Travel
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A Day at Corfe Castle, Dorset: What to See and Do
Corfe Castle is a small village on the Isle of Purbeck located midway between Wareham to the north and Swanage to the south in the picturesque county of Dorset. Wandering around the village with its charming buildings constructed from the local Purbeck stone we soon arrived in the village square. Here we found a cluster…
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Arban Hotel, Busan, South Korea Review
Hotel Review Location: Busan is South Korea’s second largest city, situated on the south eastern tip of the Korean Peninsula and is noted for its beaches, mountains and temples. We had taken the Korail high speed train direct from Seoul arriving into Busan in 2 hours and 45 minutes. We were then pleasantly surprised to…
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Wycoller Country Park: A Hidden Gem in Lancashire Worth Visiting
Wycoller Country Park is one of the prettiest country parks in Lancashire and is famous for its association with the Bronte sisters. The village is located four miles east of Colne in the Borough of Pendle. If arriving by car leave the M65 at Junction 14 and follow signs for Keighley and on reaching Laneshawbridge…
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Discover Alicante: Top Highlights and How to Get from the Airport
Our last day in Alicante had come around all too quickly and it was our final opportunity to enjoy some warm, winter sunshine. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then gathered our belongings together so that we could check out of the hotel. Packing was slightly more complicated than usual as we had bought two…
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Day Trip to El Campello from Alicante: What to See and Do
After the previous day’s high temperatures, it felt much cooler as we set off from the hotel and headed towards the Mercado tram/train station near the central market hall. Our planned destination for the morning was to the small town of El Campello which lies in Zone 1 with adult single tickets costing €1.45 (£1.30)…
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Day Trip to Benidorm from Alicante by Tram: What to See and Do
After enjoying a relaxing breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant we wandered along to the Mercado tram/train station where we used a machine to buy two Zone 3 return tickets to Benidorm at €6.40 (£5.30) each. The Alicante to Benidorm tram route is on Red Line One, with services every 30 minutes. We took the 10.10…
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Alicante: The Best Bits – Top Attractions, Beaches & Local Highlights
After the previous night’s lack of sleep, we woke refreshed at 8.00 a.m. and headed downstairs for breakfast. The hotel’s restaurant was surprisingly quiet for a Sunday morning so we had our pick of seating options and enjoyed a selection of cured ham, cheese, fruit and yoghurt. After a couple of large cappuccinos and some…
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Top Highlights of Alicante: Best Things to See and Do
At the time of booking our 6.20 a.m. flight to Alicante it seemed a good idea, breakfast on arrival and a full day of sightseeing in a new destination. In reality, when my phone alarm woke me at 3.10 a.m. to the sounds of a howling gale and rain battering on the windowpanes I would…
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The Pullman Hotel, Cologne Review
Hotel Review Location: The hotel is located in a central yet peaceful location in the Innenstadt district of the city, just an easy 12 minute walk from the central railway station. Arrival and check-in: The spacious entrance lobby is bright and airy with modern furnishings. Check-in is from 3.00 p.m. and it was shortly after…
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Top Highlights of Cologne: Best Things to See and Do
The hotel’s restaurant appeared quieter than the previous morning but as breakfast is served between 7.00 and midday on Sundays, perhaps other guests were having a well earned lie in. We enjoyed tucking into a wide selection of healthy and perhaps not quite so healthy (but equally delicious) options to keep us going for most…
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Exploring Cologne: Top Things to See and Do
After enjoying a hearty breakfast in our hotel we popped on our coats and scarves and wandered along to Cologne Cathedral which had been closed the previous afternoon as a service was taking place. Fortunately, it was open and we were able to admire the majestic interior with its wonderful stained glass windows. This UNESCO…
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Arriving in Cologne: How to Get from the Airport and First Impressions of the City
After recently enjoying a winter break in Düsseldorf, we decided to turn our attention to neighbouring Cologne, another German city that we had yet to visit. Looking into airline schedules from Manchester we discovered that we could fly out at lunchtime on a Friday returning just before midnight on the Sunday allowing us plenty of…
