An Evening of Japanese Culinary Excellence at Nobo Doha: The world’s largest Nobu, within a tri-level structure covering 26000 square feet, Nobu Doha is located on the private shoreline of the Four Seasons Hotel Doha but is open to both residents and visitors. Built on a corkscrew design, it allows diners to have elevated views […]
Saffron, Snails and More in Wallonia
The Gastronomy of Wallonia. I should know from experience to expect the unexpected in Belgium. And, even the idea of wine from Belgium, the theme for this short break to Wallonia, seemed just a little off-piste, though of course, Belgium is not far from France or Germany, both of which produce excellent wines. As is […]
The Grape Harvest – Porto and the Douro
Exploring Porto and the Douro Valley At any time of the year, RIB Beef and Wine in Porto would be a great place to enjoy a meal. Arriving, as we did, in Porto on a warm and sunny September day, our hearty lunch was the perfect introduction to the City. Part of the Pestana Vintage […]
The picturesque port hiding ancient treasures – Katakolon, Greece
Katakolon Greece and Ancient Olympia: The bijou Greek town, Katakolon, is perhaps best known to the cruise cognoscenti as the port for Olympia. But, even if you’ve visited Olympia on a previous trip, it’s worth having Katakolon on your cruise itinerary. When cruise experts CLIA asked me to share what was the most memorable stop […]
Discovering Catalonia – Part 1
A short break to Catalonia, Spain: Catalonia is a region of Spain that, other than from a couple of short city breaks to its capital Barcelona, has never been on my radar. Little did I know what I had been missing – read on and discover more of Catalonia with me! I have recently returned […]
The Beach at Bude – A Luxurious Short Break in Cornwall
The Beach at Bude – A luxury boutique hotel in North Cornwall North Cornwall is part of England I know and love. I grew up there and then, thirteen years ago, having spent several holidays in Boscastle, we bought a holiday cottage there. We loved the area and wanted to have somewhere to stay as […]
The Horses of Pardubice East Bohemia
A Tale of Two Horses in Pardubice: While City of Pardubice heraldry depicts a loyal horse from an ancient tale, equine life in the City today offers two markedly different courses, each in their own right a major attraction. On my recent short visit, I was lucky enough to get a taste of both, and […]
Three unique hotels to visit – North Portugal and the Douro
Three Wine Themed Douro Hotels Are you fascinated by the wines of the Douro Valley in Portugal? There’s a number of options if you want to experience the wine harvest in Northern Portugal for yourself. We’ve picked out three of the best hotels for you! The Monverde Wine Experience Hotel nestles in the green countryside […]
Marble, Heritage, Wine and Food in the Alentejo
Borba, Estremoz and more in the Alentejo: Some twenty five years ago, one of the first places I visited in the Alentejo was Estremoz. I can remember being overwhelmed by the stunning town and even more so by the Pousada where we stayed. So, I was really looking forward to a return visit to that […]
Eastern Bohemia – Heritage, Beer and Legends
Two Legends of Pardubice – and why you should visit! RyanAir has just opened a new route direct from London Stansted to Pardubice so if you are planning to visit the Czech Republic it is now very easy to reach and still much cheaper than Prague both for hotels and food. While accommodation choices may […]