If you’re a cycling fan like me, Valkenburg means one thing – the Cauberg. The most famous summit in one of the Spring Classics, the Amstel Gold Race which takes place every April (global pandemics permitting, it was cancelled in 2020). Yes, there are hills in the southern Dutch province of Limburg and they’re a…
Category: Europe
England’s Medieval Festival at Herstmonceux Castle
England’s Medieval Festival takes place over the August bank holiday weekend at Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, which is about an hour and a half from London or 45 minutes from Brighton. It claims to be the best medieval festival in England – a bold statement when it takes place not so far from the famous Loxwood Joust in West Sussex
Discover the Dolomites on a city break in Trento, Italy
Trento is the jewel of the Italian Dolomites, a city I’d never heard of until recently when a travel conference brought me to town for a weekend. It’s only an hour by train out of Verona and as soon as the journey begins the landscape transforms from flat plains to the green foothills of the…
I left my heart in…Split, Croatia
Searching for an alternative to Dubrovnik for your Croatian holiday? Split is relaxed, stuffed full of Roman history and has great places to eat and drink.
Celebrating Carnival in Palma de Mallorca
Being in Palma for the weekend of their famous carnival was a happy coincidence, but one that meant we could see the Sa Rua parade in all its glory. It may not be on the scale of Rio, but there’s colour and dazzling outfits as far as the eye can see in the 90 minute…
Summer days in Sardinia
Sardinia is a great place to slow down. We often pack our holidays full of things to do every day, but sometimes it’s just nice to relax. So a four-night break in June was perfect to unwind a bit. We stayed on the east coast of Sardinia at Arbatax for three nights, filling our time…
Why you should visit Herculaneum instead of Pompeii
Staying in the Naples or Sorrento area during a trip to Italy? The region is home to two fascinating archaeological sites in Herculaneum and Pompeii. But if you only have one day to spare, which should you visit? We visited both last year and although it’s amazing to see such a famous site as Pompeii,…
Cave cities, castles and spa towns: 5 reasons to visit western Georgia
The spectacular scenery of the high peaks of the Caucasus stretches across Georgia, which perches on the far eastern edge of Europe, bordering Turkey, Azerbaijan and Armenia. It’s finally starting to attract visitors in greater numbers, thanks to cheap flights from Europe and Russia, but it’s still relatively unknown (many people thought I was visiting…
Don’t let the crowds put you off Amalfi
The Amalfi coast is gorgeous and a drive/bus ride along its full length an excellent way to spend a day. But man, is it crowded. We visited back in April, just after Easter and the tourist season was already in full swing. Amalfi is blessed with a balmy climate from March right through to the…
10 best views of Sorrento, Vesuvius and the Amalfi Coast
Italy is one of my favourite places and yet, until last week, I’d only been there twice. So another visit, this time to Sorrento on the Bay of Naples, was long overdue. Somehow being surrounded by orange and lemon groves, walking around in sandals in April, surrounded by the bluest of seas really gave…