 June 2022

Pizzo - Southern Italy Eating a delicious Tartufo dessert has been ticked off my bucket list What a beautiful traditional Italian town and only 15 minutes shuttle ride from our Hotel It is quite steep in places as built going up the hill. Our shuttle dropped us right at the top of the town. In hindsight flip flops may not have been the best choice of footwear! We spend 3 hours exploring the narrow lanes, local shops and soaking in the atmosphere. In the main square we had our desserts - along with a glass of bubbly of course!. The restaurants played Italian music which also added to the atmosphere. Just as were were thinking what to do next we came across the Tuk Tuks. A 30 minute tour of the town was EUR30 and honestly it made my day zipping along the narrow lanes in our tuk tuk. It was such a great experience and highly recommended. We also got taken down to the beach which we never would have managed walking ourselves with a buggy. The bonus was that that we were taken back up the hill to where our shuttle back was waiting. A welcome relief for tired little legs! Viva Italia!

07 June 2022

Toronto - I had a blast!

07 June 2022

Day 1 & 8 in Orlando: Animal Kingdom Absolutely love this Disney Park! One thing I would recommend to do before turning up at a Disney park is looking at a map of the park, seeing what rides/ shows you would like to do prior to going and loosely planning your day. On day 1 we arrived for the afternoon only and just walked around soaking up the atmosphere and amazing scenery. We did manage the ‘Kali River Rapids’ and Feathered Friends of Flight’. For the rapids you do get wet and we did see others taking a poncho. Yesterday we went for a much fuller day. The wait for the Safari was just 30 minutes and well worth the wait. We also went on ‘It’s tough to be a bug’. This was located in the tree of life so very interested walking through to it. This is a 3D cinema experience with surprises. My children didn’t take too much to the surprises of water being squirted and Spiders dangling from the ceiling etc and spend the time with their eyes closed. One for the older children! The highlight for me however (apart from the cinnamon bun ) was ‘The Lion King Show’. An absolutely stunning performance and one not to miss!

07 June 2022

Let’s talk about Disney’s Magic Kingdom!!! This of course for most people is ‘the main event’ or the most popular Disney Park. We visited for a full day on day 3 and ate in the Liberty Tree Tavern and also day 9 for an afternoon and staying out to see the magical fireworks. That day we ate at ‘Be Our Guest’ restaurant which is inspired by Beauty and The Beast. There are six areas to Magic Kingdom. Frontierland, Andventureland, Maim Street USA, Tomorrowland and Fantasyland. Our children being age 2 and 5 we were most drawn towards Fantasyland. I would say this area is most suited for the younger children. We were able to meet princesses, go on ‘It’s a small world’ and also ‘Under the Sea ~ journey of The Little Mermaid’. Many other rides suitable however to avoid queuing all day we mixed rides up with seeing the spectacular parades and watching shows. The days we visited Magic Kingdom were the hottest days of our holiday so lunchtime shade was a must! My favourite restaurant of the whole holiday was here at ‘Liberty Tree Tavern’. The restaurant wasn’t elaborate in any way however the food was amazing! It was buffet style however bought over to your table. Things like beef pot pie, creamy mash, Mac & cheese, turkey etc. honestly it was amazing and a much needed oasis away from the midday heat ?? On our other day at Magic Kingdom we had ‘Be our Guest’ booked which was themed as The Beasts castle in Beauty and The Beast. This was a much more elaborate restaurant and you do see ‘The Beast’ walking around his castle. My only comment on this was ‘where was Belle?’ It would have been lovely to see her also!! Food was a three course meal and totally divine. I took a photo of the children’s dessert as this was beautifully presented and also kept them occupied paining ‘chip’. A total winner! During the Easter period we visited, this park was the busiest out of all the parks. I would recommend if you haven’t a restaurant booked to take food in with you. The queues for the snack places were considerable long and I was glad not having to queue for these in the heat At this park we most enjoyed seeing the colourful parades. The girls loved spotting all their favourite characters, princesses and giving them a wave. The fireworks at night were my absolute highlight. It was just spectacular seeing the fireworks go off over the Castle in unison to both the music and the changing lights/ animations on the castle. A total magical experience @ Disney’s Magic Kingdom

