Love Travelling Blog

Travel diaries providing inspiration for planning the perfect trip

Travel

  • Bergen, Norway

    How to Spend a Perfect Weekend in Bergen, Norway

    Bergen, Norway’s picturesque coastal city is the perfect destination for a weekend escape or short stopover while exploring the Norwegian fjords. Known for its colourful wooden houses, UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf and gateway access to the fjords, Bergen offers the perfect mix of old world charm and nature. Whether you’re visiting for a few days or…

  • Stanbury Abbey, Great Malvern

    Stanbrook Abbey Hotel, Malvern Review

    Dating back to the early 16th century, Stanbrook Abbey Hotel was the former home of a closed order of Benedictine Nuns from 1838-2009. With dwindling numbers, the 26 acre estate became too difficult for the nuns to manage so they moved to a new, purpose built convent in North Yorkshire which retains the same name.…

  • Eurostar carriage

    Eurostar Plus Review: Is the premium upgrade worth it?

    Travelling between London and Brussels by Eurostar is a quick and convenient way to cross the English Channel as the train takes passengers seamlessly from one capital city centre to another. I’ve travelled on board Eurostar several times both in Standard and Eurostar Plus so decided to review the upgraded experience to see how it…

  • River in Namur, Belgium

    Weekend Guide: Best things to do in Namur and Dinant, Belgium

    Day 1:Getting there: Namur is ideally located for a weekend break. We opted to board an early morning Eurostar train from London St. Pancras to Brussels taking just two hours. From there, it was easy to transfer to a local train which arrived in Namur one hour later. For visitors preferring to travel by air,…

  • Le Moulin, Luberon, Provence

    Le Moulin de Lourmarin, Provence Hotel Review

    Lourmarin lies in the heart of the Luberon in rural Provence and is listed among the most beautiful villages in the whole of France. I recently had the pleasure to stay at Le Moulin, a converted 18th century olive oil mill transformed into a boutique hotel in the village centre. Location: Le Moulin is located…

  • Chateau la Coste, Aix-en-Provence

    Chateau La Coste: The Ultimate Day Trip from Aix-en-Provence

    Chateau La Coste comprises an arts centre, sculpture trail, vineyard, hotel and restaurants and is a delightful place to visit for a leisurely lunch followed by a stroll through the vast estate. Getting there: Château La Coste is located within a 20 minute drive of Aix-en-Provence and 45 minutes from Marseille, making it a perfect…

  • Canoe hire centre Stromfors Iron Works Finland

    Exploring the east coast of Finland Part 2: Strömfors, Hamina and Kotka

    The east coast of Finland lies within a 90 minute drive from Helsinki and makes for an ideal side trip from the capital and a chance to explore more of beautiful Finland either for a day trip or a short break. Once you arrive in the region the distance between towns and key sights is…

  • Stromfors Ironworks Village, Finland

    Exploring the east coast of Finland: Strömfors and Loviisa

    The east coast of Finland lies within a 90 minute drive from Helsinki and makes for an ideal side trip from the capital and a chance to explore more of beautiful Finland either for a day trip or a short break. Once you arrive in the region the distance between towns and key sights is…

  • Turku

    How to spend 48 hours in Turku, Finland

    Short Break in Turku Most first-time visitors to Finland naturally head first to the nation’s capital, Helsinki, which is undeniably beautiful but if time allows, and especially for returning visitors, I’d highly recommend a short break in Turku. Located in the southwest of Finland, Turku is the country’s oldest city and is noted for its…

  • Tallink MyStar

    Tallink Shuttle MyStar Helsinki-Tallinn Review

    On our recent visit to Helsinki we arranged a trip on the flagship Tallink MyStar.  As ferries depart up to seven times a day we opted to take the popular 10.30 a.m. service.  MyStar entered operational service in December 2022 and has since been sailing on Tallink’s Gulf of Finland route between its homeport of…

  • H15 Boutique Hotel, Warsaw

    H15 Boutique Hotel, Warsaw Review

    Hotel Review Location: H15 Boutique Hotel is located on one of the oldest streets in central Warsaw. The 19th century building has served as a grand private residence, a Soviet embassy, a headquarters for the Nazi party, and a prize possession of the People’s Republic of Poland. More recently this impressive building has been transformed…

  • Afternoon tea at Stanbrook Abbey Hotel, Malvern

    A foodie weekend in The Malverns Part 2: All Day Fine Dining

    Nestled at the foot of the Malvern Hills, the Victorian spa town of Great Malvern has long been a popular tourist destination with visitors travelling from far and wide to take the Malvern spring water for medicinal purposes.  In more recent times the town has become a foodie hotspot with numerous high quality bakeries, cafes,…

