Northern Europe
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Tallink Megastar Review: Helsinki to Tallinn Ferry Experience
Spending time in the Finnish capital of Helsinki is absolutely lovely and one of my favourite places to visit. As well as enjoying the city and surrounding area taking a ferry across to Tallinn in Estonia for a day is a very popular excursion as the journey time is only two hours. On our recent…
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Explore Luxembourg’s Moselle Valley: A Scenic Wine Region
Our final day in beautiful Luxembourg had come around all too quickly but with a late afternoon flight back to the UK we still had ample time to explore. Our plan for the day was to drive to Luxembourg’s wine growing region in the Moselle Valley just 40 minutes from the city centre. We made…
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Discover Luxembourg’s Müllerthal Region: The Little Switzerland
From our base in Luxembourg’s city centre it was just a 40 minute drive to the Müllerthal region which is often referred to as Little Switzerland due to its hilly landscape and beautiful hiking trails. Our first stop was at the Scheissendempel Cascade located on road 121 close to Müllerthal. We parked in a small…
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The Best Castles to Explore in Luxembourg
After spending the previous day exploring Luxembourg’s industrial heritage we turned our attention to its beautiful Ardennes region. This is located in the north eastern part of the country and home to several magnificent castles. We drove along some winding roads and made our first stop at Bourscheid Castle, a 40 minute journey from the…
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A Guide to Luxembourg’s Industrial Heritage Sites
After exploring the sights of Luxembourg City centre the previous day, we turned our attention to the country as a whole with a plan to spend the following days touring Luxembourg’s four distinct regions starting with the industrial heritage of the south west. As public transport is totally free throughout the entire country we did…
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Exploring Luxembourg City Centre: Top Attractions and Hidden Gems
Luxembourg is one of the world’s smallest countries, similar in size to the county of Dorset in south west England. It’s located in north western Europe and bordered by Belgium, France and Germany. It may only be small but it certainly packs a punch as we found out during our recent visit. The previous afternoon…
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Leonardo Royal Hotel, Nuremberg Review
Hotel Review Location: Nuremberg is situated in Bavaria, southern Germany and is a delightful place to enjoy a city break with its impressive old town, Imperial castle and wealth of museums. The Leonardo Royal Hotel is a newly opened hotel (2021) located in the city centre just a few steps from the railway station. As…
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A Walk Around Prague Centre: Exploring the Heart of the City
Our final day in Prague had come around all too quickly but as we were booked home on an evening flight we still had plenty of time to enjoy the city. After checking out of the lovely Mama Shelter hotel we took a short tram ride to Letna Park, located in an elevated position in the…
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Discover Prague’s Hidden Gems: Off-the-Beaten-Path Attractions
Our day started with a visit to Prague Planetarium located close to the hotel in Stromovka Park. It’s dome is one of the largest in the world and measures 23.5 metres in diameter. It’s free to view the permanent exhibition of optics and to explore the numerous interactive astronomy displays. For those interested in star gazing, tickets…
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Prague Castle and National Museum: Must-Visit Historical Landmarks
After enjoying a hearty breakfast in the lovely restaurant at Mama Shelter we boarded a tram to Wenceslas Square so that we could visit the National Museum. This square is the largest in Prague and takes its name from St. Wenceslas, the Czech patron. It’s actually more of a rectangle than a square and was formerly known…
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How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in Prague
The previous afternoon we’d taken an EasyJet flight from Manchester over to Václav Havel airport in Prague to enjoy a short break in the Czech capital. Getting into the centre was inexpensive as 90 minute transport tickets cost only 40czk (£1.38). For visitors aged 65+ travel on public transport is free of charge and no…
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The Wensleydale Hotel, Middleham, North Yorkshire Review
Hotel Review Location: The Wensleydale Hotel is located in the delightful small town of Middleham nestled on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. It’s just two miles from the bustling market town of Leyburn and 10 miles from Richmond. For those travelling from London or the south, Middleham can be reached by taking…
