Category: Europe

Istanbul

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey. Istanbul is split in two by the Borphorus Straight and has a European side and an Asian side.

Travel to Istanbul

We took off from Manchester Airport on an afternoon EasyJet flight, feeling fancy with our pre-booked seats—a true luxury at £150 per person return. The catch? The fare only included a bag small enough to fit under the seat… ideally your own seat. Still, since we were only away for three nights, we embraced minimalist living—who needs wardrobe options when you can wear the same jeans in three different moods?

Executive lounge (Escape)

Before our flight, we decided to treat ourselves like the jet‑setters we clearly thought we were and booked into the Escape Lounge at Terminal 1 — a mere £36 each, which we justified as “an investment in relaxation” (and bacon). We booked directly with Manchester Airport, because nothing says luxury like cutting out the middleman.

After checking in at the front desk — trying our best to look like people who do this sort of thing all the time — we were ushered to our table, where breakfast awaited in all its glory. There was a full cooked spread: bacon, sausage, hash browns, beans, tomatoes and eggs (fried and scrambled, clearly catering to both adventurers and traditionalists).

As if that wasn’t enough to test our self‑control, there were breads, yoghurts, fruit, pastries and cereals — basically every food group that pairs well with guilt. By the time we’d finished “sampling” everything, we were fully ready to escape… straight into a food coma.

The lounge bar was so wonderfully quiet that getting a drink felt less like battling through a Friday night in Wetherspoons and more like having your own personal bartender on standby. Most drinks were included too, including sparkling wine in both white and rosé — because apparently nothing says “airport luxury” quite like sipping free fizz at 10am without judgement.

The food changed from breakfast to lunch whilst we were in the lounge. This included a variety of hot and cold food including sandwiches, crisps, cottage pie and a Thai chicken curry.

We arrived at the airport at 9.30pm Istanbul time, slightly tired but still optimistic and ready to begin our Turkish adventure. Finding the man holding a sign with our name on it was surprisingly easy — which, in hindsight, was probably the last thing that went smoothly that evening.

Unfortunately, after this triumphant moment of recognition, we then entered what felt like the extended director’s cut of Waiting for a Driver. Over 50 minutes later, including a trek down to the pick-up point worthy of an episode of Race Across the World, our transport finally arrived. We had booked the transfer through Booking.com at a cost of £30 each way, and at this point we were beginning to wonder whether the driver was travelling from Istanbul via Greece.

To be fair, once he did arrive, our driver — Muhammed Zahit Ozkilic, employed by Prime — was absolutely lovely. Friendly, helpful and probably the calmest person involved in the entire evening. On the plus side, the vehicle itself was luxurious, spotless and spacious enough to stretch out comfortably while we tried to convince ourselves the night could only get better from here. Spoiler alert: it could not.

Accommodation Nightmare

The journey into the old town of Istanbul took around 50 minutes. We had specifically chosen accommodation in this area because it was close to many of the main attractions we wanted to visit. Through Booking.com we had booked what appeared to be a spacious apartment for three nights at a cost of £160 — a bargain, we thought. Ah yes… the innocence.

The first warning sign came when we tried contacting the owners the day before travel through Booking.com and received no reply. During the journey from the airport we tried several more times, again with no response. Still, we remained hopeful. After all, what are holidays without a little unnecessary anxiety?

Then we arrived.

Except… there was no apartment building. No reception. No sign. Nothing. The address appeared to lead us to thin air. At this point it was after midnight, we were tired, confused and standing in the middle of Istanbul wondering if perhaps the apartment existed only spiritually.

We contacted Booking.com who informed us they would get back to us within 24 hours — which was incredibly reassuring considering we currently had nowhere to sleep except possibly a pavement near the Blue Mosque.

Thankfully, our driver Muhammed was an absolute star and genuinely tried his best to help us. He asked numerous locals if they knew of the apartment, but nobody had ever heard of it. This confirmed what we had already started to suspect: the apartment was about as real as my plans to pack light for a holiday.

It was clearly a scam, yet despite all of this, Booking.com have refused to refund the booking cost. Considering we had been loyal customers for years, we were far from impressed.

