Travel

The idea of island hopping in Essex may never have crossed your mind but there are some great places to go in the Blackwater estuary. Northey Island, a National Trust property in Essex sits in the Blackwater Estuary near Maldon. It has a tidal causeway so you need to book in advance to access the site. It’s perfect for spotting wildlife or just getting away from it all. Mersea Island is found south east of Colchester, and situated between the Blackwater and Colne estuaries. With a land area of around ten square miles, it is home to the town of [More]

Some of the fiercest and bloodiest battles in World War I were fought in a small corner of western Belgium – the Ypres Salient. Today an area of bucolic farmland sprinkled with reconstructed villages, the region is nevertheless filled with soldiers’ cemeteries and war memorials, reminders of the brutal destruction of four years of trench warfare. The world’s eyes will be on Belgium this year for the centenary of the outbreak of the First World War. The first soldier to be killed in the fighting died in Liège at dawn on 4 August 1914; the first and the last British [More]

Yunnan, which refers to ‘the place south of the colourful clouds’, or ‘the place south of Yunling (cloudy ridge) Mountain’, is the most southwest province of China. Externally, it borders Vietnam, Laos and Burma; internally, it is neighbor to Guizhou, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan and Tibet. The Imperial City in Beijing and the Great Wall are in stark contrast to the excitement of Shanghai and neon of Hong Kong.

Budapest, capital of Hungary, is the pearl of the Danube and a constantly changing metropolis. Hungary was once a kingdom but then came the Turks, who were followed by the Habsburgs and Maria Theresia who became ‘Queen of Hungary’. The historic centre of Budapest is dominated by its noble castle that towers above the banks of the Danube. A 100 metre long cable railway that dates back to 1870 is both a practical and fascinating way to ascend the hill to the castle. Each day, the area around the castle, the Fischerbastel, that has never played a military role, attracts [More]

Throughout Essex there are many great attractions to visit and, whatever your interests, you can be sure of many enjoyable days out.

The most important places to visit in Austin are: Texas State Capitol, Bob Bullock Story of Texas Museum, Texas Governor’s Mansion, Austin Zoo, Longhorn Caverns, Austin Children’s Museum, Congress Avenue Bridge Bat Colony, Austin Steam Train, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center and many more.

Uzes is famous in the area for its Saturday market as not only does it sell local produce but it also sells cloths of the region as well as plenty of tourist delights. Uzès has Renaissance architecture, winding streets and nuns selling jam in Place aux Herbes. Uzès also has a number of restored houses being run as maisons d’hôtes.

Venice is a city in the north eastern part of the Italian country right at the Adriatic within the province of Venetia and is often called La Serenissima. The city counts 270.884 inhabitants, with only 62.000 people living in the historic centre, called centro storico and 30.000 more on other island in the lagoon. There are more than 100 islands in the lagoon of Venice. The republic of Venice has been an important political and economic power in europa for about 1000 years, but lost its independence in 1897, when Napoleon set foot on the well known St. Mark’s Square [More]

Port Isaac is a small harbour village on the north coast of Cornwall. Modern holiday homes form the upper section of the village, but the lower harbourside cottages and buildings date from the 18th and 19th century. Leading to and from the harbour area, extremely narrow roads are shared by motorists and pedestrians. At the harbourside, Port Isaac Fishermen Ltd. sells fresh, local whole fish and shellfish. In recent times, Port Isaac has served as the fictional Port Wenn in ITVs Doc Martin series, and the narrow Roscarrock Hill lane is often crowded with tourists in search of Doc Martins [More]

Dubai is a fairy-tale holiday paradise with romantic desert scenery and a long history. Like an ancient kingdom from the ‘One Thousand And One Nights’, it’s the second largest state in the United Arab Emirates located on the northern coast of the Arabian Peninsula. The trading of dates, goats, pearls and fish brought the city much prosperity and it gradually developed into the largest trading centre in the Near East. Maritime life has always played a significant role in the lives of those who live on the Arabian Gulf. With its triangular sails and a design that has remained unchanged [More]

Whether you’re staying in the city itself, by the lake or up a mountain, Lucerne’s hotels all impress through their history, architecture, interior design, comfort and hospitality. There is a wide range of accommodation on offer, from luxury hotels to simple holiday apartments.

In 1997 Salzburg became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Salzburg is a world-class destination for live music — with over 2,000 performances bringing life to its churches and palaces year-round. You can also take a train and boat to the lovely lakeside town of Hallstatt.

Malta is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean. Malta covers just over 316 km2 (122 sq mi) in land area, making it one of the world’s smallest states. It is also one of the most densely populated countries worldwide. The capital city of Malta is Valletta; the largest town, Birkirkara. The country has two official languages, Maltese (constitutionally the national language) and English.

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy. This video explores some of the beautiful lakeside towns including Malescine, Limone and Riva del Garda.