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Lapland Hotels Saaga, Ylläs, Lapland, Finland Review
Hotel Review Location: Lapland Hotels, Saaga is a year round resort hotel situated 175 km north of the arctic circle in Ylläs, Lapland. The Ylläs area comprises the two villages of Äkaslompolo on the northern side of Ylläs fell and Ylläsjarvi to the south which are connected by a scenic road. Although it sounds remote,…
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Hotel Levi Panorama, Levi, Lapland, Finland Review
Hotel Review Location: Hotel Levi Panorama is a luxurious resort hotel located on the slopes of Levi Fell, 110 miles north of the arctic circle in Lapland, Finland. Getting to Levi is quite easy as there are daily connecting flights from Helsinki international airport to Kittilä with Finnair (journey time 1 hour 20 minutes). Levi…
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Top Things to See in Gdansk: Shipyards and Amber Museum
We started off the final day of our weekend in Gdansk with a short tram ride to the European Solidarity Centre which was constructed alongside the historic shipyards. It is free to enter the building but tickets are required for the permanent exhibition 30zl (£5.55). The exhibition begins with the widespread strikes of August 1980 following…
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Exploring Poland’s Tri-City: Oliwa, Sopot & Gdynia Highlights
It was a bright, sunny morning just perfect for our planned trip to the neighbouring towns of Oliwa, Sopot and Gdynia. As they are located close together it’s very easy to combine a visit to all three by taking the SKM train from Gdansk Glowny station. Our Gdansk Cards included the use of transport in the…
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Must-Visit Attractions in Gdansk, Poland
Our day began with a visit to the National Maritime Museum along the historic riverside. A combined entrance ticket 35zl (£6.50) can be purchased to include the museum ship Soldek moored alongside. Entrance is also included in the Gdańsk Card. The museum located in three restored old granaries is devoted to Gdańsk’s role as a Baltic seaport…
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How to Spend the Perfect Gdansk City Break
It was another early morning start for our journey to London Stansted airport for our 8.25 a.m. Ryanair flight to the Polish city of Gdansk. We managed to catch up on some sleep during the flight and it seemed no time at all until we were touching down into Lech Walęsa airport at 11.30 a.m.…
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Summer in Ylläs, Finnish Lapland: Best Things to Do Under the Midnight Sun
I was recently invited to visit two of Finnish Lapland’s top summer destinations, both of which are high above the arctic circle. I’ve just published an article on Levi and now I am turning my attention to the equally beautiful village of Ylläs located one hour away by car. Getting there: I flew with Finnair…
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Why Levi is the Perfect Summer Destination in Finnish Lapland
Lapland is well known as a winter destination and famed for its ski tracks, viewing the Northern Lights and of course for the magical experience of visiting Father Christmas in his snowy cabin. However, did you know that Levi is an absolutely beautiful place to visit during the summertime when the sun never sets and…
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Zaanse Schans Windmills, Amsterdam
Located 15 km north of Amsterdam in a picturesque setting you will discover a wonderful historic village on the banks of the River Zaan. The area is delightful with its row of windmills, craft workshops and excellent museums. The site is free to visit, however most of the museums charge an individual entrance fee so…
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Vesting Hotel, Naarden, The Netherlands Review
Hotel Review Location: Naarden is a UNESCO World Heritage star shaped fortress which was built to protect the city from attack and is one of the best preserved medieval fortified towns in Europe. This unique town is approximately 30 minutes from Amsterdam by car and by train 25 minutes from Amsterdam Central Station to Naarden-Bussum. From…
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48 Hours in Warsaw: A Perfect Weekend Itinerary
With cheap air fares, Warsaw is perfect for an inexpensive weekend break. The Polish capital has much to offer with its picturesque old town, historical landmarks, museums and parks yet is often overlooked in favour of Krakow. Getting there: We took an early morning flight with Ryanair from Leeds-Bradford airport, arriving into Warsaw Modlin 35…
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Exploring Muiderslot Castle and the Singer Laren Museum, The Netherlands
We’d slept like logs in our comfortable bed at the Vesting Hotel, Naarden and what a treat there was in store for us down in the restaurant. Rather than a buffet, guests are served their own breakfast platters complete with freshly baked bread and pastries. The boiled eggs were deliciously soft, the cappuccinos brewed to perfection…
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