Northern Europe
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How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in Gothenburg, Sweden
With low cost flights on offer to Sweden’s second city, a city break to Gothenburg was very tempting and so on a recent Friday evening we boarded a flight from Manchester airport over to western Sweden. I’m a big fan of the Nordic region and after enjoying visits to Stockholm and Uppsala, I felt certain…
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Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol Airport Review
Hotel Review Location: Hilton Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is linked via a covered walkway to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport and with the city centre being only 20 minutes away by train, the hotel is ideally located for a city break or overnight layover. Arrival and check in: After arriving into Schiphol Airport on board a KLM flight…
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Exploring Fazer Experience: The Ultimate Chocolate Tour in Vantaa, Finland
The Fazer Experience Founded in 1891, Fazer is one of the most famous Finnish food companies, producing chocolate, cakes and confectionery since 1894. Whenever I visit Finland I always return home with a selection of their delicious chocolates so it was a perfect opportunity for me to learn more about the company and to sample…
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Exploring Pellinge Marina: A Hidden Gem Near Porvoo, Finland
Resort Review Pellinge Marina is located on the idyllic island of Pellinge in the Porvoo archipelago of eastern Finland. The historic fishing farm has been transformed into a luxurious resort with the dark wooden cluster of buildings forming the marina complex blending in beautifully with the natural environment. Getting there: The resort is accessible both…
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RUNO Hotel, Porvoo, Finland Review
Hotel Review Whilst visiting the Finnish capital of Helsinki it’s also a perfect opportunity to spend a couple of days exploring Porvoo. Located 50 km east of Helsinki, it’s Finland’s second oldest city and its best preserved. The small city is noted for its old wooden town, charming cobblestone streets and ochre painted riverside warehouses. …
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Cruising Between Helsinki and Stockholm: Tallink-Silja Deluxe Class Review
Whilst staying in Helsinki recently we planned a two day Roundtrip Cruise to Stockholm. Cruise ferries depart daily at 4.45 p.m. and arrive in Stockholm the next morning enabling visitors to spend a day in the Swedish capital before returning to the ferry for the return voyage. Embarkation: Tallink-Silja Line have two identical cruise ferries operating on…
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Park Hotel Post, Freiburg, Germany Review
Hotel Review Park Hotel Post is a four star hotel located in a beautiful old building on the edge of Freiburg’s old town. Location: Freiburg is a university town and popular tourist destination on the western edge of the Black Forest in south west Germany, lying close to the Rhine river in the state of…
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Moxy, The Hague Review
Hotel Review: The Hague is The Netherlands’ third largest city after Amsterdam and Rotterdam and the administrative capital of the country. It’s the home of the Dutch royal family, the government and the base for numerous international organisations. Rich in history, art and architecture this compact city is the perfect location for a weekend city…
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From The Little Mermaid to Rosenborg Castle: Top Copenhagen Attractions
The Little Mermaid Our final day in Copenhagen started with a stroll to the northern part of Copenhagen’s harbour to view Denmark’s most famous statue. The bronze sculpture of the Little Mermaid is located just off the shore and has been sitting on a rock in the harbour for over a hundred years. Despite its…
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Discover Copenhagen’s Must-See Spots and the Home of Carlsberg Brewery
After an early breakfast at the Scandic Copenhagen we set off for a visit to Christiansborg Palace, one of the city’s premier attractions. Located in Slotsholmen, the palace has an 800 year old history as Denmark’s centre of power. The present building was completed in 1928 and is used by the Royal Family for official events…
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Copenhagen City Break
It’s always fun to explore somewhere new, so we woke with excited anticipation in readiness for our early morning Ryanair flight from London Stansted to Copenhagen’s Kastrup Airport. With a flight time of just 1 hour 45 minutes we were touching down at 10.45 a.m. local time. With Scandinavian efficiency, we passed through immigration and…
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Mons, Belgium – the best things to see and do
Mons is the capital of the Hainaut Province of Wallonia in southern Belgium and was awarded the European Capital of Culture in 2015 as it resembles an open-air museum with its wall murals, stunning architecture and heritage buildings. Getting there: To make the most of your weekend I suggest an early start. We took an…
