Travel
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Top Things to Do: San Francisco City Hall and Golden Gate Park
We started the day with a visit to San Francisco’s Civic Centre located just a short walk from our hotel. This large square is home to numerous imposing buildings including the Asian Art Museum, War Memorial Opera House and the City Hall. We’d come to visit the City Hall which welcomes visitors daily and offers…
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San Francisco Harbour Cruise & Fisherman’s Wharf: A Perfect Waterfront Day Out
Our first full day in San Francisco started with a harbour cruise with the Blue & Gold Fleet. Standard tickets for the one hour pleasure boat trip cost $37 (£30) but substantial savings can be made by purchasing the CityPASS which costs $84 (£72) and includes admission to four top attractions for use over a…
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Riding San Francisco’s Cable Cars and Visiting Lombard Street: Iconic City Highlights
We were up bright and early for our KLM Cityhopper flight from Leeds-Bradford airport over to Amsterdam. Even on short flights of under an hour, KLM offer drinks and snacks so we came to life with cups of coffee and tasty oat muffins. With just over an hour in Schiphol we then stretched our legs…
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Hotel Scandic Hamburg Emporio, Germany Review
Hotel Review Location: This large, modern hotel is one of the tallest in Hamburg and is located in the city enter close to the Gänsemarkt U-Bahn station. It’s also a short 800m walk from Jungfernstieg on the banks of the Alster and one of my favourite parts of the city. Arrival and check-in: I arrived…
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Christmas in Valletta, Malta: A Festive Travel Guide
Malta is a small Mediterranean island that’s popular for its pristine beaches and guaranteed sunny weather between Easter and October. You might not be aware though that in December, Malta transforms into a wonderland full of festive events, dazzling Christmas lights, and plenty of seasonal cheer. Getting there: Ryanair, EasyJet and Air Malta all offer…
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Hotel Hirschen, Schluchsee, Black Forest Germany Review
Hotel Review Location: Hotel Hirschen is located in a small village a five minute drive (3 km) from the charming lakeside resort of Schluchsee in the scenic Black Forest. The hotel is an ideal base for hiking, cycling and cross-country ski holidays being just 15 km from the Feldberg mountain and a 40 minute drive…
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Christmas in The Hague: A Festive Guide
I’ve just returned from the most wonderful weekend in The Hague celebrating the opening of the Royal Christmas Fair which is one of the largest and most beautiful Christmas markets in The Netherlands. The visit really got me into the festive spirit and I hope you will enjoy following in my footsteps around this enchanting…
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RUNO Hotel, Porvoo, Finland Review
Hotel Review Whilst visiting the Finnish capital of Helsinki it’s also a perfect opportunity to spend a couple of days exploring Porvoo. Located 50 km east of Helsinki, it’s Finland’s second oldest city and its best preserved. The small city is noted for its old wooden town, charming cobblestone streets and ochre painted riverside warehouses. …
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Narrowboating along the Kennet and Avon canal
After enjoying a narrowboat holiday along the River Thames last year, we couldn’t wait to do it all over again, this time opting for a cruise along the Kennet & Avon canal between Devizes and Bath. Our waterways adventure started one sunny September morning when we drove to the Foxhangers Wharf base at Rowde, close to Devizes…
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The Seaburn Inn, Seaburn, Tyne and Wear Review
Hotel Review Location: The Seaburn Inn is situated in the seaside resort of Seaburn, close to Sunderland in the north east of England. For motorists, the area is accessible by taking the A1231 junction from the A1 and for those guests arriving by train Seaburn Station is served by Tyne and Wear Metro. Arrival and check-in:…
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Explore London Landmarks: Walking from Green Park to Piccadilly Circus
Follow my walk to discover the highlights of this beautiful part of London’s West End Start off at Green Park Underground Station which is served by the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Victoria lines. On leaving, I suggest beginning by exploring the park itself as the northern edge is next to the tube station. Green Park Green…
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The Angel Inn, Bowness-on-Windermere Review
Location: The Angel Inn is a classic Lakes style country hotel situated in Bowness-on-Windermere in the Lake District National Park in the north west of England. The town lies approximately halfway along the lake between Waterhead at the north end and Lakeside to the south. For motorists, the A591 is one of the main routes into…
