When you think of the country Ireland, the color green may instantly comes to mind, as do its green patchwork and grassy hillsides. Officially known as the Republic of Ireland and nicknamed the Emerald Isle, its magical scenery attracts visitors from around the globe to gaze at the jaw-dropping landscapes and to delight in the taste of its signature drink, Guinness. A trip to Ireland is truly an inspiration.
The Ring of Kerry
Known as …
Glasgow is renowned for its style and friendly locals. It’s well rounded with a blend of internationally-acclaimed museums and galleries, stunning architecture, vibrant nightlife, fantastic shopping and a buzzy array of restaurants and bars. The city centre’s architecture is an attraction in itself with countless impressive Victorian structures, including Charles Rennie Mackintosh masterpieces – one of the city’s most celebrated architectural sons.
The city is going through a long-term transformation, combining urban mayhem with black …
Just a short drive from Oban, on Scotland’s west coast, is the quiet Isle of Eriska. Set against a backdrop of mountains, ocean mist and Scottish landscapes there is a certain mystique about it. Rattling over an old wooden bridge you immediately enter a concealed whisper-quiet world of lavender, purple rhododendrons and wildflowers. Round a bend in the road and there she is, the Grande Dame herself, the five-star Eriska Hotel – a Victorian Manor …
Budapest is one of the largest and most well-known cities on the Danube River in Hungary. It’s a town of many faces as it’s actually divided between “Buda” and “Pest.” You could easily fill a week in this city, but if you’re short on time, make sure you hit the highlights. You’ll quickly find out how this city played a big part in World War II and has come to be known as the “Jewel …
Harrod’s may be the most iconic of London’s retail establishments, but don’t let that keep you from visiting other locales. If you’d rather avoid the crowds and get a true taste of what Britain has to offer, try these lesser-known alternatives.
Covent Garden: If you’re looking for quaint oddities amongst architectural splendor, look no further than Covent Garden. Its stalls (centered in the Apple Market section) offer everything from collectibles and antiques to traditional handicrafts …
Just on an hour’s drive south of Calais, wedged in between Le Touquet and Arras, in the historic Somme valleys, is Chateau Bermicourt. Built in 1826, the ancestral Chateau served as the HQ for the Royal tank Corps in the Great War; and during WWII it was occupied by German forces. Although the Chateau is still a private residence lived in by the young de la Border family, its out buildings have been developed into …
Scotland’s west coast is synonymous with excellent seafood. Its miles of coastline land fresh catches every day that are immediately taken to the region’s finest tables.
On route to Oban from Glasgow stop off at Fyne Ales (on the spectacular Loch Fyne), an award-winning brewer of craft beers. The ingredients are sourced from around the world and brewed with soft Highland water collected from the hills behind the brewery. They do a guided brewery tour …
From Bizet’s Carmen to Washington Irving’s Tales of the Alhambra, the lure of Spain’s Andalucía region has captivated travelers from around the world for centuries. There is something captivating about the dry, arid region, where grandiose centuries-old cathedrals in Seville are surpassed in beauty only by the even older Islamic palaces. Southern Spain, despite the seemingly relentless heat, has a romance to it, a mysterious exoticism that is difficult to experience anywhere else in …
Few passengers careering between tube stations know there is an underground city beneath London.
In the 19th century, digging under-water deep-level tunnels was hazardous. Numerous attempts to cross the Thames underground had failed, with many lives lost. Today, the East London Line uses the Brunell’s Thames Tunnel, being the first successful under-Thames crossing.
When steam traction was exchanged for electricity, deeper tunnels could be dug using compressed air and a large circular drilling shield, which …
If the words ‘glamour’ and ‘gourmet’ conceptualise your ideal Parisian foodie experience then Café Angelina’s elegant interiors, majestic chandeliers and fabulous pastries will leave your expectations flailing in the wake of the locals rushing for a seat.
Angelina has established itself as a high point of Parisian gourmet pleasures. It’s a luxury brand with a prestigious image that symbolises the ‘French Way of Life’. Angelina’s patisserie and tearoom has been a favourite spot of well-heeled …
Thirteen minutes. That’s all it took from arriving in Barcelona to encounter one of its greatest claims to fame – the slickest pickpockets in Europe.
If you’re going to hit, best get hit by a professional, I always say. And they’re at their slickest and quickest on the underground trains at Barcelona Sants railway station. Barcelona treats its notoriety as a pickpocketer’s playground with a zesty inverted snobbery, with the landlord of the apartment I …
Traveling today can take all kinds of twists and turns from unexpected delays to problems with airfares. Wouldn’t it be great if you had your own travel assistant who would advise you of the best way to resolve the issue and seek out helpful information for you? Well, that’s exactly what a travel app can do. Once you start looking for travel apps you will find there are dozens upon dozens to look through in …
Colintraive is a quiet coastal village on Scotland’s west shoreline; the nearest town being Dunoon is some twenty minutes away. At one time cattle would swim across the narrowest point from the Isle of Bute, on their way to the markets of lowland Scotland. It’s barely more than a couple of hundred yards across but now a Cal Mac ferry departs from Rhubodach on Bute, providing a back door to the mainland.
Nothing much happens …
For millennia Istanbul has been recognised and admired as one of the most beautiful and exciting cities in the world. This unique metropolis was once the capital for three world-spanning empires: Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman. The hundreds of emperors and sultans that reigned over the city for more than 16 centuries have all left a legacy of valour and beautiful relics.
Istanbul has a broad historical and cultural canvas with Roman architecture and Islamic mosques
