London can be overwhelming for visitors. To alleviate the stress of trying to do a lot in a short space of time, we often settle in one area and keep our sightseeing focused. There’s...
Graduation road trip: Blackaddie Country House Hotel
When I think of our previous visit to Dumfries and Galloway last summer, what sticks in my memory is the food. Dougie and I were fortunate to enjoy excellent cuisine at all four of...
A taste of the estuary at Lympstone Manor
The end of an era is fast-approaching. Rory now has a degree in politics from Exeter University and our three years of visiting him will end next month with his graduation ceremony. I’m not...
Chocks away! A perfect weekend at the Aviator Hotel, Farnborough
You know you’ve joined the jet-set when you spot a distinguished, uniformed chap at the reception desk who looks remarkably like Sully, the heroic pilot who saved his passengers by gliding his plane onto the Hudson...
Solar do Castelo hotel, Lisbon: living like royalty within the castle walls
If you can’t stay in a castle when you’re on holiday then why not do the next best thing and stay in the hotel next door. The Castelo do São Jorge is one of the most...
A high degree of luxury and learning in Coimbra, Portugal
There was one small problem we had with Coimbra, even before we arrived. How to pronounce it. I thought it was kwom-bra or maybe koym-bra. I checked online and various audio files seemed to suggest...
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....
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....