Northern Europe
-
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…
-
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…
-
How to spend a day in Bremerhaven, 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…
-
Top things to see and do in Bremen, Germany
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 centuries. Its purpose…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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. …
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
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…
-
A Day in Freiburg: Exploring the Heart of the Black Forest
We took an early morning flight from London Heathrow to Basel airport, officially referred to as Euro Airport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg. The airport lies in France on the south western edge of the Black Forest, close to the borders with Switzerland and Germany. Passengers are able to depart from either the Swiss or French side…
-
Porta Superia Boutique B&B Mechelen, Belgium Review
Hotel Review Mechelen is one of Flanders five art cities and an absolute hidden gem. The city is located 13 miles (21 km) from Brussels. I suggest escaping the crowds of Bruges and taking time to spend a day or two exploring this charming city. Location: The 4 star rated boutique Porta Superia B &…
-
Top Things to Do in Tallinn Using the Tallinn Card
Tallinn is one of the best preserved Hanseatic old towns in Europe and its delightful old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Whether you are arriving by air, ferry or cruise ship the old town is easily reachable within 15 minutes. We travelled on the luxurious Tallink My Star ferry from…
-
Tallink MyStar Review: Ferry Experience from Helsinki to Tallinn
On our recent visit to Helsinki we arranged a trip on the flagship Tallink MyStar. As ferries depart up to seven times a day we opted to take the popular 10.30 a.m. service. MyStar entered operational service in December 2022 and has since been sailing on Tallink’s Gulf of Finland route between its homeport of…
-
How to Visit Fiskars Village on a Day Trip from Helsinki
Fiskars is a beautiful ironworks village surrounded by lakes and forests and home to many artists and craftspeople. It’s a lovely place to enjoy the Finnish countryside and can be reached from Helsinki in approximately 75 minutes by car or slightly longer by public transport. Visitors without cars can take a train to Karjaa then…
-
Scandic Helsinki Hub, Finland Review
Hotel Review Location: Scandic Helsinki Hub is a recently opened hotel housed in an impressive former 1920’s print works overlooking Old Church Park, Helsinki. The hotel enjoys a city centre location close to metro and tram routes and is just a short walk from the tree lined Esplanade with its designer shops and stylish cafes. …
-
Original Sokos Hotel Tapiola Garden, Finland Review
Location: Hotel Tapiola Garden is a four star hotel located in the garden city of Tapiola and is only 15 minutes by metro or car from the centre of Helsinki. We arrived by public transport from Helsinki International Airport which was very easy as trains run at 10 minute intervals into Helsinki central railway station…
-
How to Spend One Day in Cannes, France
From our base in Nice it was easy to visit Cannes by public transport as it’s possible to travel there either by bus or train. We chose to take the train (final destination Marseilles) departing from Nice Ville central station (single tickets € 7.20). Do try to sit on the left hand side of the…
-
Best Things to Do in Menton in One Day
There are just so many beautiful places that are easily accessible by public transport from Nice that we were able to select a different destination each day. Our plan for the day was to visit Menton, the pearl of France which lies close to the Italian border. It’s possible to reach the town by either…
-
A day in Ventimiglia, Italy
From our base in Nice we planned a day trip to Ventimiglia, 8 km across the border in western Liguria, Italy. We took the 10:36 train from Nice Ville station (single tickets €8 for the 55 minute journey). As with our visit the previous day to Antibes we opted to buy single tickets as these…
Love Travelling Blog 