New accommodation at the Glorious Hotel

Glorious hotel

After discovering that our original “apartment” existed only in the imagination of a scammer, we then faced the delightful challenge of trying to find a hotel in Istanbul after midnight. Unsurprisingly, many places were either full or looked like the sort of establishment where you’d leave with fewer possessions than you arrived with.

Eventually, after what felt like a late-night episode of The Amazing Race: Istanbul Edition, we managed to secure a room at the Glorious Hotel at a cost of £180 for 3 nights. Thankfully, our wonderful driver Muhammed stayed with us the entire time, driving us around and refusing to abandon two stranded tourists wandering Istanbul with suitcases and rapidly fading patience. At this point he deserved honorary tour guide status — or possibly sainthood.

Rooms

The rooms at the hotel were fairly basic and on the cosy side — and by cosy, I mean if you opened your suitcase fully you risked blocking the fire exit. However, they were perfectly adequate for what we needed and, most importantly, they actually existed, which already put them ahead of our original accommodation.

The rooms were cleaned daily to a very high standard and fresh towels were provided every day too, which always makes you feel slightly more luxurious than you actually are. While we didn’t have the spacious apartment we had originally planned for, the rooms were comfortable enough for a city break where most of your time is spent out exploring (or recovering from accommodation trauma).

Wellness Area

One thing we absolutely did not expect was to discover a surprisingly impressive wellness area hidden away in the hotel basement like some sort of secret spa bunker.

For an additional charge, guests can use the sauna, steam room and traditional Turkish bath, with a variety of massage and beauty treatment packages available. Prices started from around 60 euros, which was actually very reasonable considering everything included.

The area itself was calm, relaxing and honestly the perfect place to recover after dragging your luggage around Istanbul questioning your life choices. If we had been staying longer, we definitely would have booked a treatment. It genuinely felt like discovering a little hidden gem tucked away beneath the hotel — proof that sometimes the best surprises are found underground in Istanbul… preferably not alongside your missing apartment.

Location

The hotel was located within around a 20-minute walk of the main sights in the Sultanahmet area, which turned out to be ideal for us. Before arriving, we had considered buying tickets for one of the hop-on hop-off buses, mainly because nothing says “tourist” quite like sitting on the top deck trying not to lose your sunglasses.

However, once we got there, we quickly realised the best way to explore Istanbul was simply on foot. We do enjoy walking when visiting new places, partly because you discover far more hidden streets, shops and cafés — and partly because it helps justify the amount of bread and baklava consumed on holiday.

Walking around also meant we stumbled across all sorts of things we would probably have missed from a bus, including tiny side streets, local markets and approximately 47 cats who clearly considered themselves official city tour guides.

For attractions slightly further afield, we used Uber which we found surprisingly reasonable compared to UK prices. It was quite refreshing to complete a journey without needing to remortgage the house afterwards.

Food and Drink

On an evening we usually ended up in the hotel restaurant bar for a relaxed drink before bed. A glass of wine and a bottle of beer came to around £10, which for a hotel was actually pretty reasonable — especially considering airport prices nowadays can leave you financially recovering for weeks.

One of the nicest unexpected parts of the trip was meeting a lovely group of Bulgarian guests who were also staying at the hotel. Each evening somehow turned into a little international nightcap gathering despite us all speaking different languages.

Thankfully, Google Translate stepped in like the hero nobody knew they needed. Conversations involved a lot of phones being passed around the table, dramatic facial expressions and occasional confusion, but somehow we all managed to communicate perfectly well — proof that wine, beer and technology really can bring people together.

We decided to try the hotel breakfast on our first morning since it was included in the price — and as any traveller knows, “included” food somehow feels impossible to turn down, even when you’re not entirely sure what half of it is.

Unfortunately, the breakfast wasn’t really to our taste. Most of the guests staying at the hotel were Turkish or Bulgarian, so the breakfast was very much catered towards them, which is completely fair enough when you’re visiting another country. It’s always good to experience local culture… even if at 8am your brain is desperately searching for toast and a brew.

