26 June 2024

28 March 2023 On arrival the Columbus Tours rep was very visible and easy to locate. We discovered that the bureau de change only accept cash so this should be stressed in the confirmation documents. Having our own driver guide meant that stopping at a cashpoint is easy so we could get cash whenever we needed. Negombo is 30-45 minutes from the airport and is therefore a good place to stay overnight if on a late arrival. It has a Fish market which is interesting to see. Hotels are either on the beach or overlooking the lagoon with the lagoon hotels being a bit cheaper. 29 March 2923 We decided not to visit the Millenium Elephant Foundation as we were aware some elephants are chained there. We figured it better to see elephants in the wild later in the trip. Instead, we drove to Dambulla and stopped at the main produce market for Sri Lanka on the way. The local lorries are beautifully painted! Our hotel was in Dambulla. This is a great base for exploring the area. after a couple of hours relaxing we went on safari to see elephants at Minneriya National Park. It is great to see elephants in the wild and we were privileged to see so many on one short trip into the National Park. 30 March 2023 An early start as we opted to leave the hotel at 5am to climb Sigiriya rock - 1200 steps later reached the top in time to see the sunrise. My wife and I visited Sigiriya on our honeymoon 32 years ago and we recreated some photos whilst we were there. Having returned from Sigiriya in time for breakfast we spent some time relaxing at the hotel before setting off for Polonnaruwa at 2.30pm. We got to Polonnaruwa at about 4pm as then have time to see everything but avoid the heat of the day. I would suggest this is moved forward by an hour as some photos were tricky in the fading light. 31 March 2023 Enroute to Kandy we stopped off to see the Dambulla Cave Temples. The Cave Temples were fascinating. Having visited the Cave Temple, we continued to Kandy stopping at a Spice Garden on the way. The Spice Garden was interesting. We learned about natural remedies as well as seeing many of the spices we cook with. We also all had a massage using the relaxing spices grown there. We then continued on to Kandy. After a couple of hours relaxing by the hotel pool, we went to the Temple of the Tooth – the ceremony is awesome! The wonderful thing about visiting a Buddhist temple is that you are welcomed, you can take photos and the guide can tell you about the ceremony as it is happening. It allows a visitor to learn so much more than simply visiting the building. 1 April 2023 The next morning, we visited the Botanical Gardens in Kandy. After this we set off for Nuwara Eliya. The drive to Nuwara Eliya has amazing scenery and you can see the tea being picked. We visited a tea factory to learn about how tea is made. We took the opportunity to visit the Grand Hotel Nuwara Eliya as we stayed at this hotel 32 years ago. We visited just as the hotel was celebrating the start of the season and enjoyed the traditional dancers that performed in front of the hotel. 2 April 2023 After our stay in Nuwara Eliya our guide added an extra stop to Ella and Mini Adam’s Peak. My son has a friend called Ella who had previously visited it, so it was fun to send pictures to her of us visiting the same place. My other son is Adam, so it was appropriate to visit. There are zip wires at Mini Adams Peak, and this is a great attraction if you have adventurous people with you. We took some photos trying to capture everyday life and the stunning scenery as we continued our journey to Galle. Galle was occupied by the Portuguese in the 16th century, and they built a fort to protect the settlement. We chose to stay within the walls of the fort as we could wander the streets, shop, and dine in some of the many restaurants. 3 April 2023 The next morning, we hired 2x Tuk Tuk’s to drive us around the fort for a bit of fun. In the evening we transferred to the airport for our flight home. Conclusion: Sri Lanka has so much variety to offer visitors. Our tour crammed in the most significant sights and we really enoyed our time in Sri Lanka. It is worth booking a tour as the island is too large for day trips. The driver guides add so much to your sightseeing. I will be suggesting some handy hints for any clients I send there 1. Takes sensible shoes – there is quite a bit of walking 2. Wear socks as the sand can be sharp when you are barefoot at temples 3. Be aware you should cover shoulders and knees when visiting sacred sites 4. Take some cash to exchange for Rupees at the airport 5. Focus on getting smaller notes for tipping money 6. Haggle – one item reduced from 6000 LKR to 1000 LKR 7. If visiting Nuwara Eliya take a sweater 8. Take a lightweight raincoat for tropical showers 9. Take the hotels’ free water with you – you will need it during the day 10. Carry a compact umbrella as it is great to stop the rain and the sun.

26 June 2024

Well I finally made it to Malta. Our holiday had been cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid travel restrictions. In 2022 I wanted a holiday but had to keep the cost down as the financial impact of the Covid years meant zero income for more than 2 years. The important thing was that travel was back and I was desperate to take the family away now places were opening up again. I had never been to Malta and wanted to see what it offered. We flew Ryanair from Stansted as this allowed me to visit my Mum and my Sister on the way. On arrival in Malta we were met by the transfer company and taken to our hotel. We stayed in a 2 bedroom family suite in the Preluna Hotel. The Preluna is a 4 star hotel in Sliema and we chose it because it is close to Valetta and offered stays on an all-inclusive basis. When you are on a budget taking all-inclusive holidays allows you to relax without worrying about paying for meals. The hotel is over the road from the sea, but has a lovely beach club with pool, restaurant, bar and diving school just over the road. The food at the Preluna was very good with lots of freshly cooked food being put out all the time. I am not usually a fan of all-inclusive buffet food but the constant adding of freshly cooked food made the Preluna buffet better than most. The all-inclusive drinks could be taken in the hotel bar but the bar was an area of the lobby and not that relaxing to spend time in. Fortunately you could also have your all-inclusive drinks at the beach club and this was a lovely area to relax with a drink both day and night. The public transport system in Malta is excellent. We bought a weekly bus pass for just 21 Euros per person and used this to explore the island. There is an amazing app which tells you where the buses are. We went to Valetta, Gozo, the Three Cities, Mdina and the Sealife Centre in Qawra. Valetta was a pretty city and has an amazing history. I especially liked the Upper Barrakka Gardens. Having seen the gardens take the lift down to the lower level and search out the ferrymen who will take you over to the Three Cities in a small boat. We also used it for a day trip to Gozo – you pay a foot passenger ticket for the ferry and then once on Gozo the bus pass is still valid. This allowed us to visit Victoria and the ancient ruins at the Ggantija Temple complex. The temples here date back to 3600 BC and are designated a Unesco World Heritage site. How would I sum up my week in Malta? It was lovely to explore the vast history. Malta is not the prettiest destination – lots of new buildings were built without full consideration for the overall look and feel. This is understandable when you consider how heavily it was bombed in WW2. But there is a great atmosphere and an interesting mix of old and new. I am glad I visited and I would go back again and that is always the best way to assess whether it was worth going to.

