Category Archives: Europe

3 Day Itinerary for Salzburg and Austrian Lakes: Mountains, Music and Magic in Salzkammergut

Itinerary for Salzburg and Austrian Lakes

Compact yet bursting with culture, small yet surrounded by some of Austria’s grandest lakes and mountains, Salzburg is the sort of city where you can perfectly fit everything into a a few days. From spectacular Sound of Music shows to glacier viewpoints, this ideal itinerary blends classic city sights, alpine adventures, and a taste of […]

How to See Hallstatt Without the Crowds: Visiting Austria’s Most Famous Village at its Best

How to See Hallstatt in Austria Without the Crowds

When I first saw pictures of Hallstatt online, I genuinely wondered if it was real. A tiny alpine village pressed between mountains and a glassy lake, with pastel houses tumbling down to the water and church spires perfectly reflected on its surface – it looked like ideal Instagram fodder. So when I finally found myself […]

2 Day Hague City Break: Perfect Hague Itinerary for Culture, Coast & Coffee

2 Day Hague Itinerary

Despite having been to Amsterdam more times than I can count, and even popping into nearby Rotterdam once, I’ve never thought to visit the Netherlands 3rd biggest city – The Hague. I always pictured it as a city full of diplomats, suits, and stern buildings where people argue about treaties, where serious, rather than fun […]

Barge Weekends: Not Just for Old People… or Am I Getting Old?

Barge Weekends Not Just for Old People… or Am I Getting Old

I’ll admit it: when someone first suggested a barge weekend, I thought it sounded like something only your retired uncle in a flat cap might enjoy. You know, the kind of holiday that involves stained thermos flasks of lukewarm tea, stale biscuits, endless chats about lock mechanics, and going to bed at 8pm. But when […]

3 Days in Rome: City Break Itinerary for the Eternal City (While 5 Months Pregnant!)

3 Days in Rome

Rome may be the Eternal City, but sadly, my diary and energy levels are not eternal. With a baby on the way, I suddenly felt the ticking of a very different kind of clock – so when a last minute holiday for a September getaway appeared in the calendar, I jumped. Just ten days before […]

Chester Travel Guide: Discover England’s Hidden Historic Gem

Chester Travel Guide

People think they have to go to London or York for history, smiled my tour guide Geoff as we stood beneath the towering Eastgate Clock. “But Chester… Chester’s the hidden gem they never see coming.” He was right. I had not seen Chester coming.   Related Posts 21 Top Things to Do in Liverpool: Top […]

Dog-Friendly Weekend in Bury St Edmunds: Suffolk’s Pooch-Perfect Escape

Suffolk’s Pooch-Perfect Escape

Some towns are worth visiting for their history alone – but what if you could enjoy centuries of stories without leaving your dog behind? That’s exactly what I found in Bury St Edmunds, the UK’s most dog-friendly town. From Magna Carta connections to the smallest pub in Britain, Bury, as its fondly known, is a […]

A Dog-Friendly Stay that Delivered: The Swan Hotel, Lavenham

Swan Hotel

Not every overnight stay comes with timber beams older than Shakespeare and World War Two graffiti carved by American airmen – but The Swan Hotel in Lavenham does. This half-timbered beauty has stood proudly for over 500 years, and today it’s not only one of the most historic hotels in the UK, but also, wonderfully, […]

The Canoe Trip in Sweden: Midsummer Magic

Canoe Trip

If Midsummer on Sweden isn’t on your bucket list… it should be! But forget the maypoles and floral crowns, for those of us who prefer their solstice with a ray of activity and a dose of off-grid adventure that won’t cost the earth, I’ve discovered the perfect Scandinavia summer experience. The Canoe Trip by Travelbase […]

Skip Tourist-Saturated Stonehenge: Ancient Avebury is the Ideal Antidote

Avebury, Wiltshire, UK

“Can you believe this place is older than Stonehenge?”, whispers our trusty guide, Steve. “It pre-dates it by almost 1000 years”, he adds reverently, laying his hands gently on the huge stone next to him, “so you’re standing on incredibly ancient and sacred land”. Where I’m standing, is in a glorious green field in Wiltshire. […]