Southern Europe
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Rome City Break Walking Guide: How to Explore Rome on Foot
As we had booked an early morning flight from London Heathrow, we decided to stay overnight at the London Hounslow Travelodge which was easily accessible from the Piccadilly Line. We found a J.D. Wetherspoon pub nearby and took advantage of their Thursday evening curry night specials before returning to our room for a few hours sleep. It…
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Rome & the Vatican: Top Attractions and Must-See Sights
We woke at 8.00 a.m. and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant before catching the metro to Ottaviano S. Pietro station so that we could visit the Vatican. Since 1929 the Vatican has been an independent state and is located across the Tiber river from central Rome. It was a beautiful sunny morning…
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Rome’s Spanish Steps and an Afternoon in Bracciano: A Travel Guide
It was another bright, sunny morning as we made our way to Piazza di Spagna to climb the Spanish Steps. The square was already crowded with tourists around the fountain at the foot of the steps known as the ‘fountain of the old boat’. The fountain resembles a sinking ship and is thought to be…
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Rome Travel Guide: Gianicolo Hill and Trastevere Neighbourhoods
On our final morning in Rome we started the day with a visit to the Gianicolo Hill viewpoint, one of the highest hills in Rome. It’s located above the Vatican and Trastevere districts to the west of the Tiber. Our phone map suggested taking the train to S. Pietro station and following a path from…
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Bratislava City Break – Day 1
On noticing that Ryanair had introduced weekly flights to Bratislava from Leeds Bradford Airport we were tempted into a weekend break in the Slovakian capital. Dragging ourselves out of bed at 3.15 am to reach the airport in time for our early 6.45 am departure wasn’t great but the upside was that we would be…
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Bratislava to Vienna by Train: Everything You Need to Know for a Perfect Visit
Waking at 7.00 a.m. to the sounds of our alarm, we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the Holiday Inn’s light and airy restaurant before setting out. Our plan, to spend a full day sightseeing in Vienna. I’ve not been to Vienna before, in fact I’ve only ever visited Austria once and that was many years…
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Day Trip from Bratislava to Trnava: Travel Tips, Attractions & Itinerary
Whilst waiting at the tram stop on our way back to the hotel the previous evening I noticed a sign indicating weekend transport service disruption because of the Bratislava Marathon so back in the hotel we researched its route to find a good spot to watch it from. As luck would have it, the race…
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What to See in Bratislava: Must-Visit Landmarks and Hidden Gems
The final day of our city break in Bratislava, and one on which we planned to slow the pace somewhat. Allowing ourselves a much deserved lie in, we enjoyed a leisurely, late breakfast before checking out of our hotel at 11.00 a.m. This huge, out of town hotel catering mostly for business travellers and conference…
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Travelling to Malta
Finding a good deal online for a winter week in Malta seemed irresistible and as it’s somewhere we haven’t already visited it’s an opportunity to explore a ‘new’ country. Flights during the winter are infrequent, so we opted for an early morning departure from Manchester. Rather than risk the weather and drive to the airport…
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Exploring Valletta, Malta: A Complete Guide to the City’s History, Culture, and Attractions
After a good night’s sleep we enjoyed a hearty breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant and then walked the short distance to the Bugibba bus station to catch a bus into Malta’s capital Valletta. It’s possible to take the 31, 45 and 48 buses and the journey takes approximately one hour on each service. Valletta is…
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One Day in Gozo: The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Gozo by Ferry from Malta
Drawing back the curtains we were dismayed to find it was raining heavily and a strong wind was blowing. Not to be deterred, we kept with our original plans and caught a bus (No.221) to the Gozo ferry terminal at Cirkewwa, taking approximately 30 minutes. During the winter months ferries depart for Gozo at 45…
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Sliema Travel Guide: Explore Malta’s Premier Resort Destination
Thankfully, we woke to a bright, sunny morning after yesterday’s heavy rain and strong winds so after breakfast in our hotel we caught a bus to the large resort of Sliema situated in the north east of the island. Buses are frequent but don’t expect to arrive at your destination very quickly as roads are…
