Travel
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Weekend in Belfast: Staying at The Harrison Hotel
When considering where to go on holiday in these uncertain times, Belfast ticked all the boxes for us. We’d still be travelling by air, feeling as if we were actually going abroad but with the security of knowing that we couldn’t be quarantined on our return as Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. …
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A Day Exploring Espinho, Portugal: Top Attractions and Experiences
Our original plan had been to set a day aside to visit the Douro valley but as organised trips were not operating, this proved problematic. It’s possible to take a train from Porto to Pinhāo from where one can connect to boat trips up the Douro valley. However, with a journey of more than two…
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How to Spend a Day in Vila do Conde from Porto
We decided to spend a day along the coast in the town of Vila do Conde, a seaside resort 25km north of Porto. It’s a town favoured by locals though perhaps not on the day of our visit as it was cool and overcast. Lying at the mouth of the Ave river, it was historically…
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How to Spend a Day in Coimbra from Porto
We were interested to visit Coimbra as it was the medieval capital of Portugal for just over 100 years from 1145-1255 when King Afonso moved his court to Lisbon. The city is also home to one of Europe’s oldest universities. Trains from Porto to Coimbra depart from Campanhã station which is on the main north-south…
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How to Spend a Day in Aveiro from Porto
There’s little need to hire a car whilst staying in Porto as there are numerous interesting places to visit which are easily accessible by train. So, for the third morning in succession we took the now familiar route to the São Bento station, this time for a train to Aveiro. Return fares are priced at…
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How to Spend a Day in Braga from Porto
After breakfast in our hotel, it was back to Saō Bento station again with its beautiful blue tiled concourse. Our destination was to be Portugal’s third largest city, Braga, return day tickets €7 each. The train was reasonably quiet and we enjoyed looking at the passing scenery from the carriage windows during the 75 minute…
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How to spend a day in Guimaraes from Porto
After spending the first two days of our holiday exploring Porto we were ready to travel further afield so after a hearty breakfast we headed off to Saō Bento station where we marvelled once again at its exquisite blue and white tiled concourse. From the ticket office we requested return tickets to Guimaraes with discounted…
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Exploring the Gaia and Foz districts of Porto
After enjoying breakfast in the aparthotel’s cafe we went along to the nearby Trindade metro station to take a train across the Douro to the Jardim do Morro station. Staying in the Bolhāo district appealed to us with its close proximity to Trindade as all lines can be accessed from this interchange station. As we…
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Discover Porto City Centre and the World’s Most Beautiful McDonald’s: A Unique Travel Experience
Porto is an historic mercantile city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s famous for its port wine, medieval walls and steep sided waterfront on the banks of the Douro river. We had originally planned a visit to this wonderful city for April but eventually managed to get there several months later. I hope you…
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A Walk Around Abergavenny: Top Things to See and Do
Abergavenny is a Welsh border town located in Monmouthshire, South Wales on the banks of the River Usk. It’s a popular base for touring the nearby Brecon Beacons and Black Mountains and as we were in the area, it was an ideal opportunity for us to explore the town. We arrived on a recent Sunday…
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Explore Symonds Yat and Monmouth: The Ultimate Day Out for Nature and History Lovers
Symonds Yat is a scenic beauty spot spanning the River Wye. It is located mid-way between the market towns of Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth, both approximately five miles away. Narrow, winding roads lead to the village centre at Symonds Yat East and continuing slightly further there is a large car park where we were able to…
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Travel Guide to Ross-on-Wye: What to See and Do in a Day
Ross-on-Wye is an historic market town sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking the Wye Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This scenic part of Herefordshire is only an hour’s drive from Birmingham and is easily accessible, being just off the M50 motorway. The town centre, with its attractive Tudor buildings is centred around the…
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Travel Guide to Tewkesbury: Top Things to See and Do
Our travels took us to the medieval town of Tewkesbury, noted for its well preserved half timbered Tudor buildings and its 12th century Abbey. We started our walk around town at The Cross adjoining the High Street which has a wonderful collection of Tudor buildings including the cantilevered 18th century Golden Key House, the top…
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Top Things to Do in Cirencester: Discover the Cotswolds’ Historic Capital
Cirencester is located 80 miles west of London and is often referred to as the capital of the Cotswolds as it lies in the heart of this beautiful part of England. It was our first visit to this prosperous market town and after finding somewhere to park on the edge of the town, we were…
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Exploring Hengistbury Head, Dorset: A Scenic Coastal Walk Guide
Hengistbury Head is a dramatic headland located close to Bournemouth and to the south of Christchurch harbour. It’s a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a local nature reserve. There are two large car parks near to the start of the walk situated next to the popular Hiker Cafe. For the less energetic, a…
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How to Spend a Day in Weymouth: Best Things to See and Do
During our stay along the Dorset coast we decided to spend a day in Weymouth which is the gateway to the Jurassic Coast, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site located along the Dorset and east Devon coast. After parking near to the town’s marina we admired some of the many yachts moored there on our…
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A Walk from Bournemouth to Sandbanks: A Stunning Dorset Coastline Route
After having recently enjoyed a walk eastwards from Bournemouth pier to Boscombe, we decided it was time to explore the coast along the opposite direction. Our walk commenced at Pier Approach which is the gateway to Bournemouth’s seafront and links the town centre to the beach via the pretty Lower Gardens. Pier Approach has changed…
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Lymington Travel Guide: What to See and Do in the New Forest’s Coastal Gem
Lymington is a Georgian market town located on the western bank of the Lymington river in Hampshire and is surrounded on three sides by the New Forest National Park. The town has a railway station which is on a branch line to Brockenhurst with links to the south coast main line between London and Weymouth.…
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A Walk Around Poole, Dorset: Explore the Historic Quayside and Coastline
Poole is a coastal town in Dorset close to the larger resort of Bournemouth and is noted for its large natural harbour and historic quayside. I started my tour of the town next to the Dolphin Shopping Centre so I had a little look around the shops there before continuing along Poole High Street. This…
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How to Spend a Day in Dorchester: Top Things to See and Do
Dorchester is the county town of Dorset in south west England and on one sunny Sunday morning recently we decided to go along and explore this historic market town. We left our car in the Fairfield long stay car-park which we were pleased to discover offered free parking all day Sunday making this a welcome…
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A Walk from Bournemouth to Boscombe: A Scenic Stroll Along the Dorset Coast
Setting off from Pier Approach on Bournemouth’s seafront we decided to take a circular walk along to the suburb of Boscombe. It was to be a pier to pier walk plus a little more besides. From Bournemouth Pier we set off in an easterly direction along the lower promenade which is known as the Undercliff. …
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How to Spend a Day in Wimborne Minster: Top Things to See and Do
The attractive small market town of Wimborne Minster lies ten miles north west of the seaside resort of Bournemouth in Dorset. Before setting off we’d consulted the Parkopedia website for suggestions on where to park. We find Parkopedia really useful as it offers up-to-date advice and prices. For Wimborne it had recommended the Westfield Close…
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Pisa’s Hidden Gems: Discover the City Beyond the Leaning Tower
Our final day in Pisa and an opportunity to explore some of the city’s less well known sights. Our first stop of the day was the University of Pisa Botanical Gardens (Orto botanico di Pisa) nestled on the street behind its more famous neighbour, the Leaning Tower. Admission to the gardens and botanical museum is…
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Day Trip from Pisa to Livorno: Explore Tuscany’s Charming Port City
We were up bright and early and after enjoying our second socially distanced breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant we were ready to go. Our original plan for the day was to take the train to Lucca but on discovering that replacement buses were operating on the route with a reduced timetable, we decided to change…
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