07 August 2019

This was not my first cruise, but it was my first cruise with P&O. It was interesting to compare the cruise service to the ones I had done with Princess Cruises previously. Both P&O and Princess Cruises are owned by Carnival Cruises. You may not know it, but Carnival also own Cunard, Holland America, Costa Cruises and Seabourn as well! The P&O ships are very similar to the Princess ships, but there are some subtle differences. The P&O ship had a covered second pool, on the Princess ships this was open air. I personally did not like the covered pool as it was noisy and smelt of chlorine (a bit like a visit to your local swimming baths). The open-air pool on the Princess ship has more decking areas for sunbeds and allows for a large screen to show their movies under the stars. We missed this on the P&O ship. Another significant difference is that Princess is more flexible regarding their formal nights. On a Princess ship you can dress “smart casual” in the buffet restaurant and in the speciality restaurants. As someone who hates dressing up when on holiday, I enjoyed still being able to eat in restaurants other than the buffet. On the P&O ship, we had to dress up if we wanted to eat anywhere other than the buffet. After dinner I stopped in one of the bars for a drink and was asked to move on as I was not in a suit. This really did impose the dress code on us as there was not a bar I could visit whilst dressed in chinos and a collared shirt. The final observation was that the crew on Ventura were not as friendly as those on Princess ships. We noticed there were not as many “hellos” as we passed the crew members. Maybe they reflect the British reserved attitude whereas the Princess ships adopt a more exuberant American style by greeting you every time. So, what have I learnt from my first P&O cruise? I was surprised that the small differences I have described had such an impact on the overall enjoyment. I will now be advising clients about these differences to help them choose a cruise which fits in with them.

07 August 2019

Last week I went on my first cruise with P&O. We boarded in Southampton for a one-week cruise to the Norwegian Fjords. I did question the wisdom of heading north when I love being somewhere hot, but I figured the scenery would make up for the lack of heat. As it was, the weather was ok. The nice thing about a cruise to the Fjords is that the ships can moor right in the centre of the town. This makes it easy to get off and explore on your own. I am not a fan of organised excursions and prefer to explore independently. It was dull and grey in our first port of call, Stavanger, enough for us to carry raincoats but fortunately it did not rain. We got off to explore the old town with its quaint wooden houses and cobbled streets. A highlight was a visit to the Norwegian Canning Museum. The museum is in an original cannery building and is set up as the factory would have been between 1910 and 1920. This museum gives a real understanding of what life was like for many Norwegians at that time. Overnight we sailed on to Olden. This meant sailing 65 miles up the Nordfjord. There is something very magical about sailing in a ship surrounded by dramatic scenery with cliffs towering above you. Olden is a very small town, so we opted to take an organised excursion to the Loen Skylift and the Kjenndal Glacier. I mentioned I am not a fan of organised excursions, but this excursion was fantastic! The scenery at both locations is amazing! We set sail from Olden at about 7pm, but in the summer it is light until 10 or 11 at night. We could really enjoy the 65-mile journey along the fjord. This is one cruise where it is worth booking a balcony cabin! Our next destination was Alesund. Alusund was rebuilt after a major fire in 1904 and the new town has beautiful Art Nouveau style buildings with spires and turrets galore! There is a hill in Alusund with steps climbing to the top – we opted to stay in the town, but my 2 sons climbed the steps to appreciate the amazing views. There are several museums in Alesund and I visited 2 of them. They were ok but nothing worthy of note. Our final destination was Bergen. Bergen is a larger city and is best known for its funicular railway to the top of the hill. We did this independently rather than buying an excursion. It is cheaper to do this and as long as you are prepared to get up and go to it early you can avoid the long queues! The Bryggen quarter has the oldest buildings and it is fun to explore the alleyways between them bustling with souvenir shops. We also walked around the town to the lake before continuing on to St John’s church which overlooks the city centre. Overall, I found the itinerary to be a little bit lacking. The route only had one day going up a fjord. The cities were interesting but at the same time a little bit “samey”. Was it a good trip? Yes – the scenery in the fjords was stunning. Would I do it again? Probably not – I really enjoyed seeing this part of the world but do not feel the urge to go back again anytime soon.

29 May 2019

I last visited Hong Kong about 15 years ago. Last week, I went back thanks to the generosity of Cathay Pacific and Langham Hotels. I flew Cathay Pacific and was lucky enough to be upgraded to business class. The seat is a compartment style seat that goes completely flat when you want to sleep. The service and the food were amazing and I arrived in Hong Kong refreshed after a great night’s sleep. Cathay Pacific has a good reputation and I can see why. If you are going to Hong Kong I would suggest you fly Cathay Pacific as the service level really does stand out. And if you have the money, you really must fly in business class because it is well worth it to arrive feeling fresh and ready to tackle the day ahead. On arrival, Cathay Pacific had staff available to explain that a power cut in Heathrow had resulted in our luggage being left behind. What was impressive was that the airline had prepared a team of staff to handle the problem. My luggage would arrive on the next flight in 6 hours’ time. Unfortunately, things do sometimes go wrong with travel arrangements. In this instance, Cathay Pacific had notice boards displayed and staff available to efficiently handle the situation. I always feel the mark of a professional service is how the problems are dealt with. I usually give my clients private car transfers to their hotel, but my group went by MTR train to Central and from there, we grabbed a taxi. This was a quick way into the city and it is also very affordable. On my return journey, I went in a private transfer. The road to the airport is modern and the journey is really easy. Having sampled both ways of getting to/from the airport, I would now tell people how easy it is to do by MTR if you are a reasonably confident traveller. If you are not, I would book a private car transfer. My accommodation for this trip was courtesy of Langham Hotels. The great thing is that they have 3 hotels in Hong Kong of different standards and atmosphere – meaning they have a hotel for everyone. I stayed in the Eaton Hong Kong for the first 2 nights. This is a newly refurbished 4-star hotel in a great location on Kowloon. The rooms were modern and a bit trendy. They were not huge but were very well kitted out. I liked the main restaurant as it was set up like a street market. It was popular with locals as well as hotel guests and created a good atmosphere because of this. I was able to visit the 5-star Cordis Hotel and dined in their Michelin star Ming Court Cantonese restaurant featuring a modern twist on traditional Cantonese cuisine. After that, I moved to the 5-star Langham. The hotel has a relaxed air of quality which allows people on holiday to enjoy their stay. The rooms are large and the food and service impeccable. We ate in the Bostonian Seafood and Grill with a seafood tower to start and steak to follow. All I can say is “Wow!”. Whilst in Hong Kong, we explored by using the MTR metro system, buses and by walking. We bought an octopus card (travel pass) to do this. It is really easy to get around – the signs are all in English as well as the local language. The trains are air-conditioned and really frequent. Public transport costs are very cheap. I do feel you get a really good feel for a destination if you use the local transport. Highlights that we visited were Victoria Peak for the view, the Tian Tan Buddha bronze statue on Lantau Island which we got to by MTR and then the gondola cable cars, and exploring the various markets. I really enjoyed a visit to the Chi Lin Nunnery – a lovely temple with the most amazing gardens. I would also encourage people to visit Aberdeen and the famous floating restaurants and to jump on the trams in Causeway Bay. If you are seeking nightlife you should visit Lan Kwai Fong where the bars are open all night. My visit was just 3 days, but I was able to enjoy the vibrant city. Hong Kong is a great stopover destination en-route to Australia or New Zealand. It also works well as part of a Far East multi-centre tour. But there is loads to do if you just want to visit Hong Kong for a week. Or you can visit for 3 days like I did - possibly for a crazy short break weekend!

