Category: Holiday destinations

Holiday destinations: Paris during the winter, France

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A few weeks ago I travelled to Paris with one of my best friends – Natasha.

Paris is a capital city of France and it has a population of 12 million (2014) which covers 18 percent of the residents of France. In 2015 Paris received 22.2 million visitors, making it one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

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Travel:

We decided to go to Paris by Eurostar as it is the easiest way to travel to Paris from London. It takes under 2.5 hours and trains depart from King’s Cross Station in central London every hour. Prices vary from £29 for a standard single ticket booked in advance to £249 for a business premiere ticket including an access to the Executive Lounge and some complementary drinks and a meal on-board.

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Attractions:

Paris is wonderful and it doesn’t matter whether you travel there during the winter or during the summer.

The Central area of Paris along the Seine River is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site, and includes many notable monuments. In addition, Paris is the home of many important museums and cultural institutions. There are many places worth seeing however if you are in Paris for a limited time (we were there for 3 days) then you should definitely visit:

  • The Eiffel Tower – an iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars that was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.
  • The Louvre – the most visited and the largest art museum in the world.
  • Arc de Triomphe – is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées.
  • Notre Dame Cathedral – is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité built in the 12th century.

Furthermore, I would definitely recommend that you either take a walk down the river or alternatively you can take one of many mini-cruises especially if the weather is nice.

In addition, if you love live-shows and cabaret then you should definitely visit Moulin Rouge but be prepared-tickets for a show and dinner are quite expensive and start at 190 Euros per person thus we decided to skip it this time.

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Hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Lisbon, Portugal

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I’ve recently visited Lisbon-the capital and the largest city of Portugal for a short 3-days break with my husband. Lonely Planet’s features which boast Portugal in both its top 10 Cities and Regions to visit in 2017 lists prove that Portugal is not a place to be missed. You should experience it before it becomes a tourist hub so if you are currently planning your travel adventures for 2017 then put Portugal on your ‘to-go’ list.

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Lisbon has a population of around 2.7 million people, being the 11th-most populous urban area in the European Union. It is one of the oldest cities in the world, and the oldest in Western Europe, predating other modern European capitals such as London, Paris and Rome by centuries.

Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate. We were there during December and it was quite warm. The city has the warmest winters of any metropolis in Europe, with average temperatures 15 °C during the day and 8 °C at night from December to February.

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There’s lots to see in this city and here is a short list of my suggestions:

  1. Lisbon Oceanarium
  2. Jeronimos Monastery
  3. Belem Tower
  4. St George’s Castle
  5. Parque Des Nacoes
  6. Design and Fashion Museum

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As I was there for only 3 days my mini-break, it felt quite rushed and I would love to go there again for a few days more. I am sure that I could have benefited from taking the slower route and really immersing myself in many beautiful surroundings that Portugal has to offer. On my return from Portugal I have discovered the ‘Slow holidays’ company Inntravel that is specialising in organising walking holidays. They have recenly added a new La Palma Volcanic Trail walking holiday. Everyone needs some time to think and if you enjoy discovering new places, eating delicious food and walking then that would be the perfect break for you. I would love to go on this 7 days walking holidays that consist of:

  • self-guided hotel-to-hotel walking;
  • walking through beautiful, unspoiled scenery from coast to coast;
  • staying at the unique blend of traditional and modern accommodation (one guesthouse, one 3-star hotel, one village cottage; one rural hotel).

You can read more about this walking holiday on Inntravel website:

https://www.inntravel.co.uk/holidays/walking-holidays/Portugal/Algarve-coast-to-coast?pg=sk

I hope you enjoyed reading this review. It was written in collaboration with Inntravel.

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Pauline

Holiday destinations: Palma, Majorca

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I have just came back home from a great second mini-moon in Palma de Mallorca so I would like to tell you about this destination today.

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Palma is situated on the south coast of Majorca. Almost half of the total population of Majorca live in Palma and the entire urban area of Palma in 2009 was 621,000.

With beautiful weather, stunning scenery, and delicious cuisine, Palma is a very popular destination for holidays. Its airport, serves over 22 million passengers each year.

