Southern Europe
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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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Our final day in the Algarve
There was plenty of time to relax over breakfast before checking out of our hotel the Tivoli. We’d arranged a transfer back to Faro airport as it wouldn’t have been possible to return by public transport on a Sunday morning. This has been our first holiday in the Algarve, would we return? Yes, we certainly would.…
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A week in Palma, Mallorca
We decided to exchange the chilly Easter weather of northern England for a week on the Mediterranean, staying on the largest of the Balearic Islands, Mallorca. My husband hasn’t visited Mallorca since he was 13 and following a weekend visit to the island last year with my younger son, I’m hoping to convince him that…
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Visiting Port D’Andratx, Mallorca: Top Things to See and Do
We woke to bright sunshine and there was no sign of the previous day’s late afternoon rain showers. Although some tables had been set out on the terrace for breakfast everyone seemed to think it a little chilly and guests were all dining indoors. Breakfast consisted of a large buffet along with show cooking…
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Exploring Castell de Bellver in Palma, Mallorca
From our hotel room we could see Bellver Castle on the hilltop so after breakfast we decided to walk up and take a look. It’s quite a steep climb, first along a road and then up very many stone steps to the castle entrance. It was another sunny morning but the cooler days of April…
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Riding the Historic Vintage Train to Sóller in Mallorca
After watching a BBC television series entitled ‘Great Continental Railway Journeys’ which featured a delightful old wooden train that runs between Palma and Soller we wanted to take a ride on it ourselves. The train line was established in 1929 to link Palma with the north west coast of the island. Trains depart from its…
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Palma to Alcudia Day Trip: Top Sights and Things to Do in Mallorca
Whilst eating breakfast we watched two large cruise liners come into port but it was a rainy start to the day so the passengers wouldn’t being seeing Palma at its best. Our plan for today was to visit Alcudia situated in the north east of the island. We travelled by TIB bus who operate longer distance bus services…
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Exploring Valldemossa & Palma, Mallorca
A lovely sunny morning for a visit to the village of Valldemossa in the Tramuntana Mountains, 17 km north west of Palma. We travelled there by TIB bus from Palma’s central bus station at Playa D’Espanya, the journey taking only 30 minutes and the bus stopping just once at the island’s university UIB. The campus is located in…
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Guide to Visiting Santa Ponsa Bay, Mallorca
Another warm, sunny morning so our plan was to take a walk along the waterfront at Santa Ponca. Buses run from the Paseo Maritim (seafront) in Palma just outside our hotel and there are two options, a direct service by motorway taking around 20 minutes or the coastal route which takes one hour. We opted…
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A walk through Palma, Mallorca
As our return flight to the UK wasn’t scheduled to depart until 4.00 pm we had plenty of time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast overlooking the harbour. It was a dull, cloudy morning and for the first time during the week I felt a bit chilly going outdoors in just a lightweight dress and…
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A winter break in Budapest
A four day city break between Christmas and the New Year to Budapest was our plan. It started well, driving to Manchester and checking in for our Air France flight to Budapest via Paris Charles De Gaulle airport. Our flight to Paris was delayed which resulted in a tight connection at Charles de Gaulle. Thankfully,…
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Exploring Castle Hill, Budapest
After enjoying breakfast in the light and airy Buda Castle hotel’s restaurant, it was time to explore. Wrapping up well to protect us from the icy cold, we began exploring the cobblestone streets with their 18th century Baroque buildings in this world heritage part of the city. Our first stop was at Fisherman’s Bastion, named…
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The Szechenyi Thermal Baths, Budapest
Our luggage had arrived overnight, better late than never! After breakfast we rode the Buda Castle Funicular down the hill to the Chain Bridge then took a ride on Europe’s first ever Metro system, Line One. The original 19th century route still operates today using 40 year old trains with polished wooden seats and wood…
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Riding the Budapest Cog Railway
A final day in Budapest and it was a bright, sunny yet icily cold morning. We made our way to Maszkva Ter to board the world’s third hill railway, a bright, red train used by both locals and as a tourist attraction to take us up to the Buda hills. As the little train wends…
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Exploring Funchal, Madeira
What a difference a day makes! Less than 24 hours ago we were in cold, wet Manchester and this morning we woke to warm sunshine enabling us to enjoy a sumptuous breakfast out on the hotel terrace overlooking the ocean. We then set off for a stroll into the centre of Funchal along the typical…
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Funchal’s market hall and a coastal walk
A visit to Funchal’s Market Hall and a stroll along the cliff tops
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