Travel
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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…
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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…
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Best Things to Do in Antibes in One Day
A day in Antibes was our plan so we took a tram to Nice Ville railway station where we paused briefly to admire its beautiful façade before buying tickets from a machine on the station concourse. As there was no difference in price between purchasing singles or returns we opted for singles so we didn’t…
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How to Spend a Day Exploring Èze, Beaulieu-sur-Mer, and St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
After breakfast in our aparthotel we caught Bus 82 to the village of Eze which was included in our 7 day travel card, otherwise a €1.50 single fare. The journey took just 25 minutes and on leaving the bus it was then just a few minutes walk up to the village centre which dates back…
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Visiting Monaco in a Day from Nice: What to see and do
The principality of Monaco lies 8 miles (13 km) from Nice, with Monte Carlo often being referred to as a playground for the rich and famous. However, Monaco is an affordable place to visit for a day as it is easily accessible from Nice by public transport. The ultimate way to arrive is by helicopter…
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Exploring Nice, France: Top Things to Do on the Côte d’Azur
It had been thirteen years since our last visit to Nice so we were long overdue a return trip. Our week long stay back in 2010 was memorable in more ways than one as it coincided with the Icelandic ash cloud grounding all flights resulting in a prolonged stay of an additional seven nights. Returning…
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Falcon Manor, Settle, North Yorkshire Review
Hotel Review Falcon Manor is a beautiful country house hotel dating from 1841 that was constructed for Reverend Swale with money provided by his two grandmothers to befit his status in the local community. Originally known as Ingfield Hall after the field in which it was built, this grand Tudor mansion has changed ownership several times.…
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The Brudenell Hotel, Aldeburgh, Suffolk Review
Hotel Review Location: Aldeburgh is a seaside town in Suffolk, south east England situated between the county town of Ipswich and Norwich just across the border in Norfolk. The town has good road links being just off the A12 and for guests arriving by train, the nearest station is Saxmundham 7 miles away. Arrival and…
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The Swan at Lavenham, Suffolk Review
Hotel Review Lavenham is one of the country’s best preserved medieval villages with its streets lined with Tudor half timbered houses and cottages. The village has been used as the backdrop of numerous television programmes and films such as Lovejoy and Harry Potter. Location: The Swan Hotel is situated in Suffolk, south east England, lying…
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The Angel Hotel, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk Review
Hotel Review The Angel Hotel is a luxury hotel and former historic coaching inn spread across Nos. 1, 2 and 3 Angel Hill. No. 3 was the original building constructed around 1778 with the remainder added in the 1830’s. Charles Dickens stayed at the hotel on two occasions, once in 1859 and again in 1861…
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Best Things to Do in Bucharest on a Weekend Trip
After a good night’s sleep at the Mercure Bucharest City Centre we walked the short distance to the Romanian Athenaeum concert hall which stands on the edge of Revolution Square. This ornate domed, circular building is an architectural gem and is the city’s main classical music venue. As well as being able to purchase tickets for…
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How to Plan a Trip to Bucharest: Top Tips & Travel Guide
Day 1 On noticing that the low cost Hungarian airline Wizz Air had introduced flights from Leeds-Bradford airport to the Romanian capital of Bucharest, we were soon tapping away on our laptop to book flights. The day soon arrived for our 3 hour morning flight over to Bucharest which departed slightly later than scheduled. With…
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Hotel Indigo Chester Review
Hotel Review Hotel Indigo Chester is a boutique hotel located in the heart of Chester’s beautiful and historic city. Newly built in 2019, it was designed to reflect the Roman city’s architecture and its famous racecourse. Location: The hotel is conveniently located being just a ten minute walk from Chester railway station. Direct trains from…
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Chester Travel Guide: Top Things to Do, See & Explore
Chester is a beautiful historic city located on the banks of the River Dee in north west England. It’s famous for its half timbered buildings, Roman ruins, medieval city centre and for having the oldest racecourse in the country. Check out my suggestions below of how to make the most of a weekend break in…
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The Fleece, Addingham, West Yorkshire Review
Restaurant Review The Fleece pub and restaurant is located in the village of Addingham which lies between Ilkley and Silsden in West Yorkshire. The pub stands in a handsome Yorkshire stone building and even in winter its large outdoor terrace looked inviting with its covered canopy illuminated with fairy lights. On entering the door there’s…
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Espoo, Finland Winter Travel Guide: The Perfect Nordic Getaway
Espoo lies close to Helsinki in southern Finland and despite not being as well known as the capital city, it is a lovely place to spend a few days. The city boundary covers the attractive centres of Tapiola and Matinkylä and the beautiful Nuuksio National Park. Getting there: Arrive into Helsinki Vantaa Airport (flights from…
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Hotel Matts, Matinkylä, Espoo, Finland Review
Hotel Review Location: Hotel Matts is a luxurious 4 star hotel which has been open in Matinkylä, Espoo since early 2021. The hotel has a metro and bus station just outside the door enabling guests easy access to travel around the scenic Espoo coastal area and into the centre of Helsinki in under 20 minutes.…
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Why Helsinki Is the Ultimate Winter City Break
Finland’s capital Helsinki is beautiful all year round and although it attracts more visitors during the summer months, winter breaks to this Nordic city are an absolute delight. Below are my suggestions for making the most of this winter wonderland. Market Square (Kauppatori) Start with a walk around the market square and admire the harbour…
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Tallink-Silja Line Day Cruise Helsinki – Stockholm 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…
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Manchester Museum: A Complete Visitor’s Guide
I always look forward to a visit to Manchester as it’s one of my favourite U.K. cities and when I learnt that the Manchester Museum was re-opening after a closure of almost two years I planned a day out. The museum is located in a beautiful Neo-Gothic building on Oxford Road and forms part of…
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The Assheton Arms, Downham, Lancashire Review
Restaurant Review The Assheton Arms lies at the foot of Pendle Hill in the picturesque village of Downham near Clitheroe in Lancashire. After a lengthy closure, the pub has just re-opened with new owners, Bowland Inns & Hotels, the parent company behind Bowland Brewery and the James Places’ collection of hotels, inns and restaurants. The…
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Peak Edge Hotel, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire Review
Overview: The hotel’s history began way back in 1788 as a small pub known as the Red Lion on the edge of the Derbyshire Peak District. The current owner Steve Perez used to live there as a child as his father restored the pub back in 1966. In 2018 Steve bought back the property adding…
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A Day Trip to Matlock Farm Park and Chesterfield: Family Fun & Historic Charm
After enjoying a leisurely breakfast at the Peak Edge Hotel we checked out saying goodbye to the friendly staff who had looked after us during our stay. With our luggage packed in the car we left the hotel at 10.30 a.m. and drove the short distance to Matlock Farm Park. This family oriented park is an…
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Denby Pottery Village & Thornbridge Brewery: A Perfect Derbyshire Day Trip
After a good night’s sleep at the Peak Edge Hotel, we popped down to the restaurant to enjoy a leisurely breakfast. I couldn’t resist my favourite of smashed avocado and poached eggs on toast whilst my husband started the day with a Derbyshire which also looked delicious. Two cappuccinos later and we were ready to start…