  • Great Malvern

    Foodie weekend in The Malverns Part 1: Breweries and Bakeries

    Nestled at the foot of the Malvern Hills, the Victorian spa town of Great Malvern has long been a popular tourist destination with visitors travelling from far and wide to take the Malvern spring water for medicinal purposes.  In more recent times the town has become a foodie hotspot with numerous high quality bakeries, cafes,…

  • Gladstone Pottery Museum, Stoke on Trent

    Why you should visit Stoke-on-Trent as it celebrates its centenary

    Stoke-on-Trent might not spring to mind as a top choice for a short break but the city has much to offer as I was soon to discover on my recent weekend stay. Stoke celebrated its 100th anniversary as a city in June so there was no better time to visit with a full calendar of…

  • Meal on the foredeck of an ABC canal boat.

    Cruising the Llangollen Canal: Part Two

    Part Two: Llangollen to Wrenbury Mill Day 5 Llangollen to Ellesmere After a leisurely breakfast we set off on our return journey at 8.50 a.m and by 11.15 a.m. we had reached Trevor which was even busier with boats than on our arrival two days earlier. We had considered taking a look in the Visitor…

  • ABC Canal boat side hatch

    Cruising the Llangollen Canal: Part One

    Wrenbury Mill to Llangollen This post details the first part of our seven night return cruise from the pretty village of Wrenbury in Cheshire along the Llangollen Canal into Wales. Our adventure would take us over the famous Pontcysyllte aqueduct known as the stream in the sky and a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. Day…

  • Sand Lark on hire from ABC Wrenbury Mill Marina

    Sand Lark narrowboat on the Llangollen Canal Review

    This was to be our fourth U.K. canal boat holiday as we’d really caught the bug. Narrow-boating is the perfect way to slow down, unwind and connect with nature whilst chugging along canals at no more than walking speed. This time around we’d opted to take a seven night cruise from the pretty village of…

  • Martin's Dream Hotel, Mons

    Martin’s Dream Hotel, Mons, Belgium Review

    Hotel Review Martin’s Dream Hotel is located in a 19th century Neo-Gothic building that was the home of the Sisters of the Belgian Abbey before being converted into a church. Now a four star hotel, it retains many of the building’s original features which add to its charm. Location: The hotel is located in the…

  • Great Yorkshire Show 2025

    The Great Yorkshire Show 2025 Review

    One of my favourite summer activities is to attend the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate, North Yorkshire. The four day event celebrates agricultural excellence and attracts a sell out audience who snap up all the tickets during the weeks prior to the show’s opening. This year’s show which took place between 8th – 11th July…

  • Doha

    Love Travelling Blog Turns 10: A Decade of Travel Adventures

    I’m not usually one for writing annual reviews but I couldn’t let the 10th anniversary of the Love Travelling Blog slip by without a mention. It’s hard to believe that ten years have passed as the time has just flown by and what a journey it’s been. Starting my blogging journey It was on one…

  • Lunch on Riviera Rose

    Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise Day 7 & 8

    Day 7 Our week on board MS Riviera Rose was drawing to a close with just one full day left to enjoy the luxurious facilities on board. After another delicious breakfast served in the ship’s main restaurant we wandered up to the sun deck where we found some comfortable chairs shaded by a large parasol…

  • Lamego, Douro Valley

    Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise Day 5 & 6

    Riviera Rose – Day 5: The ship set sail whilst we were having breakfast enabling us to take in the spectacular views from the restaurant windows. The engines on Riviera Rose are very quiet and if it wasn’t for the ever changing views one may not even realise that the boat was moving. Riviera Rose…

  • Salamanca

    Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise Days 3 & 4

    Riviera Rose: Day 3: We enjoyed a leisurely start to the day, starting off with a delicious breakfast whilst taking in the breathtaking views of the Douro Valley as we sailed along the river. We passed through two more deep locks as well as sailing under a very low bridge so we watched with interest…

  • Porto

    Riviera Travel Douro River Cruise Day 2

    We woke refreshed after a good night’s sleep on board the Riviera Rose and started off the day with a relaxing breakfast in the ship’s restaurant. It was just like staying in a luxurious, boutique hotel – barista made cappuccinos, a selection of fresh fruit, yoghurt and pastries, followed by our favourite Eggs Benedict. After…

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