Thankfully, eating out for breakfast in Istanbul was incredibly reasonable, with plenty of cafés and restaurants offering all sorts of options nearby. And honestly, when in Turkey, there’s apparently nothing wrong with starting your day with a doner kebab. Forget cereal — nothing says “ready for sightseeing” quite like questionable breakfast decisions involving grilled meat before 10am.

Sightseeing by foot

Grand Bazaar

Entrance to Grand Bazaar

Our first sightseeing stop in Istanbul was the famous Grand Bazaar — one of the oldest and largest covered markets in the world and apparently one of the very first shopping malls ever created. Proof, if any was needed, that humans have been impulse-buying things they don’t need for centuries.

As it was a Saturday, the Bazaar was absolutely heaving with people from every corner of the globe. If you dislike crowds, personal space invasion or being enthusiastically invited into shops every seven seconds, then this may not be your ideal relaxing afternoon stroll. At times the walkways were so packed that moving forward became less “shopping experience” and more “slow-moving human traffic jam.”

The shopkeepers were incredibly persistent and seemed to possess a supernatural ability to spot tourists from 400 metres away. Before you knew it, you were apparently best friends with someone trying to sell you rugs, lamps, handbags, spices and possibly a small kingdom.

The range of things available in the Bazaar is honestly endless. Jewellery, clothing, rugs, homeware, spices, food, footwear — you can buy practically anything here. I’m fairly certain if we’d looked hard enough, someone would have sold us a camel and thrown in a free keyring.

One important thing to remember when shopping in the Bazaar: never accept the first price. Negotiating is all part of the experience and, oddly enough, quite good fun once you get over the awkwardness of pretending to walk away dramatically while secretly hoping they call you back.

Early morning in Bazaar

Not far from the Grand Bazaar we discovered a most amazing doughnut shop which sold very delicious doughnuts with a range of different flavours. The shop is on Tahmis Sk. not too far away from the Galata Bridge.

Doughnut shop

Blue Mosque

Blue Mosque

The stunning Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, was built in the early 17th century and is still a fully functioning mosque today. Unlike many famous attractions around the world that charge you the equivalent of a small mortgage payment to enter, access to the mosque is completely free.

From the outside the building is absolutely breathtaking, with its huge domes and towering minarets dominating the skyline. Inside, it somehow becomes even more impressive. The intricate details, chandeliers and famous blue tiles make it one of those places where you genuinely stop talking for a few minutes — partly out of respect and partly because you’re busy staring upwards trying not to walk into anybody.

There are a few rules before entering, which are important to respect. Women need to cover their hair and make sure shoulders and legs are covered, while everyone must remove their shoes before going inside. This led to the slightly awkward but universal tourist experience of trying to quickly untie footwear while balancing on one leg amongst hundreds of other confused visitors doing exactly the same thing.

Inside Blue Mosque

Hagia Sophia

The incredible Hagia Sophia is one of Istanbul’s most famous landmarks and has had quite the identity crisis over the centuries. Originally built around 360 AD as an Orthodox Christian church, it later became a mosque, was then transformed into a museum, and has since reverted back into a mosque again. This building has reinvented itself more times than Madonna.

It is undoubtedly one of the most popular tourist attractions in Istanbul, and judging by the crowds outside, it seemed the entire world had decided to visit on the same day as us. The building itself is absolutely breathtaking, with its enormous dome and dramatic architecture dominating the skyline. Even if you know absolutely nothing about history, you still find yourself standing there staring up at it thinking, “Well… that’s a bit impressive.”

You can buy tickets to go inside, but when we arrived the queue was absolutely gigantic. And not just a “slight wait” kind of queue — this was the sort of line where people ahead of you probably had time to form friendships, start families and discuss pension plans before reaching the entrance.

As our time in Istanbul was limited, we decided not to go inside on this occasion. Partly because we wanted to see more of the city and partly because neither of us fancied ageing visibly while waiting in line.

Still, even seeing Hagia Sophia from the outside was well worth the visit. Plus, by avoiding the queue we gained extra time for our other important Istanbul activities: getting slightly lost, admiring cats and searching for food every 20 minutes.