Palma’s multicultural history is reflected in the wonderful variety of architecture visible throughout the city. If you are in Palma only for a few days then you should definitely:

  • Walk through the gorgeous fairly narrow, quiet streets of the Old Town surrounded by a diverse range of interesting buildings. The architecture of which is comparable to cities such as Florence.
  • Visit Palma La Seu Cathedral. It is Gothic cathedral which rises out of the city walls which once marked the edge of the sea.
  • Go to Placa d’ESpania -the transport hub of Palma.
  • Walk or cycle around the beach. There is a cycle path and promenade lie directly behind the beach. If you like running then it is also a perfect place for a morning run!
  • Visit the Almudaina Palace. It is a 13th century palace with charming gardens located just next to the cathedral.
  • Visit the Bellver Castle a Gothic style castle located on a hill 3 km to the west of the center of Palma. You will be able to admire the panorama of Palma from there.

I will post some suggestions of where to stay and which restaurants are worth visiting over the next few days.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review!

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Pauline

 

Holiday destinations: Dubrovnik, Croatia

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I visited Dubrovnik recently and it was simply breath-taking.

Dubrovnik is one of the best known Croatian cities on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most prominent tourist destinations in the Mediterranean, referred to often as ‘the pearl of the Adriatic’. It was also recently featured in the popular ‘Game of Thrones’ series so it’s a must-see for any fan who wishes to discover the settings of this fantasy series.

As I was there with my fiancée only for a day, we decided to take one of the guided walking tours on top of the walls. In spite of the heat, humidity and heavy crowds, this was undeniably one of the most spectacular walks in the cities we’ve ever seen. Our guide was very knowledgeable and it was very interesting to listen to the tales she told us about the city.

We loved it and would love to visit the city again. Next time we will definitely stay for longer to see all the beautiful sides.

I hope you enjoyed reading this review.

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Pauline

 


					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Holiday destinations: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
			


	


				

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A while ago I decided to pursue my career and as a result I moved to Amsterdam. I ended up living there for almost 2 years before I was certain that I want to move back to London. I always feel quite sentimental when I think about this unique city. Despite the obvious presence of thousands of visitors, its life remained authentic. The city old Centre is formed from canal rings, which give you the feeling of space and freedom.


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Cycling is key to the city’s character and there are 400km of cycle paths so try to rent a bike and cycle a bit when you visit.


Location:


Amsterdam is the Netherlands’ capital, known for its artistic heritage, elaborate canal system and narrow houses. Amsterdam has a population of 840,486 and is located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country.


Amsterdam’s name derives from Amstelredamme, indicative of the city’s origin as a dam of the river Amstel.


 
 
 
  
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Attractions:


There’s lots to see in the city. Here is a short list of my suggestions:


    

  1. Visit the Museum District houses works by Rembrandt and Vermeer at the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum and modern art at the Stedelijk.
    2. 

  2. Visit Anne Frank House.
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  3. Visit Dam square.
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  4. Have a drink or something to eat around Rembrandtplein or Leidseplein squares.
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  5. Have a picnic at Vondelpark.
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  6. Take a canal cruise.
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I hope you enjoyed reading this review.


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Pauline


 

					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Holiday destinations: Corfu, Greece
			


	


				

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I recently stopped at Corfu Island for a day. Corfu is the second largest of the Ionian Islands Greek island in the Ionian Sea.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


It is also among the most beautiful and popular islands of the country. Due to its strong historical connection with Europe, Corfu was among the first Greek islands to open to tourism.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Located on the north western side of the country, Corfu island has a cosmopolitan feeling combined with a special traditional character. We had a traditional Greek meal cooked for us by a ‘Greek mama’ in a restaurant that felt like a kitchen of your relatives. Portions were really generous and the attitude of the staff was lovely-they were all extremely friendly and smiley.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


There are a lot of lovely beaches around the island and if you like discovering new places then you should definitely go for a walking trip around the city as there are some lovely ruins and castles worth seeing there. We decided to climb on top of the hill at midday which was quite challenging as it was extremely hot but as a results we were able to admire the island from its highest points.