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Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Porvoo, Finland’s Picture-Perfect Town
Visiting Porvoo: Whilst staying in Helsinki it’s a perfect opportunity to spend a day or two exploring Porvoo. Located 50 km east of the capital, it’s Finland’s second oldest city and its best preserved. The small city is noted for its old wooden town, charming cobblestone streets and ochre painted riverside warehouses. Porvoo is…
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The Crown and Thistle Hotel, Abingdon Review
Overview: The Crown and Thistle dates from around 1605, and is a Grade II listed property comprising of three individual buildings clustered around a cobblestone courtyard. It is thought that the hotel takes its name from the uniting of the English and Scottish Crowns under King James VI of Scotland and King James I of…
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Helsinki Biennial 2023 – Vallisaari Island
The second biennial arranged by Helsinki Art Museum (HAM) took place between June-September this year with its main venue being on Vallisaari Island. I didn’t have an opportunity to attend the inaugural exhibition so I looked forward to being in Finland when the second one was happening. The Biennial is divided between Vallisaari and Helsinki…
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The Black Swan Hotel, Helmsley Review
Overview: The Black Swan Hotel is a characterful inn dating back to the 15th century with an Elizabethan building on one end, a Tudor one on the other and a Georgian House sandwiched in between. Location: The hotel is located in the centre of the attractive town of Helmsley within the North York Moors…
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Caracalla Spa, Baden-Baden: A Complete Guide to Germany’s Famous Thermal Baths
We were blessed with sunshine once again on our final day in south west Germany and what better way to end our trip than with a visit to the stunning Caracalla Spa in the centre of Baden-Baden. The town’s Roman Baths date all the way back to the first century when the Roman emperor Caracalla…
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A Scenic Walk Through Baden-Baden, Germany: Culture, Parks & Architecture
After sleeping soundly at our hotel in Gutach, we tucked into a delicious breakfast spread served to our table at Gasthof Hirsch. With freshly baked croissants, eggs, cold cuts of meat, fruit and cheese to tempt us, we definitely overindulged setting us up for the day ahead. Back in the car, it was just an…
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Exploring Triberg Waterfalls and the Black Forest Open-Air Museum in Gutach
After starting the day with a delicious buffet breakfast at the characterful Hotel Hirschen which included ham, eggs, cheese, fresh fruit and rye bread we were ready to load up the car and continue our road trip through the Black Forest. Our first stop of the day was the town of Triberg, famous for its…
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Top Things to Do in Freiburg and the Hochschwarzwald, Germany
After a good night’s sleep we started the day with a delicious buffet breakfast at the Park Hotel Post setting us up nicely for the day ahead. Our morning began with a stroll over to the cobbled Münsterplatz (main square) where a large market was already underway. The market takes place each morning with the…
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A Day in Freiburg: Exploring the Heart of the Black Forest
We took an early morning flight from London Heathrow to Basel airport, officially referred to as Euro Airport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg. The airport lies in France on the south western edge of the Black Forest, close to the borders with Switzerland and Germany. Passengers are able to depart from either the Swiss or French side…
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Porta Superia Boutique B & B Mechelen, Belgium Review
Hotel Review Mechelen is one of Flanders five art cities and an absolute hidden gem. The city is located 13 miles (21 km) from Brussels. I suggest escaping the crowds of Bruges and taking time to spend a day or two exploring this charming city. Location: The 4 star rated boutique Porta Superia B &…
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Top Things to Do in Tallinn Using the Tallinn Card
Tallinn is one of the best preserved Hanseatic old towns in Europe and its delightful old town has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997. Whether you are arriving by air, ferry or cruise ship the old town is easily reachable within 15 minutes. We travelled on the luxurious Tallink My Star ferry from…
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The Harrogate Inn Review
Hotel Review Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire noted for its beautiful parks, gardens, elegant buildings, Turkish baths, high class shops and tearooms. I recently had the pleasure of visiting the town and staying at the beautiful Harrogate Inn. Overview: The Harrogate Inn is a historic, centrally located hotel formerly known as the…
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