14 September 2018

During a recent visit to Marrakech I went on a day excursion to the Atlas Mountains to see how the Berber people live. Part of the tour took me to the Ourika Valley. This is where the local people go for their own holidays. Why do the locals choose to go to the Ourika Valley? It is only an hour from Marrakech and the river has countless small restaurants and cafes with tables placed in the river amongst the rocks and boulders. Temperatures are cooler in the Atlas Mountains especially in the summer months. From February to April the blossom from cherry and almond trees create a visual delight. Having fallen in love with this unique setting we crossed on of the rickety wooden bridges over the river and set off on a steep hike to see the waterfalls. You need good shoes as you will scramble up steep rock faces, but it is worth it when you are there. The local cafes channel the cool mountain water over their drinks bottles creating ornate natural fridges. Returning to the river we watched the locals relaxing at the many cafes, sitting at tables in the middle of the river with their feet cooling in the water. In the area are stunning mountain villages with houses clinging to the hillside. Each tiny village has their own mosque allowing the locals to answer the call to prayer. The roads have sheer drops as you zigzag over the peaks and the views are spectacular. We all loved this wonderful escape from Marrakech. You can visit the area on a day trip, but we all felt we could spend a few days here just like the locals do! If you do wish to spend a few days in the Ourika Valley I had lunch at a beautiful guest house which would be a great place to stay. The Ourika Garden Mountain Villa has rustic rooms which are full of character, stunning gardens with incredible views and a small swimming pool with sun beds to relax on. The chicken tagine was amazing and helps you feel as if you are seeing and experiencing the real Morocco. It is possible to stay where the Moroccans go on their holidays – all you must do is ask and I can arrange it for you!

14 September 2018

We first visited the market place in Jemaa el Fna square in the Medina in the middle of the afternoon. It was busy with street traders and a few snake charmers, women wanting to apply henna patterns to visitors’ hands and men wanting to take us on horse-drawn carriage rides around the city. But that didn’t prepare us for the electric atmosphere of the square at night. As we approached the square that evening we became aware of the hordes of people all moving in the same direction and we could hear the strong beat of a drum becoming louder, and as we rounded the corner and entered the square the sights, smells and sounds which met us were spectacular. The stalls in the centre of the square were brightly lit, displaying multi-coloured arrangements of fruit, vegetables, spices and cloths. Other stalls were set up with tables and benches where your food could be cooked right in front of you and the smells of the meats cooking wafted amongst the smoke and flames from fifty barbeques. The drum beats and music from groups of African street entertainers sounded above the noise from hundreds of on-lookers watching the dancing and acrobatics. The Souks are the narrow, covered alleyways full to bursting with traders and their wares. It is quite easy to get lost in the Souks, but you can get a map and if you pay some attention to your route you can find your way out! The traders expect you to barter with them, although some will say it’s a fixed price! And if you look to pay 50% less than their original asking price you won’t have done too badly. Try walking away if you don’t get what you want, and most will soon come after you with another offer! If not, there’ll be another trader next door or around the corner. It is worth walking around the streets of the Medina, the old walled town, to get a feel for other areas of the city and to take photos. You should also visit Le Jardin Majorelle, but because it’s outside the Medina and too far to walk I suggest you take a taxi. Le Jardin Majorelle is a beautiful collection of exotic plants and trees in a garden created by Jacques Majorelle and restored by Yves St Laurent. We went early, just after it opened, which meant it was quiet with not many other tourists getting in the way of the photographs! It’s peaceful and cool under the trees and the colours used in the gardens are very striking. Taxis work on a tariff and this should be displayed in the taxi. If there are more than three of you, you’ll need to get a ‘grand taxi’ and always agree your price before you get in. Your hotel/riad will be able to give you some guidance on the prices you should pay. People have asked me if I felt safe in Marrakech and the answer is yes. As with anywhere in the world you should be aware of pick-pockets and be sensible about what you carry and how you carry it, but my wife and teenage son also felt happy to walk around by themselves. The traders will call out to you to try to sell their goods, but we just called back ‘no thank you’ and kept walking and we were not hassled or made to feel intimidated. Would I go back again? Yes, I would, and I don’t feel I’d tire of experiencing this magical and bustling city again.

14 September 2018

In 2016 I visited Marrakech with the Morocco Tourist Board and wrote a blog about where you can stay. I advised that the best way to experience Marrakech is to stay in a traditional Riad - a traditional house with guest rooms. They are tucked away in the historic alleyways of the medina and have character and style. I would recommend them as you get a sense of the real Morocco when you stay in the heart of the city. I enjoyed my visit so much that this year I returned with my family. We stayed in Riad Karmela. The Riad was hidden down an alleyway and was a calm oasis amongst the mad buzz of Marrakech. My sons were given a large twin room with lattice windows looking into the courtyard. My wife and I were given an amazing room with its own private balcony overlooking the courtyard. Inside was a spacious room with a 4-poster bed and numerous ornaments which created a homely feel. The Riad is in the heart of Marrakech about 10 minutes’ walk from Jemaa el Fna square and is beyond where cars can reach. On arrival the Riad sends someone to meet the car and to show us the way for the last 100 metres. A warm Moroccan welcome with local sweets and mint tea is offered as you complete the registration forms. Having settled in we decided to go and explore. Stepping outside the Riad doorway we were straight into the alleyways with the buzz of people busy about their daily lives. We quickly learned to keep to the right at all times as the mopeds hurtle along missing you by fractions as they rush to wherever they are going. Look out for my other blogs that are coming soon – “The Medina, the Souk and the madness that is Marrakech” will try to describe the wonderful atmosphere of the city, and “The Ourika Valley – where the Moroccans go on holiday” will suggest an amazing Marrakech escape so you can see the real Morocco.