My advice would be to do all the sightseeing during the late afternoon hours.


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I hope you enjoyed reading this short review.


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Pauline

					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Holiday destinations: Paris, France
			


	


				

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Last weekend we went for our mini-moon to the most romantic city in the world – Paris. It is a capital city of France and it has a population of 12 million (2014) which covers 18 percent of the residents of France. In 2015 Paris received 22.2 million visitors, making it one of the world’s top tourist destinations.


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Travel:


We travelled to Paris by Eurostar as it is the easiest way to travel to Paris from London. It takes under 2.5 hours and trains depart from King’s Cross Station in central London every hour. Prices vary from £29 for a standard single ticket booked in advance to £249 for a business premiere ticket including an access to the Executive Lounge and some complementary drinks and a meal on-board. Our meal was disappointing both during our morning and evening journeys and on our way back the service was extremely slow so I am not sure if it was worth paying £1000 for 2 return tickets…


 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 


Attractions:


The Central area of Paris along the Seine River is classified as a UNESCO Heritage Site, and includes many notable monuments. In addition, Paris is the home of many important museums and cultural institutions. There are many places worth seeing however if you are in Paris for a limited time (we were there for 3 days) then you should definitely visit:


    

  • The Eiffel Tower – an iron lattice tower on the Champ de Mars that was named after the engineer Gustave Eiffel, whose company designed and built the tower.
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  • The Louvre – the most visited and the largest art museum in the world.
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  • Arc de Triomphe – is one of the most famous monuments in Paris. It stands in the centre of the Place Charles de Gaulle, at the western end of the Champs-Élysées.
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  • Notre Dame Cathedral – is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité built in the 12th century.
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  • Pont Alexandre III Bridge – is a deck arch bridge that spans the Seine in Paris. It connects the Champs-Élysées quarter with those of the Invalides and Eiffel Tower.
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  • Basilica du Sacre-Coeur de Montmartre – is a Roman Catholic church and minor basilica, dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus that opened in 1914.
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Furthermore, I would definitely recommend that you either take a walk down the river or alternatively you can take one of many mini-cruises especially if the weather is nice. We were extremely lucky with the weather and we decided to have a romantic walk around the River Seine on our way from The Eiffel Tower back to our hotel which was located just a minute walk from the Arc de Triomphe. In addition, if you love live-shows and cabaret then you should definitely visit Moulin Rouge but be prepared-tickets for a show and dinner are quite expensive and start at 190 Euros per person.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Hope you enjoyed reading this review.


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Pauline

					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Holiday destinations: Split, Croatia
			


	


				

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This week I would like to tell you about Split.


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It is the second-largest city in Croatia, one of the oldest cities in the area and the largest city of the region of Dalmatia.


 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 


Split has an exceptional location. It is placed in between the coastal mountains and the turquoise waters of the Adriatic. It can be described as a lively city and as soon you step inside Diocletian’s Palace and you’ll see many restaurants and shops thriving amid the atmospheric old walls where Split life has been going on for thousands of years.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


I love sightseeing and together with my fiancée we decided to climb the Bell Tower of St. Domnius. Honestly speaking, it was one of the scariest experiences ever as the stairs felt really unstable and wobbly… We were brave (or foolish) though and reached the top of the stairs to admire some stunning views from the top of the tower but I would never dare to do it again for safety reasons. Whoever is responsible for the maintenance work on these stairs needs to do a better job as I seriously feared for my live half-way through to the top!


 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 


After this frightening experience we needed to grab a drink and sat down in one of many local bars located in the Old Town. Subsequently, we continued our sightseeing around the walls of Diocletian’s Palace and admired this beautiful city whilst learning about its vibrant history.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


I would definitely advise you all to go and visit Split if you ever travel to Croatia but then again probably climbing the stairs of the Bell Tower is not the best idea unless they are replaced.


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Pauline

					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Holiday destinations: Barcelona, Spain
			


	


				

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A few months ago, I joined my parents for a few days break to Barcelona.