Hagia Sophia

Galata Tower

The famous Galata Tower is now a museum and gives its name to the trendy Galata area of Istanbul. Originally built in the 13th century, it was once the tallest building in the city — which must have been quite impressive at a time when most people’s skyline consisted mainly of roofs and the occasional ambitious pigeon.

Unfortunately, when we visited, the tower was covered in renovation work, making it slightly difficult to appreciate its full beauty. In fact, most of our photos looked less like “historic Istanbul landmark” and more like “large medieval building site.”

Still, even partially hidden behind scaffolding, the tower remained impressive and the surrounding Galata area was well worth exploring. The streets around it were full of cafés, shops and steep hills guaranteed to make you question your fitness levels within approximately three minutes.

Galata Tower

Galata Bridge

The busy Galata Bridge connects the old and new parts of the European side of Istanbul and is far more than just a bridge — it’s practically a full-time social event.

What surprised us most was the sheer number of fishermen lined along both sides of the bridge. There were so many fishing rods sticking out over the water that at times it looked less like a bridge and more like some sort of giant porcupine balancing over the Bosphorus.

Considering the constant stream of boats passing underneath, it was honestly a miracle that the fishing lines didn’t end up tangled around passing ferries, tour boats or unsuspecting tourists. We spent a good amount of time watching in amazement, fully expecting at least one fisherman to accidentally reel in public transport.

The bridge itself is a great place to soak up the atmosphere of Istanbul, with fantastic views across the water and plenty going on around you. Just be careful where you walk — dodging fishing rods quickly becomes an unexpected part of the sightseeing experience.

Galata Bridge

Sightseeing by boat

Meeting point near Blue Mosque

We booked a boat trip through Viator at a cost of £22 for two people, which we thought was pretty decent value considering it involved a cruise around one of the world’s most famous waterways and not just a paddle boat on a local duck pond.

We were instructed to meet at 12.20pm near the Blue Mosque. Thankfully, the company had the foresight to send a photo of the exact meeting point because Google Maps decided to play its usual holiday game of “close enough.” The address it provided took us around 20 metres away, which doesn’t sound much until you’re standing in a packed tourist area wondering if you’ve accidentally joined the wrong excursion.

After waiting around for about 15 minutes, our guide finally appeared and began leading the group through the busy streets towards the harbour where the boat was moored. This part of the experience felt less like a relaxing sightseeing tour and more like participating in a very stressed-out school trip. With crowds everywhere and people constantly stopping suddenly for photos, it basically turned into organised chaos. At one point it genuinely felt like we were being herded through Istanbul like slightly confused cattle.

Eventually we reached the boat, only to discover the seating area was absolutely packed. The seats were so close together that sitting down comfortably required the flexibility of a yoga instructor and the personal space expectations of a sardine. We ended up with seats in the middle of the boat but quickly realised there wasn’t enough room to enjoy the journey properly.

In the end, we stood for the entire trip — which actually turned out to be the better option anyway, as it gave us far better views of the sights along the Bosphorus. Plus, standing meant we avoided accidentally becoming permanently wedged between two strangers for the duration of the cruise.

Bosphorus Bridge

The impressive Bosphorus Bridge was opened in 1973 after three years of construction and stretches across the Bosphorus Strait, linking Europe and Asia together — which is quite a useful shortcut really, considering swimming across probably isn’t ideal.

At the time it was built, it was the longest suspension bridge in Europe, proudly holding the title until the Humber Bridge came along and stole its crown. A bit like being the tallest child in school until somebody has a growth spurt over summer holidays.

Even today the bridge is an impressive sight, especially when lit up at night

Bosphorus Bridge

Maiden’s Tower

The picturesque Maiden’s Tower, also known as Leander’s Tower, sits on a tiny island around 200 metres from the southern entrance of the Bosphorus Strait. Standing alone in the water, it honestly looks like something straight out of a fairy tale — or possibly the world’s most inconvenient location for popping out to buy milk.

These days you can actually catch a boat over to the tower and enjoy a meal there, which sounds incredibly romantic and far more sophisticated than most of our usual holiday dining decisions.

Unfortunately, due to our limited time in Istanbul, we didn’t get chance to visit properly, which was a shame because eating dinner on a tiny tower in the middle of the Bosphorus definitely sounds like the sort of thing you tell people about repeatedly afterwards whether they asked or not.