08 June 2022

We absolutely loved the Elba Lanzarote Village. There really is something for everyone. The pool area was amazing and there was also a smaller children's splash area. The hotel also features a lazy river ride! They offer a children’s club from age 4. The times are 11-1 and 3-5 where they have craft activities, mini soft play, basketball and trampoline. All free of charge. In the evening they were practicing for a Lion King production which was part of the evening entertainment. Flamingo Beach is the closest and it is absolutely stunning. A Really safe sandy beach. Shops behind for any drinks / ice-creams.

12 January 2021

Cuba - Twin centre Havana & Varadero I have such fond memories of my time in Cuba. Splitting your holiday between the old world charm of Havana and then heading on to the crystal clear waters of Varadero is a perfect mix. Itinerary: Havana - Hotel Parque Central Hava for na 5*- 3 Nights Varadero - Royalton Hicacos Resort & Spa 5* - 7 Nights The Hotel Parque Central is as the name would suggest very centrally located in Havana. The hotel itself is traditionally styled with spacious bedrooms. I particularly liked the rooftop pool as this had stunning views over Havana's skyline. I have showed a picture of the lobby area of this hotel as this is where we spend our evening time. Relaxed entertainment was provided in the form of piano music and fashion shows. The best spot for this was of course perched at the bar sampling the cocktail of the day! There are many sights to see and do during your time spend in Havana. An absolute must is hiring a classic American Car and having a guided tour around the city. We opted for the bubble-gum pink convertible!! Prices for this is approximately USD40.00 per hour. Our tour guide sure knew how to work the tourist trade. I can't remember having posed for quite as many photo's - so much so I felt like we were on a photo shoot! He also ensured we and a go ourselves and took to the wheel. During our tour we stopped off at National Capitol for a refreshing drink before continuing along the Seafront Avenue Malecon. At the end of our tour we were dropped off near our Hotel at the famous El Floridita Cocktail bar, home of the daiquiri and a throwback to the 1930's. The bar boasts a life size bronze statue of Ernest Hemingway positioned in his favourite spot at the end of the bar. Another must during your time in Havana is taking a Bici Taxi - a three wheeled pedal powered taxi. We took a Bici Taxi to visit the Havana Club Rum Museum. This is open 9am-5pm and tours last between 1-2 hours. Of course the best bit is at the end in the traditional bar where to get to sample some of their famous Rum! After our amazing 3 days in Havana it was time to move on down the coast to Varadero. We went by coach and the journey time took 2hrs30. The scenery along the way is beautiful so it feels like a trip in itself. We also stopped en-route for refreshments. They served Pina Colada's out of fresh pineapples. I think there is definitely a theme when it comes to Cuba!! When we arrived at the Royalton Hicacos Resort & Spa it took my breath away. It was simply stunning! The cool white Lobby interior leading onto little walkways over the pool was simply to be marvelled at. I must point out this hotel is an All-Inclusive, Adult's only Hotel. I absolutely would love to go back however I have since had children so would either need to wait for them to get to an age to bring them along or find a babysitter!! The main restaurant and A La Carte really catered for everyone. I remember having waffles with fresh fruit and yoghurt in the mornings and Lobster, surf and turf in the evenings! You must also try their famous 'Grasshopper' Cocktail. If you're not familiar, it's a mint flavour after dinner cocktail. Another highlight at this hotel was the evening entertainment. I really can say this was the best I have ever seen. The tribute acts really went to town! So to round this up, if you are looking for a trip with combines a City steeped in history with laid back beach chic, this ones for you! For memories that last a lifetime - lianna.shea@travelcounsellors.com / 01621 670064