Travel
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Palermo City Centre Walk – Explore the Heart of Sicily
Our final day in Sicily began slowly with a leisurely breakfast on our shady balcony. As our British Airways return flight to London wasn’t due to depart until 20.30 we had arranged a late check out, enabling us to have access to our apartment until late afternoon. We started the day with a stroll along…
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A Day in Sferracavallo, Sicily from Palermo – Coastal Escape
Wondering where to visit on our final full day in Sicily, I came across some photos of Sferracavallo which appeared to be an idyllic fishing village nestled below some rugged cliffs, so we decided to head there. It’s located 13km north west of Palermo in the Capo Gallo Nature Reserve. It’s quite close, but very…
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Spend a Day in Trapani, Sicily from Palermo – How to Get There and What to Do
We woke to yet another hot, sunny morning and decided to spend the day in the port city of Trapani. Getting to Trapani from Palermo is by Segesta Express bus and this service departs from the left hand side of the railway station. Return tickets cost €14.10 each and do not need to be purchased…
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Mondello, Sicily from Palermo by Bus – What to See and Do
A lazy start to our Sunday morning with a relaxing breakfast out on our terrace. Feeling ready to set off, we wandered through Palermo’s historic quarter, passing the vast Teatro Massimo and continuing along to the newer part of town with its designer shops. Soon, we arrived at the Teatro Politeama in the Piazza Ruggero…
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How to Visit Monreale, Sicily from Palermo – what to see and do
Our plan for the morning was to visit the small town of Monreale which sits perched on a cliff top above the city of Palermo. Getting to Monreale is quite easy as AMAT Bus 389 departs from Piazza Independenza taking just 20 minutes to the hilltop town. When travelling on Italian buses it’s necessary to…
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The Pheasant Inn, Highclere, Hampshire Review
Hotel Review Location This picturesque 17th century inn is located in the village of Highclere, Hampshire close to the Berkshire border. Highclere Castle, where most of the filming for Downton Abbey took place, is just up the road and the attractive market town of Newbury a fifteen minute drive away. The Pheasant has ample parking…
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Day Trip by Train from Palermo to Cefalù, Sicily – What to See and Do
Our plan for the day was a trip to Cefalu, an easy 59 minute train journey from Palermo. Tickets cost €11.20 each return by regional train and we opted for the 9.38 a.m. service as the next departure was not for a further two hours. Our train departed on time and for the final 30…
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The Perfect Day in Palermo, Sicily – What to See and Do
A leisurely start to the day with breakfast on our terrace. It was almost 10.00 a.m. when we stepped out of our apartment strolling the short distance to the nearby Ballaro outdoor market which seemed much larger than when we briefly visited the previous day just as it was about to close. I was tempted…
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How to Get from Catania to Palermo, Sicily by train
We were up bright and early for our 9.35 a.m. train to Sicily’s capital, Palermo. After checking out of our apartment we trundled our luggage along to Catania Centrale station and purchased two single tickets at a cost of €13.50 each. There is no need to buy the tickets in advance as the tickets remain…
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Visiting Acireale from Catania, Sicily – Day Trip Ideas and Things to Do
It was our last full day in Catania and we decided to spend the morning in Acireale, six miles north east of the city. We travelled there by train taking just 10 minutes with return fares €5 each. On arrival in Acireale station we discovered that it was located 3km out of town. I don’t…
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Everything You Need to Know About Taking the Circumetnea Railway Around Mt. Etna, Sicily
It was a short walk from the apartment to the small Catania Borgo station located near the main Via Etnea thoroughfare. A rack railway operates from this station taking passengers around the perimeter of Mt. Etna and we decided to travel as far as Randazzo, a small town nearest to the summit of the volcano.…
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Day Trip from Catania to Syracuse and Ortigia, Sicily – What to See and Do
It was back to the railway station again after breakfast for a train from Catania to Syracuse. Return tickets cost €14.50 return and are valid on any regional train services. We’d decided to take the 10.30 a.m. train and discovered that this was to be replaced by a bus due to weekend track maintenance. After…