26 October 2017

I was lucky enough to win a place on a trip to Kuala Lumpur and Borneo and recently travelled there with 8 other Travel Counsellors. Flights were with Turkish Airlines via Istanbul. The advantage of using Turkish is that you can fly from a local airport to Istanbul before flying on to your destination. Some of our group flew from Manchester and the others flew from Gatwick. Birmingham and Heathrow are other options. Turkish Airlines have won many awards in recent years so I was interested to see what makes their service so special. They have modern aircraft with many movies and programmes available in a good selection of languages, but the thing that really stands out was the quality of their food in economy. It was well cooked and really tasty. Unfortunately I cannot advise on their Business Class service as we were not given the opportunity to sample this on any of the four flights. Our accommodation was provided by Shangri-La hotels. The first night was spent in Traders. This is a good 4 star hotel in a perfect location next to the Twin Towers. The rooms and food were excellent, but the highlight is the Pool Bar on the 33rd floor which acts as a nightclub in the evenings and has stunning views of the cityscape. The next night we moved to the 5 star Shangri-La. I last stayed in this hotel over 30 years ago. The hotel is well maintained despite its age, but is now surrounded by other buildings. As a result the sun disappears behind the other buildings blocking any sun from the pool area by about 4pm. I also visited the 5 star Majestic Hotel for lunch. The food is amazing and the hotel is a historic hotel that focuses on the Colonial heritage and traditional service standards typical of a bygone age. The only disappointment with the hotel is that the 2 swimming pools are quite small and you can hear some road noise. Whilst in Kuala Lumpur we went on a walking tour of the city. This is a great way to experience the buzz of a busy city and to get a feel for life for the local people. We visited the Masjid Jamek Sultan Abdul Samad mosque which was built by the British in 1909 and also some of the street markets. Unfortunately time limitations meant we could not go to some of the major attractions like the Batu Caves to the north of Kuala Lumpur. The next day we flew with Air Asia to Kota Kinabalu. This is the capital of the state of Sabah – one of the 2 states on Borneo which are part of Malaysia. Our home for the next 2 nights was Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria. This is a lovely 5 star resort set on a huge beach surrounded by the rainforest. We were upgraded to the newer Ocean Wing. In this wing the rooms are huge with over 90 square metres of space. The balconies have a double Jacuzzi bath where you can relax listening to the sound of the sea and birds singing in the canopy. The team at Rasa Ria really make an effort to ensure every guest feels special. We visited the 5 star Gaya Island Resort to spend the day learning about this 5 star eco resort. The weather prevented us from fully appreciating everything the resort offers. I do feel that the location on Gaya Island is a love or hate it type of thing – you are close to Kota Kinabalu which offers convenience, but also means you are overlooking a busy harbour scene. Personally, I would opt for the quieter location of Rasa Ria. Our final stay was at Shangri-La’s Tanjung Aru. Again, like the Gaya Island Resort this is a city based hotel with a beach, and was therefore not to my liking. Whilst in Borneo we were taken to the Mari Mari cultural village. This is a fascinating place to visit as you see how the local tribes traditionally live. We also visited the Mount Kinabalu National Park and went on a rope bridge canopy walk. It is a long 4 hour drive up into the mountains but is well worth it. This brings me to the biggest disappointment of my visit. If I am going to visit Borneo I would want to see the rainforests and possibly seeing some orangutans in their natural environment as this is what makes Borneo a different place to visit. The itinerary that was provided for my visit did not allow time for the group to fly to Sandakan in eastern Sarawak which is where the orangutan population is located. So, whilst I have been able to discuss the best way for other people to travel to Sandakan with a specialist company and can give some excellent advice if anyone is keen to do this, I did not manage to experience the journey myself. To conclude, what did my visit to Kuala Lumpur and Borneo teach me? Firstly, you can easily spend a day or two in Kuala Lumpur en-route to Borneo and enjoy exploring the city. But you can also fly to Hong Kong as a gateway airport and possibly this is a better choice. Secondly, there are many amazing beaches in the Far East. The beach at Rasa Ria is up there with the best of these beaches and I would happily stay at this resort if I was going again. Thirdly, the main reason for going to Borneo is to see the rainforest and hopefully some orangutans so you should always include this excursion in your visit. I learnt that you should allocate sufficient time to allow the major attractions to be seen as when you visit Kuala Lumpur and Borneo there are some amazing things to see and do. I would therefore ensure you build in time to visit the major attractions as this is what makes any visit worthwhile.

31 August 2017

I have recently returned from a 14-day cruise from Southampton around the Mediterranean. I sailed with my family with Princess Cruises on the Crown Princess. The itinerary involved sailing for 3 days to get to the Mediterranean, and also 3 days to sail back on the return journey. We then spent 8 days touring and visited Barcelona, Corsica, Rome, Pisa, Genoa, Marseilles and Gibraltar. I have already blogged about life onboard the ship, and now want to pass on my opinions and hints about the destinations visited on the trip. As a family of 4 people, excursions can add a lot to the holiday cost as each excursion cost is multiplied by 4. Since we enjoy exploring a place independently we opted not to book the official ship excursions as it is cheaper to do your own exploring. I use cruises to mostly visit destinations I have not been to before so that I can see if I would want to return separately if I think it worthwhile. Civitavecchia, Italy: Civitavecchia is the main port for Rome. Having visited Rome before we decided to save the cost of the excursions to Rome and decided to explore Civitavecchia instead. We took a complimentary bus from the ship into the centre and once there explored on foot. What did I think about Civitavecchia? It was pleasant enough to walk around but did not really offer all that much. We did find the local farmer’s market to wander around If ever you are there I would suggest you pay the extra to venture into Rome for the day. Rome is over an hour away from Civitavecchia and I would therefore suggest booking an organised excursion which guarantees to get you back in time for the ship's departure. You really need a few days to fully appreciate Rome as there are so many amazing places to visit. If you only have one day I suggest you stick with just visiting the Colosseum and the Vatican City. If you are not part of an organised tour the hop on hop off bus is a good option. Other wonderful attractions are the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon. The highlight for me in Rome is a tour of the Colosseum which includes access to areas the basic tour does not. You see beneath the arena where the slaves were kept in cells and then you climb to the highest part for an amazing view looking down on the arena. I also really enjoyed a tour of the Vatican. The museum is large and has many artifacts, but the highlight is to go into the Sistine Chapel. You should also visit St Peter’s Square and the Basilica. The Vatican City is officially a separate state and is protected by the ornately uniformed Swiss Guard. Both the Colosseum and the Vatican have incredibly long queues if you just turn up. I suggest you pre-book entrance tickets to ensure you can get in to see these marvellous attractions.

29 August 2017

I have recently returned from a 14-day cruise from Southampton around the Mediterranean. I sailed with my family with Princess Cruises on the Crown Princess. The itinerary involved sailing for 3 days to get to the Mediterranean, and also 3 days to sail back on the return journey. We then spent 8 days touring and visited Barcelona, Corsica, Rome, Pisa, Genoa, Marseilles and Gibraltar. I have already blogged about life onboard the ship, and now want to pass on my opinions and tips about the destinations visited on the trip. As a family of 4 people excursions can add a lot to the holiday cost as each excursion cost is multiplied by 4. Since we enjoy exploring a place independently we opted not to book the official ship excursions as it is cheaper to do your own exploring. I use cruises to mostly visit destinations I have not been to before so that I can see if I would want to return separately if I think it worthwhile. Barcelona, Spain: Barcelona is a big city and there is a lot you can see and do. One drawback with visiting from a cruise ship is that you only have one day to see what you can. Since time was limited we bought tickets for the hop on hop off bus. This gave us a recorded commentary as we went around and allowed us to get to the major attractions fairly quickly. We took the port bus into the city and joined the hop on hop off bus at the bottom of Las Ramblas - the most famous street in Barcelona. The bus took us along the beach area before heading inland to the city. We got off so we could photograph Casa Battlo - one of Gaudi's famous buildings. We then took the second hop on hop off bus to get to La Sagrada Familia - the Cathedral designed by Gaudi that is not yet completed. The hop on hop off tour then took us the area of the Olympic Stadium. There are amazing views of the city. Having returned to the city we walked around the gothic quarter as this is the oldest part of the city. We followed a route which we found online. What did I think about Barcelona? We would want to visit again to be able to spend more time seeing the attractions fully. It is rare to have an attractive city that has a beach and you could easily spend 4-7 days here with plenty to keep you occupied.