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Travel Guide to Mdina: Discover Malta’s Silent City
This is what we had been waiting for – clear blue skies and a warm sunny morning, just perfect for our visit to Mdina which is easily accessible by bus (No.186 taking 45 minutes) from Bugibba. As vehicular access is limited to residents in Mdina, buses stop alongside the Howard Gardens in Rabat which are…
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How to Spend a Perfect Day in St. Julian’s Bay, Malta
Fortunately the warm sunshine is continuing so after breakfast we took the Sliema bus (No.212) as far as Spinola Bay located in St. Julian’s. This charming, photogenic small bay with traditional fishing boats is lined on one side with numerous bars and restaurants and contains the largest proportion of 5 star hotels on the island.…
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Complete Guide to Valletta, Malta – What to See, Do & Eat
A dull, breezy morning for our second visit to the island’s capital, Valletta. Buses from Bugibba run at approximately 15 minute intervals taking about one hour to reach Valletta. Roads are both narrow and congested and the constant stop start motion of the bus always seems to make us feel drowsy. It was bustling as…
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Our final day in Malta
As we had arranged a late evening flight back to the UK we still had a complete day to relax in Bugibba. Check out time was 11.00 am so we popped down to the spa for a post breakfast sauna before vacating our room. We were pleasantly surprised to be able to retain our wristbands…
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A week in the Algarve – Day 1
An early start this morning for our 7.00 am departure to Faro airport. Our three hour flight was with the budget scheduled airline Monarch which arrived on time, the flight passing quickly for us as we managed to catch up on some sleep for most of the journey. After reclaiming our luggage we transferred to…
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A Boat Trip from Lagos, Algarve: Admiring Stunning Sandstone Cliffs and Sea Caves
After sleeping soundly for almost ten hours, making up for yesterday’s lack of sleep we felt refreshed and looked forward to the day ahead. Just after 8.00 am we enjoyed a hearty breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant. It’s decorated in typical Portuguese style with dark wood furniture, a terracotta tiled floor and traditional artefacts displayed…
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How to Spend a Day in Portimão from Lagos: Beaches, Boats & Local Flavours
Drawing back the curtains at 7.45 am there was a beautiful sunrise so I headed out onto the balcony with my camera to capture its beauty. Clear blue October skies so after a relaxing hotel breakfast and a catch up with the news on our iPads we wandered over to the railway station in Lagos…
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How to Spend a Day in Praia da Luz from Lagos: Sun, Sea & Coastal Charm
Yet another warm, sunny morning so after breakfast we wandered over to the nearby Lagos bus station about five minutes walk away to take a 20 minute journey in a westerly direction to Praia da Luz. Tickets are very cheap on the Onda local service costing €1.60 for an adult single journey payable from…
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How to Spend a Day in Silves by Train from Lagos: History, Castles & Riverside Charm
I woke up briefly during the night to what sounded like hailstones out on the terrace but when we opened the curtains at 8.00 am we discovered our tiled balcony and white patio furniture were coated in a mixture of mud and grit. It must have rained heavily and as our room is on the…
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Taking the Train to Faro from Lagos: A Perfect Algarve Day Trip Guide
Although we flew into Faro airport last Saturday we didn’t see anything of Faro itself and as it’s an historic city as well as being the capital of the Algarve we thought it would be a good place to visit. Trains from Lagos to Faro take 1 hour 50 minutes and an adult return journey…
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How to Visit Alvor from Lagos, Portugal: What to See and Do in This Charming Coastal Town
Our plan on this warm, sunny morning was to visit Alvor by bus. It’s less than 30 minutes away from Lagos but buses are infrequent so we decided to enjoy a morning sauna before heading to the bus station for the 12.00 noon service. Buses to Alvor are on comfortable express coaches run by Eva…
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Walk Around Lagos, Portugal: Discover the Top Sights and Hidden Gems on Foot
Our last complete day in Lagos so we decided to complete our tour of this charming town. Starting by the marina we strolled along the seafront to the municipal market hall which was bustling with locals buying fresh produce for the weekend. Unlike other markets we’ve come across in the Algarve, this one has a…
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