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A long weekend in Funchal, Madeira

A long weekend in Funchal, Madeira
Madeira is an island that I knew virtually nothing about when we were invited to go on holiday with James’ family. It’s not somewhere I would have chosen to visit or that had ever really made it onto my list of places to see, but I was happy to go and explore somewhere new and different to where I’ve been before. The thought of getting some sun and warmth in the winter was also appealing! It’s a good location to go for a long weekend but like many places will also work for a slightly longer break if you planned to get out and explore the rest of the island. View Post

New York: A Three Day Itinerary for New York City

New York: A Three Day Itinerary for New York City
Start researching a trip for New York City and you’ll be inundated with different options and itineraries. There’s so much to do in New York that any short break won’t seem long enough, yet it remains a popular long weekend destination because there is so much that you can fit into a short space of time. We had three nights in New York, and with it being our first visit to the city there was a lot that we wanted to see and do. However, we also didn’t want the entire trip to feel rushed so we chose a few key things we wanted to fit in (I’ll share my first timer’s guide to New York shortly) and then decided to take everything else as it came. I really enjoyed what we did, and thought it was a good way to see different parts of the city so I’m sharing… View Post

A short break in Kraków

A short break in Kraków
Kraków isn’t somewhere I’d always dreamed of going to, and it hadn’t been one of my first considerations when I started to think about a Christmas market city break in December. However I noticed a few places were offering deals to go there. Curiosity piqued, I soon realised I could get there myself much cheaper (always look around!), there were direct flights from Bristol, and it came recommended by various friends. Suddenly I had a plan! Recently returned, I feel like I’m recommending the city to everyone I see. It was a great place for a short break, and I’d happily go back (although maybe when the weather’s a bit warmer…). Here’s my guide to a short city break in Kraków. View Post

An Autumn Weekend in Bakewell, The Peak District

An Autumn Weekend in Bakewell, The Peak District
Take 12 friends, who all have different jobs, different leave entitlements, who all live in different parts of England (and one currently in France), and try to organise a weekend together. It’s a little bit of a challenge. However, with a bit of discussion it was decided that autumn would be the best time to go. A weekend in October was selected, and then the next challenge was picking a location. It needed to be somewhere that wasn’t too far to drive from Cumbria, the North East, Bristol or London. It needed to have access to a train station, and possibly be near an airport. However we also wanted somewhere reasonably rural so that we could go out for walks in the countryside. Eventually it seemed like the Peak District was the place to go, and Bakewell offered us the opportunity to stay in the beautiful Haddon Villa. View Post

A Weekend in Cologne

A Weekend in Cologne
Cologne was a city I never imagined returning to. I first went for a short city break to the Cologne Christmas markets one December which I really enjoyed, but thought I’d seen the city. More recently, I’ve been on a summer city break to Cologne and had a completely different, but just as enjoyable experience. There are certain sites which will be enjoyable regardless of the time of year, but this guide will also focus on the two different seasons as they have a completely different atmosphere. View Post