29 August 2017

I have recently returned from a 14-day cruise from Southampton around the Mediterranean. I sailed with my family with Princess Cruises on the Crown Princess. The itinerary involved sailing for 3 days to get to the Mediterranean, and also 3 days to sail back on the return journey. We then spent 8 days touring and visited Barcelona, Corsica, Rome, Pisa, Genoa, Marseilles and Gibraltar. I will post separately my opinions and some hints on visiting the destinations, but first I want to pass on my opinion and some hints about life onboard a Princess Cruise ship. A good cabin if on a limited budget: I traveled with my wife and 2 sons who are 21 and 15 years old. Whilst we could have fitted into 1 cabin it would have been very tight so we decided to book 2 cabins. To keep the cost down we booked inside cabins but opted for cabins on Lido deck (deck 15). Whilst we had no window or balcony in the cabins we were only feet away from the pool deck which acted as our place to sit and enjoys the view. It was handy being able to pop back to the cabin as it was only a few feet away from the pool. We used the cabins as somewhere to sleep - and when it is dark the window and balcony are not much use anyway. Days at sea: When you have a number of days at sea there are not enough sun beds on the pool decks for everyone. This frustrated some people who could not find any beds to sit on. My advice is to get up early and base yourselves on the Pool deck. By 8:30 am all the beds are occupied so it pays to set an alarm. You cannot simply reserve the beds and come back later, so accept you are going to get up and take a good book with you! There are a vast amount of organized activities offered but we chose not to do them. Dining: All the food is included in the main buffet restaurants and also in the main table service restaurants. We used the buffet restaurant for breakfast and lunch and there was plenty of choices available. For the evenings we found the Anytime Dining table service restaurants the best as we could eat at a table for 4 people without sharing a table and at a time we wanted to. These restaurants are popular, so it is worth booking a table in the morning for that evening. The table service provided by the waiters is excellent and the quality of the food is good. We preferred this to the buffet restaurant and opted against the traditionally fixed dining option. Fine Dining: The Crown Princess also has a selection of fine dining restaurants where a supplement is charged to eat there. Of these, we found the Crown Grill to be excellent for the $26 per person cost but were disappointed with Sabatini's Italian restaurant where the $26 per person cost did not seem worth it. We also dined at the Salty Dog gastropub for a $12 per person supplement. The food here was good but the menu was a bit limited. Entertainment on board: Every evening there is a show in the ship's theatre. The standard offered is very good and guest "stars" are flown out to the ship to give a variety of acts. Acts included singers, tribute acts, comedians, magicians, jugglers and talks by sporting celebrities. Princess Cruises are also known for their Movies under the Stars. Here, comfy cushions are placed on the sun beds for outdoor movie watching. Popcorn is provided to enhance the movie experience and blankets are available so you can wrap up warm if needed. Expect and budget for a large bill: It is tempting to think that because all meals can be free as they are included in the holiday cost, that you will not spend much on board. Drinks are not included and you are restricted to 1 bottle of wine per adult per voyage that you can take onboard. After that, wine costs $30 upwards per bottle to buy. Spirits are about $7 per drink and bottles of beer cost about $5 per bottle. You can pre-purchase a soft drinks package at $8 per day for unlimited juice, soda, mocktails and hot chocolate. The crew all work very hard to make your stay enjoyable and tipping is normal and expected. We decided to pay the ship's recommended amount of $13.50 per person per day. The tips, therefore, add $800 to your bill for a family of 4 on a 14-day cruise. Our expenses bill was well over $1250 on top of the holiday cost. This is about £1000 in extras. Visit the destinations: The reason we booked a cruise is to visit many destinations. A cruise simply becomes an expensive hotel if you do not make sure you get off the ship and see the amazing destinations you are visiting. I will be posting my hints and opinions of each of the destinations we visited in separate blogs.

29 August 2017

I have recently returned from a 14-day cruise from Southampton around the Mediterranean. I sailed with my family with Princess Cruises on the Crown Princess. The itinerary involved sailing for 3 days to get to the Mediterranean, and also 3 days to sail back on the return journey. We then spent 8 days touring and visited Barcelona, Corsica, Rome, Pisa, Genoa, Marseilles and Gibraltar. I have already blogged about life onboard the ship, and now want to pass on my opinions and hints about the destinations visited on the trip. As a family of 4 people, excursions can add a lot to the holiday cost as each excursion cost is multiplied by 4. Since we enjoy exploring a place independently we opted not to book the official ship excursions as it is cheaper to do your own exploring. I use cruises to mostly visit destinations I have not been to before so that I can see if I would want to return separately if I think it worthwhile. Ajaccio, Corsica: Ajaccio is most famous for being the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. The advantage of arriving on a cruise ship is that the ship docks within walking distance of the historic capital. Even better is that Ajaccio is really pretty. The historic town has pretty alleyways to explore and there is a lovely sandy beach for those that want a swim. We visited the Napoleon Museum which is in a house that the Bonapartes owned and lived in. The museum is interesting as you can walk the rooms where Napoleon once trod, it has some historic furniture into giving an idea of what life was like, and some information boards (only in French). What did I think about Ajaccio? We all agreed we would like to visit here again and to stay for longer as it has less of a city feel than Barcelona had.