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By Train to Taormina, Sicily from Catania – top sights to visit
After a leisurely breakfast of Parma ham and buffalo mozzarella on freshly baked bread we set off for Catania Centrale station, a lengthy walk from our apartment. On arrival we purchased return tickets from Catania to Taormina (€9 each standard return). Tickets are valid on any regional trains but need to be validated in the…
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Catania – Top Things to See and Do in a Day
After enjoying a leisurely breakfast on our apartment balcony we prepared to go out and made our way towards the main square (Piazza Duomo). The Giro Sicilia car rally was about to get underway so we admired some of the vehicles and spotted a Morris Minor Traveller which one of my elderly relatives used to…
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Catania – The Best Bits to See and Do
We arrived in Catania at 9.00 p.m. the previous evening on a British Airways flight from London Gatwick. Our flight arrived on time and as Catania Fontanarassa airport was very organised it took us no time at all to pass through immigration and only a few minutes to wait for our luggage. To get into…
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The Inn at Whitewell, Clitheroe Review
Hotel Review Location The Inn at Whitewell is located in one of England’s 36 Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) on the Duchy of Lancaster estate overlooking the River Hodder in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire. This charming 14th century inn is easily accessible from the M6 motorway with Lancaster being 18 miles to the…
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Discover the Ribble Valley – A Foodie’s Paradise
After a traditional Lancashire breakfast at The Inn at Whitewell we were soon ready to see more of the beautiful Ribble Valley. Our first stop of the day was just up the road in the charming small village of Chipping. Narrow winding country lanes lead into the village centre, its attractive stone cottages bedecked with…
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A Day in the Ribble Valley – Clitheroe and the Trough of Bowland
The Ribble Valley is an idyllic part of the north of England located in north east Lancashire and covering 212 sq. miles of the Forest of Bowland, an area of deep valleys and peat moorland. It’s an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty but despite booming tourism with ever increasing numbers of visitors, it’s still a…
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Travel Guide to Wareham, Dorset – Things to See and Do
On arrival in the town we were following car park signs but managed to park on the road which was fortunate. Leaving the car, we walked past the Town Hall and popped into the Town Museum for a little look. Admission is free and its small galleries depict the town’s history and display historic artefacts.…
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The Great Yorkshire Show
After enjoying my visit to the Great Yorkshire Show last year I was even more excited to return to Harrogate once again to attend the 161st agricultural show. This three day event is one of the biggest in the English calendar and showcases the best of British farming, food and the countryside plus lots more…
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Discover Blandford Forum, Dorset – Things to See and Do
Blandford Forum is a market town in Dorset, 15 miles north of Poole. I’d read the town was noted for its Georgian architecture so I was keen to take a look. Approaching Blandford Forum we passed through pretty villages with quaint names such as Sturminster Marshall and Charlton Marshall. Arriving in the town, we parked…
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The Ultimate Guide to Upton House and Gardens, Warwickshire
The weather forecast was good so we planned a visit to Upton House and Gardens near Banbury in Warwickshire. Arriving around 2.00 p.m. on a glorious summer’s day the main car parks were already full but we were directed to an overflow parking area in a field which was only a short walk from the…
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Exploring the Museum of Toys, Singapore – A Must Visit for Toy Lovers
We were up shortly after 7.00 a.m. so that we could make the most of our final day in Singapore. Breakfast in the hotel’s Crystal Cafe had been good all week and it ended on a high with my favourite roti prata and bread and butter pudding both being included in the morning’s selection. Reluctantly…
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The Ultimate Guide to a Day at Sentosa, Singapore
We made an early start to the day as it was our intention to travel over to Sentosa Island before it started getting busy. After our breakfast in the hotel’s Crystal Cafe we took the MRT to HarbourFront station and then followed signs for the Sentosa boardwalk. Visitors to the island can reach Sentosa by…