Maiden’s Tower

Ortakoy Mosque

The beautiful Ortaköy Mosque is known as the smallest mosque in Istanbul and was built between 1854 and 1856. What it lacks in size, however, it more than makes up for in charm and location.

Sitting right on Ortaköy Pier Square beside the Bosphorus, the mosque almost looks too picturesque to be real — like someone carefully placed it there purely for Instagram purposes long before Instagram even existed.

The surrounding square is a very popular tourist area packed with cafés, food stalls and people taking approximately 700 photos from slightly different angles. Between the mosque, the waterfront views and the nearby Bosphorus Bridge, it’s one of those places where you can easily lose track of time… mainly because you keep stopping every few minutes to take “just one more picture.”

Ortakoy Mosque

Dolmabahce Palace

The magnificent Dolmabahçe Palace was built between 1843 and 1856 and served as home to six different Sultans between 1856 and 1924, before ownership eventually transferred to the Turkish Republic.

And honestly, if you were a Sultan, this is exactly the sort of place you’d want to live. The palace is outrageously grand, packed with chandeliers, marble, gold detailing and enough luxury to make modern celebrity mansions look a bit underwhelming. It’s basically the 19th-century equivalent of saying, “Money is no object.”

Even from the outside, the building is absolutely stunning and easily one of the most spectacular sights in Istanbul. Looking at it, you quickly realise the Sultans were not fans of minimalism. There’s nothing subtle about this palace whatsoever — it’s all very much “go big or go home,” except in this case, home was the gigantic palace.

Dolmabahce Palace

Summary of boat trip

Overall, the boat trip was definitely worth the money we paid and gave us the chance to see some absolutely fantastic sights across Istanbul from the water. We managed to get some great photos too, helped enormously by the bright, dry weather — a rare travel blessing that instantly makes everything look more expensive and glamorous than it probably was.

That said, if we return to Istanbul and decide to do another cruise, we would probably pay a little extra to depart from one of the main ports. The pier used for this trip was a bit tucked away and felt slightly like we’d been led to a secret underground boating society. In fact, the harbour was so small and quiet that our boat appeared to be the only one there, which briefly made us wonder whether we’d accidentally booked ourselves onto some sort of pirate excursion.

Still, once we were actually out on the water, all of the earlier chaos was quickly forgotten. The views along the Bosphorus were stunning, the atmosphere was lovely and standing for most of the trip probably helped burn off at least half a kebab.

View of coast from the boat

Evening cruise, meal and show

We booked this evening dinner cruise through Viator and paid extra for the unlimited alcohol package, bringing the total to £75 for two people. Considering this included transport, dinner, entertainment, drinks and a cruise along the Bosphorus, we thought it sounded like a bargain — or at the very least, cheaper than a night out at home.

Even cruise boat

Our transport arrived at the hotel around 7pm, although due to Istanbul’s wonderfully chaotic narrow streets and one-way system, the coach couldn’t actually reach the hotel entrance. Instead, we had to wander a couple of streets away to find it, dragging ourselves and our evening glamour through traffic and potholes like contestants on a budget version of The Apprentice.

There were several other hotel pick-ups before we reached the harbour, and the roads were absolutely packed at that time of night. Istanbul traffic appears to operate on a system best described as “good luck everyone.” Thankfully, despite the chaos, we still arrived with plenty of time to board the boat.

Even cruise dinning area

Once onboard, we were quickly shown to our table which turned out to be in a prime position directly opposite the dance floor — excellent for the show, slightly dangerous once the unlimited drinks started flowing. It also became clear fairly quickly that the organisers had cleverly grouped the alcohol drinkers together while those sticking to soft drinks appeared to be seated elsewhere. Essentially, one side of the boat was “peaceful sightseeing cruise” while the other slowly evolved into “office Christmas party energy.”

The atmosphere onboard was brilliant. Almost every seat was taken, creating a lively buzz throughout the evening, and you were free to wander around the boat whenever you liked. We regularly headed out onto the deck to admire the illuminated skyline of Istanbul and take photos while pretending we were starring in a glamorous travel documentary rather than just trying not to spill wine in the wind.