18 April 2017

I am sure many people have heard the Reykjavik is expensive. Well, having just visited I can tell you that it is. But I can also tell you that it is a really fascinating place to visit. I went to Reykjavik with my family to celebrate my son's 21st birthday. He wanted to go because I usually opt for hotter destinations and he was curious about what a colder destination would be like. This was an extra trip, so we decided to see how cheaply we could visit staying in a hotel and seeing the main attractions. We flew from Luton with easyJet as this was much cheaper than Icelandair from Birmingham. We only went for 2 nights as this would allow us to see the main sights. We booked a 3 star hotel as it was more affordable. We booked just 2 excursions and decided to eat in more affordable restaurants whenever possible. Our hotel was the Fron and it was perfectly placed in the city centre and had comfortable rooms plus a great continental breakfast. Was such a short trip worth it? Yes it was! Where else can you swim in such large natural geothermal baths? Where else in Europe can you see a geyser push water 30 metres in the air every few minutes? Or see Europe's most powerful waterfall? And where else is there such a stunning landscape of scattered black volcanic rocks! The geothermal baths at the Blue Lagoon are located close to the airport. So it is a good idea to visit them either on your arrival or departure days as you can stop off en-route to/from your hotel. The temperature is like swimming in a hot bath water so you do not get cold. And you can spread silica mud over your face to help your skin. We did this on arrival from our early morning flight as it meant we could enjoy the baths and then go to the hotel after lunch to check in. On our second day we took the Golden Circle tour. This includes a visit to the gorge being created in the Thingvellir National Park because the north American continental plate and the European continental plate are slowly shifting apart. You continue to Geysir to see the Strokkar geyser which shoots water 30 metres in the air every few minutes. Finally the tour visits Gullfoss waterfall where water plunges 30 metres into a crevice in the valley. The power of the falls is obvious yet they have a serene beauty at the same time. In contrast to the raw power of the landscape, Reykjavik is a compact city with the houses painted in many different colours. It is fun to wander the streets and there are many bars and restaurants which offer a welcome escape from the cold. It has a friendly atmosphere which was a pleasure to explore when we had some spare time. I mentioned that Iceland is expensive and I can confirm that it is - pizza and wine for 4 people cost over £100. But by staying for just 2 nights we managed to keep the total cost including our spending whilst there to under £2000. It is possible to keep the cost affordable and still see the most amazing sights.

13 April 2017

I recently booked a group of 12 people from my local Rotary Club to visit Budapest. As a member of the club I travelled as part of the group. We flew with KLM from Birmingham to Budapest via Amsterdam instead of with Wizzair as the flight times were better with KLM and the price was about the same cost. The short stopover in Amsterdam allowed us to have an enjoyable lunch before we continued to Budapest. On arrival in Budapest we transferred to our hotel, the Three Corners Art Hotel which is found in the heart of the city. The hotel is a great 3-star hotel and is on a very quiet street, yet is just minutes from the Metro, the tram network, many of the museums and the river. Everyone was happy with the hotel which had clean rooms and friendly staff. The hotel buffet breakfast offered a large selection of hot and cold food. We opted to go on a guided cycle tour of the city. This is a great way to see a city as you feel more connected as you travel around than when you are on a coach tour. The cycle path network is extensive and our guide had a planned route that avoided cycling on busy roads. We saw the major attractions in Pest before crossing the river to Buda to visit the castle. We purchased a 72 hour pass which allowed us to travel on the Metro and trams allowing us to easily get to the key places in the city. We visited the houses of parliament and the Museum of Terror which documents the various times when Budapest was occupied by foreign powers. This museum is located in the secret police building and you can tour the cells where people were kept. It is easy to get around the city as all signs were in Hungarian and also in English. The pass also allowed us to take a ferry along the river so we went "to the end of the line" for lunch before returning to the city centre by train and tram. There is a good mix of restaurants and bars all offering Hungarian cuisine. We enjoyed most restaurants but found the riverboat restaurant "Spoons" a disappointment. A great restaurant is "Borsso", located next door to the Three Corners Art Hotel. This offered fine dining in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Menus are usually in English as well as Hungarian. The highlight of my visit was the café culture. We enjoyed pedestrianized streets, travelling by tram and stopping for a coffee or a beer. What surprised me the most was how quiet the city seems - most likely because the transport system is so good that people do not need cars in the city centre. So, if you have a few days spare and fancy getting away, please do consider Budapest as it has a lot to offer.

14 December 2016

There are a large variety of places to stay in Marrakech including luxurious and historic hotels, sumptuous resorts, family resort style hotels and many charming Riad guest houses hidden in the alleyways of the medina. With over 300 properties in our database I have the right accommodation for you. During a recent visit to Marrakech I was able to see some of the hotels. I stayed in the 5* Eden Andalou but would not recommend it. Whilst it has all the facilities to qualify as a 5* I would say it is operating to 3* standards. The rooms are spacious but the corridors are very dark and the buildings are somewhat dated. There is a waterpark which will appeal to children but overall I feel there are better hotels to stay in. The Savoy hotel is just a year old and is located in the city, just eight minutes from the Jamaa El-Fna Square. There is a shopping mall attached to the hotel and plenty of restaurants around. The hotel has some great family suites and a zero entry pool which is surrounded by the hotel buildings and therefore feels very secure. It offered spacious accommodation and a high quality is provided for the price. The famous 5* La Mamounia was a favourite of Sir Winston Churchill and the hotel now has a bar and a suite named after the statesman. They also hold some of the paintings he did whilst relaxing at the hotel. The hotel is centrally located in Marrakech and boasts some of the best gardens I have ever seen in a hotel. Every area of the hotel is infused with an aroma to heighten your senses and enhance the experience. The spa is special, and even if you are not a guest it is worth paying the fee to visit and use the facilities. This is a world famous hotel and operates to the high standards you would expect. Another luxurious hotel is the Royal Palm Resort. This is a new resort on the outskirts of Marrakech which has an 18-hole golf course and a beautiful spa operated by Clarins. The resort is operated by Beachcomber hotels who have numerous luxury hotels in Mauritius. The backdrop of the Atlas Mountains is absolutely stunning and the sense of peace and quiet will ensure a relaxing time. Yet if you want the hustle and bustle of the city it is just 20 minutes away. The rooms are modern and spacious. There are some lovely private villas in the grounds which are available to rent and these come with the butler service included. Probably the best way to experience Marrakech is to stay in a traditional Riad. A Riad is a traditional house with guest rooms. The true definition is that there is a central garden but many Riads now have a central courtyard. They are tucked away in the historic alleyways of the medina and hide some amazing luxurious places to stay. I would recommend them as you get a sense of the real Morocco when you stay in the heart of the city in such atmospheric and historic surroundings. I visited the Riad Kniza and would suggest this as an idyllic place to stay for couples who want to be in the heart of the city. There are Riads of various standards – the Riad Kniza is one of the more luxurious ones but you can stay in a Riad for £29 per room per night! If you like the sound of a holiday to Marrakech I urge you to go. A good variety of accommodation is available to suit all tastes and there is so much you can do. Have a look at my blog on what you can do in Marrakech for more ideas and information.