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There are lots of places to visit and things to do while in Barcelona but in my opinion these are the top 3 attractions you definitely need to see:


1. Basilica of the Sagrada Familia


The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, designed by Spanish architect Antoni Gaudí. It is absolutely stunning and if you ever visit Barcelona then you should definitely put it on your list of places worth seeing.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


2. Park Guell


Located in the city of Barcelona, the Park Guell is one of the most beautiful icons of the city. It’s a work of Antoni Gaudi located in the upper part of Barcelona, which has wonderful views of the city. You can enjoy a fantastic green walk surrounded by a modernist works.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


3. Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya


The Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya is the national museum of the arts located in Barcelona. It is one of the largest museums in Spain, housed in a huge Palau Nacional dating back to 1929. The museum is situated on Montjuïc hill and leading down to the famous Placa Espanya. If you are into art then this museum is especially notable for its outstanding collection of church paintings, and some Catalan art and design from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.


 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 


Food:


We went to many local restaurants and bars but to be honest I wasn’t ‘wowed’ by any of them so I am afraid that I won’t be able to recommend any places in particular. Although, the food we had in Barcelona was average, I would definitely recommend you go to any local cuisine i.e. some tapas or paella accompanied by the Sangria.


Hotel:


We stayed in the city centre in the Barri Gothic area in NH hotel. Hotel was very conveniently located-just 5 minutes’ walk from the tube station. It had a nice, artistic décor and very friendly staff. We arrived around 9p.m. and were greeted by extremely friendly receptionist who checked us in quickly and made us feel welcome. When we arrived in our rooms-they were really spacious and had a clean, modern décor. I would definitely consider staying there again the future.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Overall experience:


Once again, I really enjoyed my stay in Barcelona with my parents. It is still one of my favorite cities in Europe and I will definitely visit again soon.

					

		
		
			





			
				



	
	

					
Holiday destinations: Argostoli town Kafalonia, Greece
			


	


				

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I recently visited Argostoli with my fiancée. As we were there only for a day we decided to take a prearranged coach tour to see the most sought after attractions on this Island.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
  


Argistoli is a town on a Greek island of Kafalonia. Our coach left the port of Argostoli and drove around stunning coastline to reach the Robola winery. When we arrived at the winery we had a guided tour around it and listened about the process of elaboration of Robola wines from the grapes to the bottle. In addition, our guide described the history of the area and took us around the different rooms where the wine is produced. Our experience ended with some wine tasting. Honestly, their sweet dessert wine was to die for and even though I am not much of a drinker I had a couple of glasses. The interesting fact that we learnt during the tour was that Robola winery donates all unsold wine from the previous year to the residents of the island for their August bank holidays celebrations. Would like to check it our someday!


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


After our visit to the Robola, we took a short coach journey to our next stop – Fragata village and the Monastery of St. Gerasimos. This part of the island is a destination for pilgrims especially during festival celebrations when it can attract hundreds, even thousands, of pilgrims. The Monastery of St. Gerasimos (patron saint of Kefalonia) is built on the side of the older church which wasn’t suitable to host thousands of worshipers thus a larger monastery was constructed next to it. It is a definitely a go to place if you are Christian and happen to visit this Island.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


Once, we completed our spiritual experience, we took a trip to the Melissani lake in the village of Karavomilos. It was my favourite part of our trip to the Island. Melissani lake is known to be one of the most beautiful underground lakes in the world. After a short walk through a tunnel we reached the lake and climbed aboard a wooden boat. We were sailing slowly around the lake for around five minutes and admired the surrounding caves. The sun was getting into the caves from one of the sides which gave rise to changes in shades of water. We were admiring thousands of shades of blue. It was truly magnificent.


 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 


Following on from our trip to the lake, we took a tour around the island where we were able to appreciate all it has to offer.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


To conclude, I think that anyone who is considering visiting Kafalonia should go there at least for 2-3 days as 1 day is definitely not enough to discover its full potential. I would love to return here in the future.


 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
  
  


I hope that you enjoyed reading my review!


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