Food and drink

Dinner began with a tasty selection of meze and fresh salad, followed by a choice of chicken or fish served with vegetables and rice. Dessert was baklava, because apparently Turkish people believe pudding should contain approximately 97% syrup — and honestly, we fully supported this decision.

The food was actually far better than we expected considering the number of people onboard, and the service throughout the evening was impressively efficient. Nobody was left waiting too long, which is particularly important when unlimited drinks are involved.

Speaking of drinks, the package included local beers, wines, spirits and the famous Turkish speciality, Raki — a drink which somehow tastes both strong and dangerous at the same time. Surprisingly, the wine was actually very pleasant, which genuinely shocked us slightly considering what we had paid for the entire experience.

We also had an amazing waiter — we think his name was Bozat (apologies if not!). He constantly checked that we were enjoying ourselves and ensured our glasses were never empty for more than about 14 seconds. The man worked harder than most people at the gym.

Starter
Main course
Desert
Having a glass of wine or two

The show

Female dancers

The entertainment started with a group of female dancers emerging onto the dance floor in beautiful costumes, and they continued to appear throughout the evening in a variety of different outfits and performances. Their dancing was fantastic to watch and they interacted brilliantly with the audience, creating a really fun atmosphere onboard.

Having a table directly opposite the dance floor meant we had an excellent view of the performances all evening. It also meant there was absolutely nowhere to hide whenever audience participation looked likely, which added a slight edge of fear to the entertainment.

Turkish female dancers

Male dancers

Turkish male dancers

The male dancers somehow managed to be even more energetic than the female performers, which honestly seemed physically impossible given the amount of spinning, jumping and dramatic arm movements already taking place. At one point we were exhausted just watching them while sitting down with a drink.

Part of their performance included a knife-throwing act involving several extremely nervous-looking audience volunteers. Nothing says “relaxing holiday evening cruise” quite like watching strangers stand very still while sharp objects fly past them. Thankfully, despite a few tense moments and several faces clearly reconsidering their life choices, everyone survived the experience without injury.

The male dancers also changed costumes throughout the evening, appearing in a variety of outfits that somehow became increasingly dramatic as the night went on. On several occasions both the male and female dancers performed together, creating a lively atmosphere that felt part traditional performance, part nightclub and part organised chaos — especially once the unlimited drinks had started to fully kick in around the room.

Turkish dancer
Knife show

Belly dancer

One of the highlights of the evening was undoubtedly the belly dancer, who completely owned the room from the moment she appeared. She moved gracefully from table to table, dancing in front of mainly the male guests and encouraging them to tuck money into her costume — an activity some of the men seemed far too enthusiastic to participate in.

The expressions around the room were priceless, ranging from awkward embarrassment to absolute delight, depending largely on who was sat next to their spouse at the time.

She also performed a short solo routine on the dance floor, and honestly, her ability to move her hips and stomach in ways that didn’t seem physically possible was genuinely impressive. Watching her dance made most of us realise we struggle enough just getting off the sofa without making strange noises.

Gangnam Style Lookalike?

One of the funniest moments of the evening came when a man in his late 40s or early 50s suddenly took to the dance floor with the energy of a teenager and absolutely no fear of embarrassment.

What started as a bit of dancing quickly turned into a full performance as he made his way from table to table entertaining the guests. The highlight was when Gangnam Style started playing and he launched into the routine with complete commitment while the whole boat cheered and laughed along.

By this point everyone was in great spirits — even the people on the non-alcohol package seemed ready to join in. It was one of those random holiday moments that ended up being one of the most memorable parts of the night.

Sightseeing on cruise

Although Istanbul looked wonderful all lit up at night especially with the lights reflecting on the water it was quite difficult to get any decent photographs using only our iPhones. I am sure with a better camera than ours you would be able to take some amazing photos.

Dolmabahce Palace at night
Bosphorus Bridge at night
View from evening cruise

Summary of evening cruise

Overall, the whole experience was brilliant and excellent value for money. It ticked all the right boxes — good food, unlimited drinks, lively entertainment, stunning views and the chance to cruise along the Bosphorus feeling slightly more glamorous than we actually are.