01 December 2016

Do you fancy going to a country where you can stay in a buzzing and exotic city, go to the beach, go on eco trips to the mountains, ride a camel in the desert, do soft adventure excursions or even where skiing is possible? Do you want to experience all of this without having to fly half way around the world? Do you fancy visiting another continent that is just over three hours away from the UK? Then a holiday to Morocco would really be a great choice for you. I was lucky enough to be invited to visit Marrakech in Morocco as part of a travel agent inspection visit by the Moroccan Tourist Board. We flew from Gatwick and spent three days in Marrakech to learn all about this amazing destination. You can fly with low cost airlines to Marrakech - EasyJet fly from Gatwick, Bristol or Manchester. Ryanair fly from Liverpool, Luton or Stansted. Or you can fly from Gatwick with British Airways on a scheduled flight if you prefer. After just over three hours, you arrive and immediately are struck by the fact that you are in a different continent with its unique African atmosphere. Entry to Morocco is easy with a simple entry form to fill out on arrival and Marrakech Airport has a welcoming arrivals hall. Transfers to the hotels usually take just 15 minutes as the airport is close to the city. When in Marrakech a visit to the Jemaa el-Fna Square is a must. This is the main square in Marrakech and has a multitude of entertainers with contortionists, snake charmers and musicians galore. Explore the alleyways of the Souk with tradesmen selling everything you can imagine. The Souk is large and it is easy to lose your sense of direction but I urge you to dive in and explore it as it offers an exotic and exciting atmosphere. It is worth buying a drink at one of the café’s that overlook the square as the view from their rooftop seating areas is the best view possible. You can venture out of Marrakech to the desert or the mountains. I opted for a day trip to the Terres D’Amanar estate in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains as it was just 45 minutes from Marrakech. The estate offers mountain biking, electric mountain biking (the motor increases your pedal power by up to 300 times making it easy to go up the steep hills), horse riding, zip wires with wire suspension bridges, archery and a variety of team building activities. I would suggest staying here for a couple of days as there is so much to do. There is a variety of accommodation including eco-lodges built in traditional Berber-style and glamping in earth buildings with canvas roofs. The standard of the accommodation is surprisingly luxurious and the food is truly Moroccan and of a high standard. This was my first visit to Marrakech and I now cannot wait to go back. I enjoy the buzz of an exciting city but also would enjoy relaxing at the beach or going into the mountains and desert for a sense of adventure. A holiday to Morocco allows you to do them all in one trip! If this is your idea of a good holiday then Marrakech would be a great choice for you. If my blog was of interest to you then please do contact me. Please also look for my blog on where you can stay in Marrakech.

22 October 2015

The attraction of a two centre holiday to Miami Beach and the Florida Keys is the complete contrast between them. Miami Beach is a cosmopolitan lively city whilst the Florida Keys offers a laid back almost sleepy escape. And linking these two wonderful destinations is one of the iconic road trip drives in the USA following US Highway 1 – The Overseas Highway. A highlight of this dramatic drive is the spectacular Seven Mile Bridge linking Islamorada to the Lower Keys. I suggest you start in Miami Beach as it has a real buzz. It is a place where you can spot the rich and famous posing in trendy hotels and on the glorious sands at South Beach. But Miami Beach also offers art festivals, music festivals and museums galore. You can delve into the American way of life and take in a Miami Heat basketball game or a Miami Dolphins American football game. I have visited over a hundred Miami hotels. My favourite is the 5* Fontainebleau as it offers the glitz and glamour associated with the area. But I also like the art deco charm of the recently refurbished 4* National and a great budget option is a private room in the trendy 3* Freehand hostel which has one of the best garden bars in Miami. Having spent a few days soaking up the Miami atmosphere I like to escape the frantic pace. The Florida Keys stretch out into the Gulf of Mexico like a pearl necklace with hundreds of islets called cays which are linked by the spectacular US 1 Highway. Most stunning is the iconic Seven Mile Bridge which links Marathon with the Lower Keys. The Florida Keys offers a laid back slower pace that seems almost to be in a time warp from a time when life was less complicated. Key West has always attracted artists and other people who want to escape the rat race and those who seek a more bohemian way of life. Duval Street in Key West has many restaurants and bars and has a wonderful atmosphere. The 5* Hyatt Regency Key West is in a quiet location just 5 minutes’ walk from Duval Street. A cheaper option is to stay in the 3* Doubletree Grand Key West. This hotel operates a shuttle bus to Duval Street so you can still enjoy the nightlife. The drive to Key West is just 150 miles from Miami, but to fully appreciate the slower pace and relaxed lifestyle I suggest you stop off both ways. There is a good selection of hotels along the route but one of the best is the 4* Hawks Cay located at Duck Key. Here you can relax, arrange fishing trips and enjoy the peace and nature all around you. You can even swim with dolphins as Hawks Cay is the home to Dolphin Connection – a research and educational centre for marine mammals. I hope I have whetted your appetite. Imagine hiring a Corvette or a Mustang, putting the roof down in the glorious weather of the Sunshine State, and experiencing the contrast that Miami and The Florida Keys gives as you explore along the Overseas Highway. If you are tempted to book a holiday to Florida and the Florida Keys then please do call me.

20 October 2015

I was lucky enough to work as a hotel negotiator for a travel company. I used to visit destinations to check out the hotels and then to negotiate the lowest possible price that would be paid for a room. I have travelled the world doing a job that many have said they would love to do. My area of expertise is the Caribbean and Florida and I have visited these regions many times through my work. I decided that I should take my family to see Florida as I went there often and they had never been and booked us all a holiday to Orlando. But my two boys are both teenagers and they certainly were not interested in Disney. The joy of going on holiday to Orlando is that there are plenty of other things to do. We started by visiting Universal Studios. The rides at the theme park are good and the theme is just a bit older making it a place where all ages can enjoy themselves. We also visited Seaworld. Here there are fewer rides but the ones that are there are good. On top of that you can also watch the famous shows which the attraction is famous for. Just remember to take a waterproof cover if you are going to sit near the front. We also spent some days away from the theme parks. One day we went on an airboat ride in the Everglades to see the alligators and other wildlife. The airboats are fun but please do remember to keep your mouth closed as when you hurtle through the reeds, bugs and flies get knocked off them and will hit you in the face. Probably the best day out was to the Kennedy Space Centre. It is only 45 minutes’ drive from Orlando and has a huge display of spacecraft including the iconic Space Shuttle. My children loved this day out and it was a much cheaper option than paying to go to another theme park. I always finish my blogs with a question. And this time I want to ask “did we enjoy it and would I book again?” Yes we did enjoy it and would happily visit again. My older children had plenty to interest them that was suitable for their ages. And in a few years I may even manage to bring the hidden child out of them so we can go and see Mickey next time.

