Travel
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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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Leonardo Hotel Chester Review
Hotel Review Location: The Leonardo is a recently opened hotel located within Chester’s historic Roman walls. It’s just a 15 minute walk from the railway station which has frequent connections between London, Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds. It’s also just 10 miles (17 km) from Liverpool John Lennon airport for guests arriving from overseas. Arrival and check-in: We…
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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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A Walk Around Bratislava City Centre: Top Sights and Hidden Gems
Our Bratislava city break was drawing to a close but with a late evening flight back to the U.K. we still had a full day of sightseeing to look forward to. We started off by visiting the Blue Church located quite close to our hotel in the eastern part of the old town. It’s known…
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How to Make the Most of a Day Trip to Vienna from Bratislava
Whilst staying in Bratislava we seized the opportunity of spending a day in Vienna as the two capitals are located close together. To get there we took a CityLink train from Bratislava central station (standard tickets €14 return). Surprisingly there were no ticket machines on the station concourse resulting in a lengthy queue at the…
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How to Visit Devin Castle from Bratislava by Bus: A Perfect Half-Day Trip
After enjoying a delicious buffet breakfast at the Danubia Gate Hotel we set off for a day of exploring the city and its surroundings. We began with a look in the Old Market Hall as each Saturday it offers a wide range of fresh produce, food and drink between 10.00 a.m. and 3.00 p.m. It had…
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How to Spend a City Break in Bratislava: Top Spots to Explore on Foot
It was a 3.00 a.m. start for our drive to London Stansted for our early morning Ryanair flight to Bratislava. On arrival at the airport it was pleasing to note that bag drop was running efficiently and queues through security were much shorter than we’d recently experienced. The bonus being that we had ample time…
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Hotel Indigo, Stratford-upon-Avon Review
Hotel Review Location: The charming medieval town of Stratford-upon-Avon famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare is located in rural Warwickshire. The town is approximately 100 miles north west of London with rail services from Marylebone Station. If arriving by car, Stratford lies close to the motorway network being five miles from Junction 5…
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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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Stratford-upon-Avon and the British Motor Museum: The Perfect Culture & Cars Day Trip
After a wonderful night’s sleep in our gorgeous room at the Hotel Indigo we popped downstairs to discover what was in store for us at breakfast. This takes place in the light and airy Feasting Room where we found a huge refectory table laid out with a vast array of cold breakfast options. We helped ourselves…
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How to Spend the Perfect Weekend in Stratford-upon-Avon
We set off bright and early to make the most of our short break in the charming medieval market town of Stratford-upon-Avon, famous for the English poet and playwright William Shakespeare. The town is located in rural Warwickshire, approximately 100 miles north west of London. Our first stop was at the village of Shottery, home…
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Cotswold House Hotel, Chipping Campden Review
Hotel Review Overview Cotswold House Hotel is a luxury hotel and spa in a charming Grade II listed regency townhouse in Chipping Campden, Gloucestershire featuring 28 individually styled bedrooms and suites. Location: The hotel is situated in the centre of the charming market town just 16 miles from Cheltenham and within two miles of the…
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Afternoon Tea at The Devonshire Arms, Bolton Abbey: A Quintessential Yorkshire Experience
When an invitation dropped into my inbox inviting me for afternoon tea at the Devonshire Arms Hotel I couldn’t have been happier as it’s such a beautiful country house hotel. It’s located on the Yorkshire estate of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire in Bolton Abbey lying in a tranquil setting along the banks of the…
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The Cow at Dalbury Lees, Ashbourne, Derbyshire Review
Hotel Review Location: The Cow at Dalbury Lees is a luxury boutique inn nestled along a leafy lane in the rural and tranquil Derbyshire countryside. Although tucked away, it’s only six miles from Derby and the M1 motorway making it easily accessible from most parts of the country. Arrival and check-in: The country inn has…
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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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The Percy Arms, Chilworth near Guildford, Surrey Review
Hotel Review Location: The Surrey Hills is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) with its hills stretching across a quarter of the county from the chalk North Downs running from Farnham in the west to Oxted in the east. We’d arranged accommodation at The Percy Arms in Chilworth, a village three miles south of…
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A Day Trip from Amsterdam or Naarden: Exploring Muiderslot Castle and the Singer Laren Museum”
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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Explore Amsterdam’s Must-See Sights and Discover Naarden Fortress in the Afternoon
After enjoying a leisurely breakfast in the Park Plaza Vondelpark’s restaurant, we checked out of the hotel leaving our luggage to collect later. We’d decided on a morning’s sightseeing and felt we couldn’t visit Amsterdam without taking a canal cruise. We therefore took a tram to Westermarkt, close to Anne Frank’s House on the Prinsengracht canal…
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Zuiderzee Open Air Museum & Volendam, The Netherlands
After a delicious breakfast in the Park Plaza Vondelpark’s restaurant we set off bright and early to visit some interesting places outside of the city. After taking Tram line 2 to Central Station we caught a train to Enkhuizen one hour away. Standard single fares are €13.20 each but by purchasing online tickets we saved €1…