There was never a dull moment, whether it was admiring the illuminated Istanbul skyline, watching the dancers, avoiding eye contact during audience participation, or cheering on the unexpected Gangnam Style performance of the night.

It was one of those evenings where everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, the atmosphere was fantastic and the drinks definitely helped improve people’s dance confidence levels.

We would absolutely recommend this evening cruise to anyone visiting Istanbul — just prepare yourself for a night of food, fun and possibly witnessing strangers make questionable dance decisions.

Bars and Restaurants in Istanbul

Restaurants

When it comes to eating out in Istanbul, you are absolutely spoiled for choice. There are so many restaurants, cafés and kebab houses scattered across the city that choosing where to eat can quickly become a full-time job in itself.

Some of the more popular restaurants overlook the Bosphorus, offering incredible views while you dine — because apparently your kebab tastes even better when accompanied by a sunset and a million-pound view.

As you might expect, there are endless Turkish kebab restaurants to choose from, ranging from cheap and cheerful little cafés to places so fancy you suddenly feel underdressed ordering chips. The smell of grilled meat seems to follow you everywhere in Istanbul, which is both wonderful and extremely dangerous for your waistband.

One of our favourite meals was in a small family-run restaurant in the Fatih district called Erciyes Kiraathanesi, just off Kadirga Limani Cd. It was nothing overly fancy, but the food was delicious, the prices were very reasonable and it had that lovely authentic feel that makes you think, “Why did we almost pay triple somewhere with a rooftop and mood lighting?”

Bars

Most of the bars in Istanbul seem to be concentrated in the lively Beyoğlu area of the city. If you’re looking for nightlife, this is definitely the place to head, as the area is packed with bars, cafés, restaurants, coffee shops and enough people to make you wonder if anyone in Istanbul actually sleeps.

The streets are busy from morning right through until late evening, creating a fun atmosphere with music, food smells and constant activity everywhere you look. It’s the sort of place where you go out for “just one drink” and somehow end up still wandering around three hours later looking for snacks.

One thing we quickly discovered was that while alcohol is served in most restaurants and hotels across Istanbul, finding an actual dedicated bar outside of Beyoğlu was surprisingly difficult. At times it felt like we were on some sort of adult treasure hunt searching for somewhere just to sit and have a drink that didn’t also serve kebabs, coffee or breakfast.

Streets of Beyoglu

Drink prices in Istanbul bars are generally fairly similar to UK prices, although you do need to be careful when ordering imported drinks unless you enjoy mild financial shock alongside your beverage.

We discovered this the hard way in the Celtic Irish Bar when we were charged £9.50 for a small bottle of cider. At that price, we half expected it to be served in a crystal glass by someone playing the violin. Meanwhile, a pint of local lager cost only £4.70, which suddenly seemed like one of the best bargains in the city.

The lesson here is simple: when in Istanbul, drink local — your bank account will thank you for it.

Outside the Celtic Irish Bar
Drinking a £9.50 bottle of cider in the Celtic Irish Bar

We also visited the Fred bar where cocktails were around £4 each and certain lagers were only £3 a pint.

Outside Fred Bar
Beer and a Cocktail in Fred Bar

We also visited the Tower Pub which is just around the corner from the Galata Tower. It is a typical English Pub which stocked a number of craft beers and was showing Premier League football.

The Tower Pub

Summary of Istanbul

Although we managed to squeeze an incredible amount into our trip, our short stay meant there were still plenty of things we didn’t get chance to do. Istanbul is one of those cities where every corner seems to reveal something interesting — whether it’s a historic building, a hidden café, a rooftop restaurant or simply another place selling kebabs bigger than your head.

The city is vibrant, chaotic, beautiful and full of character, and we fully intend to return for a long weekend in the future… preferably with slightly more time and slightly fewer accommodation-related dramas.

The only real downside to the trip was our experience with Booking.com, who happily took payment for an apartment that appeared to exist only in another dimension. Despite the property seemingly being impossible to find because it simply didn’t exist, we are still battling to get our money refunded.