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The White Lion Hotel, Hebden Bridge Review
Hotel Review Location: The White Lion Hotel is a beautifully restored former coaching inn dating from 1657, and is the oldest building in the attractive market town of Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire. The inn has a riverside location in the town centre making it easy to explore the town on foot. In addition to good…
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Düsseldorf’s Japanese Quarter: Exploring Little Tokyo in Germany
Our final day in Düsseldorf began with a leisurely buffet breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express, then after packing up our belongings we took the U Bahn along to Graf-Adolf-Platz to enjoy a morning stroll around MedienHafen (Media Harbour) near the Rhine Tower we had visited the previous morning. This former abandoned city docks located…
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Düsseldorf Highlights: Benrath Palace & the Rheinturm Tower
After enjoying a delicious breakfast in our hotel we wrapped up warm as a strong wind was blowing and took the U Bahn to Graf Adolf Platz so that we could take a ride up The Rheinturm, one of the city’s landmarks (admission €9 (£7.47) or €5 (£4.15) with the Dusseldorf Card. Designed by Horst H…
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Düsseldorf Altstadt & the Altbier Safari
I really enjoy visiting Germany and noting that Eurowings had flights departing from Manchester mid-evening on a Friday we decided to head there for a weekend break. It was just a short 65 minute hop over to Düsseldorf, the state capital of North Rhine Westphalia and our first experience of Eurowings, the low cost arm…
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The White Hart Hotel, Lincoln Review
Hotel Review Location The White Hart Hotel opened in the 14th century as a coaching inn and it has continued to welcome guests for more than 600 years. It’s located in the heart of Lincoln’s historic Cathedral Quarter close to both the cathedral and castle. Lincolnshire is situated in the East Midlands and is easily…
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Lincoln Sightseeing & Afternoon Tea at Bells Tea Shop: A Perfect Day Out
After another delicious breakfast at the White Hart Hotel, we checked out of our room, leaving our luggage to collect later in the day. We’d read that an exhibition entitled ‘A Century of Valour’ documenting Lincolnshire’s aviation gallantry had just opened at the Collection Museum and as it was nearby, we decided to begin our…
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Explore Lincoln Cathedral and Castle: Top Attractions in Lincoln
After starting the day with a delicious cooked breakfast at The White Hart Hotel we returned to the Cathedral as there hadn’t been much time to look around the previous evening when we were attending Evensong. Standard adult admission to Lincoln Cathedral is £8 and this includes an optional introductory floor tour but as we…
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Lincoln Sightseeing: A Walk Up Steep Hill and Visit to the Bomber Command Centre
Lincoln is a historic city located in the East Midlands and conveniently situated for travel from most parts of the United Kingdom. Recently, LNER began operating AZUMA rail services direct from London King’s Cross station with a journey time of just under two hours making the city even more accessible and perfect for a weekend…
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Roomzzz York City Review
Hotel Review Location Roomzzz Aparthotel has a riverside location overlooking the River Ouse and is conveniently situated just a 15 minute walk from York Railway Station and close to all of the city’s main attractions. Arrival and Check-in Check-in is from 3.00 p.m. in the spacious lobby where we were welcomed with a smile and…
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Making the Most of the York Pass: Attractions and Savings
After a good night’s sleep at the Roomzzz Aparthotel, we enjoyed our complimentary Grab & Go breakfast before setting out for a second day of city sightseeing. Mist was just beginning to lift as we strolled along the riverside path outside the hotel towards York Castle Museum just a few minutes walk away. It’s a…
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Explore York: Top Attractions and The Chocolate Story Experience
We set off bright and early in order to maximise our time in York as there were so many things we wanted to see and do during our short stay. Arriving mid-morning at our riverside accommodation, the newly opened Roomzzz Aparthotel, we were pleasantly surprised to find that our room was ready so we dropped…
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The Boulevard Hotel Blackpool Review
Hotel Review Location The Boulevard Hotel is nestled between the beach and Pleasure Beach theme park on Blackpool’s Ocean Boulevard in South Shore. It‘s a 25 minute gentle stroll along the seafront from North Pier, with trams running along the promenade at up to 15 minute intervals and taking only ten minutes. The nearest tram…