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A day in Bremerhaven from Bremen, Germany
Bremerhaven is situated on the North Sea coast of Germany, a short rail journey from Bremen. Maritime history combined with historical sights makes for a worthwhile day trip. The town was originally a sea port for the Hanseatic city of Bremen but soon grew to become a city in its own right as a major…
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Travel Guide: Bremen, Germany
Travel Guide: Bremen About: The city of Bremen is situated in north west Germany lying approximately 120 km south west of Hamburg. Its location on the Weser River enabled the city to be a key post in the Hanseatic League. The League was a group of trading guilds that existed during the 13th to 17th…
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Hotel Scandic Hamburg Emporio, Germany Review
Hotel Review Location: This large, modern hotel is one of the tallest in Hamburg and is located in the city enter close to the Gänsemarkt U-Bahn station. It’s also a short 800m walk from Jungfernstieg on the banks of the Alster and one of my favourite parts of the city. Arrival and check-in: I arrived…
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Hotel Hirschen, Schluchsee, Black Forest Germany Review
Hotel Review Location: Hotel Hirschen is located in a small village a five minute drive (3 km) from the charming lakeside resort of Schluchsee in the scenic Black Forest. The hotel is an ideal base for hiking, cycling and cross-country ski holidays being just 15 km from the Feldberg mountain and a 40 minute drive…
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Christmas in The Hague: A Festive Guide
I’ve just returned from the most wonderful weekend in The Hague celebrating the opening of the Royal Christmas Fair which is one of the largest and most beautiful Christmas markets in The Netherlands. The visit really got me into the festive spirit and I hope you will enjoy following in my footsteps around this enchanting…
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RUNO Hotel, Porvoo, Finland Review
Hotel Review Whilst visiting the Finnish capital of Helsinki it’s also a perfect opportunity to spend a couple of days exploring Porvoo. Located 50 km east of Helsinki, it’s Finland’s second oldest city and its best preserved. The small city is noted for its old wooden town, charming cobblestone streets and ochre painted riverside warehouses. …
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Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Porvoo, Finland’s Picture-Perfect Town
Visiting Porvoo: Whilst staying in Helsinki it’s a perfect opportunity to spend a day or two exploring Porvoo. Located 50 km east of the capital, it’s Finland’s second oldest city and its best preserved. The small city is noted for its old wooden town, charming cobblestone streets and ochre painted riverside warehouses. Porvoo is…
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Helsinki Biennial 2023 – Vallisaari Island
The second biennial arranged by Helsinki Art Museum (HAM) took place between June-September this year with its main venue being on Vallisaari Island. I didn’t have an opportunity to attend the inaugural exhibition so I looked forward to being in Finland when the second one was happening. The Biennial is divided between Vallisaari and Helsinki…
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Caracalla Spa, Baden-Baden: A Complete Guide to Germany’s Famous Thermal Baths
We were blessed with sunshine once again on our final day in south west Germany and what better way to end our trip than with a visit to the stunning Caracalla Spa in the centre of Baden-Baden. The town’s Roman Baths date all the way back to the first century when the Roman emperor Caracalla…
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A Scenic Walk Through Baden-Baden, Germany: Culture, Parks & Architecture
After sleeping soundly at our hotel in Gutach, we tucked into a delicious breakfast spread served to our table at Gasthof Hirsch. With freshly baked croissants, eggs, cold cuts of meat, fruit and cheese to tempt us, we definitely overindulged setting us up for the day ahead. Back in the car, it was just an…
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Exploring Triberg Waterfalls and the Black Forest Open-Air Museum in Gutach
After starting the day with a delicious buffet breakfast at the characterful Hotel Hirschen which included ham, eggs, cheese, fresh fruit and rye bread we were ready to load up the car and continue our road trip through the Black Forest. Our first stop of the day was the town of Triberg, famous for its…
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Top Things to Do in Freiburg and the Hochschwarzwald, Germany
After a good night’s sleep we started the day with a delicious buffet breakfast at the Park Hotel Post setting us up nicely for the day ahead. Our morning began with a stroll over to the cobbled Münsterplatz (main square) where a large market was already underway. The market takes place each morning with the…
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