29 September 2015

I had never considered booking a cruise. Having been sat on a fantastic beach enjoying everything a pretty destination has to offer, I have always felt that the extremely brief visit by cruise ship passengers meant they would not really experience it fully. But one year I decided that I wanted a holiday which involved visiting many different places rather than basing myself in one place. I did not fancy many hours in a coach or hire car and so I was really surprised to find that a cruise might be the perfect solution. The advantage of a cruise is that the journey often occurs overnight and you wake up in a new destination relaxed and ready for a day’s sightseeing. And if the journey is during the day it is still enjoyable as you can relax and enjoy the myriad of facilities available on board. I opted for a one week cruise on the Ruby Princess starting in Athens. We would visit Mykonos, Kusadasi (for Ephasus), Santorini, Naples (for Pompei) and finish in Rome. We decided to stay in Athens and Rome for a few extra days to give us more time to explore the cities. I had always wanted to visit Santorini and was curious to see what Mykonos was like. If I liked them I could always book to go back there on holiday another time. Cultural cities do not come much better than Athens and Rome and in addition to these cities I would also visit the amazing historical sites at Ephasus and Pompei. Many people have pre-conceptions about a cruise holiday. “A cruise is too formal”, “you have to eat at fixed sittings with other people you do not know”, “A cruise is expensive” and “only the elderly go”. But the reality is that you do not have to go to formal evenings if you prefer not to, you can book cruises where you can eat at whatever time you want to and at a table just for yourselves, the costs are very reasonable when you consider what you actually get. Because of this cruises are now popular with people of all ages. My experience on the Ruby Princess was excellent. The ship operates to a very high standard with extremely attentive, helpful and friendly staff. We swam in the pools, played crazy golf, enjoyed a professional entertainment programme and sampled high quality cuisine and drinks from a great selection of restaurants and bars. Would I book a cruise again? Yes I would as we really enjoyed the ships facilities. The holiday allowed us to sample a wonderful variety of destinations over a large distance and yet to finish the holiday feeling totally relaxed.

22 September 2015

For our summer holiday this year we decided to book a villa in Tuscany. The reason was that some of my family enjoy relaxing by the pool but others enjoy visiting places to take in the history and culture. The advantage of staying in Tuscany is that you can visit some interesting and beautiful places in the region. We flew Easyjet from Bristol to Pisa, picked up a hire car and then drove for 2 hours to our villa. The villa was just outside a walled town called Lucignano – a classic example of Medieval town planning with high exterior walls and narrow alleyways circling around the towns interior. Whilst some people prefer to be in the country with no near neighbours, I have found that selecting a villa near to a town allows you to easily shop for provisions, pop out to a local bar for a few drinks and also to eat out in a selection of restaurants without someone having to drive. We could therefore enjoy sampling the local wine without having to worry about how much we had drunk. We spend half of our week enjoying relaxing by the pool with a lovely view towards the town. The pool terrace was quiet, private and equipped with comfortable sunbeds. The pool itself was really well maintained but was initially cold when getting in. Once in you could splash around for ages. Most villa pools are not heated and our experience was typical of what you will find in the area. The other half of our week involved day trips to visit the major cities and towns in the area. We visited Florence, Siena and Pisa. Our highlight in Florence was exploring on and around the Ponte Vecchio – a historical bridge over the River Arne with shops built on it. We also enjoyed the Cathedral which is spectacular on the outside but somewhat plain and simple inside. In Siena we visited the main square where the famous annual horse race takes place and also the cathedral which was more interesting inside than the one in Florence. Finally we visited Pisa to see the iconic leaning tower. Was the holiday a success? Yes it was a success as we could easily combine some wonderful sightseeing with a relaxing villa holiday lazing by the pool. If you are tempted to visit this fascinating part of Italy there are a number of villa providers we can offer who provide some fantastic properties in the region. Please do not hesitate to call me if you want any further information and advice.

08 July 2015

Greece is experiencing some troubling times and many tourists are nervous about booking a holiday there at the moment due to the difficult financial situation. Given the uncertainty it is worth remembering why Greece is such a special holiday destination. I was lucky enough to be taken on holidays abroad from an early age and my parents’ destination of choice was the Greek Islands. I remember unspoilt islands with a slow pace of life and local tavernas serving Greek dishes alongside a glass of Retsina. I was wondering whether this simple Greek charm was still possible and so visited Greece in search of it again. I chose Loggos on the island of Paxos in the Ionian Islands and booked myself and my family into a villa with a pool on the outskirts of the town. We flew to Corfu and then took the ferry to Paxos. You can also travel by “Flying Dolphin” hydrofoil service. This is quicker but gets fully booked in the peak seasons. On arrival I was not disappointed as Loggos offered a simple charm with a cluster of tavernas surrounding the pretty harbour. We settled in for a week’s stay and enjoyed the relaxed lifestyle that a villa holiday offers. We enjoyed the pool and also exploring the local paths through olive groves to find hidden beaches in pretty coves. We also hired a small speedboat as you can motor around the whole island in just a few hours. Perhaps the best thing we did was to find a deserted cove and drop anchor to swim and sunbathe. We continued by boat to Gaios, the main town in Paxos, and spent a couple of hours exploring the alleyways and churches before doing some shopping. The beaches on Paxos are pebbled, but a trip in our boat to Antipaxos took us to glorious sandy beaches. These beaches can get crowded but were certainly worth a visit for one day. The rest of our week was spent exploring the area, relaxing at our villa and enjoying the pool. Every evening we wandered into Loggos to eat at a taverna and watch the world go by. Paxos is still quiet because it is a bit harder to get to. The ferry journey helps to keep the mass hoards away and the island manages to keep its Greek charm as a result. Did I find the unspoilt “Real Greece” that I remember? I would say that I did. I mentioned the difficult situation that is ongoing in Greece and perhaps the best way to help Greece turn its economy around is to book a holiday there. And if you do book to go, in addition to helping the Greek economy you could have one of the best holidays ever!

18 May 2015

When you think of Venice I am sure your first thought is of canals. But a highlight of my recent visit was exploring the streets and passageways of this enchanting city. We spent a few days there in April – a good time to visit before the high summer temperatures bring in the crowds. When you arrive in Venice you can get a boat from the airport direct to many of the hotels. But since this is an expensive option we chose to get the bus. The ACTV runs every 15 minutes and takes 25 minutes to get to Pizzale Roma but can get fairly crowded. Another option is the ATVO coach which runs every 30 minutes. It is slightly more expensive but far less crowded. Our hotel was a 3* hotel called the Al Sole. It is in the Palazzo Marcello, a 15th century canal side residence built for the Marcello family and still owned by them today. It is located just 5 minutes’ walk from the bus station in a quiet area of Venice, but is just 15 minutes’ walk from the Rialto Bridge, about 20 minutes from St Mark’s Square and there are bars and restaurants in the area. Our canal-view room was simply furnished in keeping with the historical ambiance of the building. In addition to the obvious attractions of gondola trips, a drink in the cafés in St Mark’s Square, crossing the Rialto Bridge and journeying along the Grand Canal on the water bus or in your own water taxi, I urge you to set off on foot to explore and get lost in the myriad of alleyways. There is a wonderful guide book called “Venice for Pleasure” written by J G Links. It is a quirky and somewhat old fashioned guide written in 1966, but still offers relevant advice for visitors today, with 5 suggested walks for exploring all areas of Venice. We had a lot of fun trying to follow the routes and saw parts of Venice that many other visitors would simply miss. The guide also encourages you to stop along the route in cafés, bars and restaurants. We stopped at Harrys Bar to try a Bellini cocktail as this is where the drink was first created. There is a lot of hype about Venice but I have to say that it is a city that exceeded my hopes and expectations. So much so that I plan to go back there next year! There are many hotels to choose from and if you would like to visit this wonderful city please do not hesitate to contact me.