Porto This little pink slip of paper is like the golden ticket for Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. It gave me access to one of the world’s most beautiful bookshops, Livraria Lello in Porto....
The love story of Pedro and Inês in Coimbra, Portugal
The city of Coimbra in Portugal is known for its ancient university but it’s also the location for the tragic but true tale of devotion between Pedro and Inês, the Romeo and Juliet of Portugal....
On the Waterfront in Portugal with Inntravel
“Come on, just a few more steps,” Dougie encouraged me as we negotiated the narrow cobbled streets of the old Alfama district of Lisbon, heading for our hotel, Solar do Castelo. Positive words, the sort...
Why we’re converts to Pro Packing Cubes
My husband Dougie is the designated packer in our house. Over the years he has taken it upon himself to turn packing into an art form. Old-style rolling method Dougie’s preferred method is to lie...
Culzean castle and Country Park
While we were staying in Dumfries and Galloway at the beginning of September, we couldn’t resist taking a drive up the coast to Ayrshire to see Culzean Castle and Country Park. The drive itself...
There’s more than just Magna Carta at Lincoln Castle
I’d like to begin by saying a big thank you to everyone who buys National Lottery tickets. Since 1994 every time you’ve popped into a newsagent to pick up your daily paper and a couple...
The Shot at Dawn Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum
There is a smart new bench situated at the Shot at Dawn memorial in the National Memorial Arboretum. It is dedicated to “John Hipkin 1926-2016. Leader of the campaign to bring pardons to those soldiers before you,...
Where to stay and eat in Seville
Now you know how I fell in love with Seville and what we did during our short break, let’s end my Spanish sojourn with a suggestion of where to stay and eat in Seville....