A few days after returning home, we watched an episode of ITV’s Tonight Show featuring another family who had booked a villa through Booking.com that also turned out not to exist.

Things to do in Istanbul

  • Visit the Blue Mosque
  • Visit Hagia Sophia
  • Visit Grand Bazar
  • Visit the Dolmabahce Palace
  • Sample the local cuisine
  • Visit Galata Tower
  • Take a boat trip by day
  • Enjoy the evening cruise with a show, food and drink
  • If bars are your thing visit the Beyoglu area of Istanbul
  • Visit the old town
  • Visit Princess Islands especially in the Summer months.

Top Tips

  • Check out the area you are wanting to stay in before booking as areas in Istanbul vary a lot.
  • Ensure you book your accommodation with a reputable company.
  • Check reviews of accommodation before booking – if there are no reviews we suggest don’t book.
  • Check your travel company out on Trust Pilot before booking.
  • If booking a daytime boat trip, book from the main ports as they are more convenient to get to.
  • Book all excursions/experiences though know companies with good reviews.
  • In busy areas keep your valuables safe as there are a fair few pickpockets in Istanbul.
  • In the Grand Bazaar be aware of hassle from store owners. Be polite and keep walking if you don’t want to buy anything.
  • The Grand Bazaar is very busy especially on a Saturday and extremely congested. Ladies keep your handbags close to you at all times.
  • Uber works here and a relatively safe way to travel – and cheap!
  • Walking is the best way to see the Old Town if you are able.
  • Check out government advice when visiting Istanbul https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/turkey
  • Check out weather below for best time to visit Istanbul

Weather

Temp – Celsius
Rain – mm		JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High Temp 8811162026282825191410
Low Temp445812171919161396
Rainfall100705060403030205060100100
Number of days1412131195348101317
Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Zadar

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Zadar is a city on Croatia’s Dalmatian Coast. Zadar is well known for its history dating back to Roman times.

Travel to Zadar

In this information we are going to speak about our experience of visiting the wonderful city of Zadar. Firstly we flew to Zadar from Leeds and Bradford Airport in the month of September. The Ryanair flight cost £60 for a return fare. As a result of the current customs issues I also paid £6 for fast track at Leeds and Bradford which was certainly well worth it as the queue to go through the normal security line was horrendous. Thankfully I was through in approximately 15 minutes. We booked transfer from Zadar airport separately which cost £46 return. The driver was there waiting for me with a sign with my name on when We came through passport control. We was taken to the apartment which took about 20 minutes as the centre of Zadar is fairly close to the airport.

Accommodation

We had booked a two-bedroomed apartment (Apartment Margaret – 1). Finally we arrived at our destination and Martina was waiting for us and showed us in to the apartment. Martina was really welcoming and knowledgeable about the area and advised us of places to go, places to eat and about the surrounding area. Additionally she showed us of where everything was in the apartment. She also informed if we needed anything we could just text or call her as she was in the apartment above. We had to leave a deposit of £200 which we got back at the end of our stay. Our stay cost £120 for 3 nights which proved to be great value. The apartment had two double bedrooms both with en-suite. The kitchen was well equipped with everything you would need for self-catering. The whole apartment was very clean and spacious.

The apartment was 40-45 minutes’ walk from the main centre which we didn’t mind as we like to walk – great for getting the steps up. There were a few bars, restaurants and a supermarket within a few minutes walking distance from the apartment.

Zadar Street Food Festival 2022

Martina had advised us of a street food festival on the beach in nearby Puntamika (a ten minute walk away) which featured lots of food and drink stalls plus live music. We headed down to the festival on our first evening in Zadar – it was very busy with locals sampling the food and drink on offer and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

There were several stalls selling a wide range of foods including burgers, hotdogs, Japanese food and local delicacies. Also there was a range of drink stalls selling alcoholic drinks which included a Croatian red wine liqueur (Darna’s Teranino) which is served in a strange shaped glass, as well as a range of beers and wines. Obviously we had to try the local Darna’s Teranino which tasted really good, although one was enough as I am sure if you drank a lot of it you might be nursing a sore head the next morning!

Unquestionably the atmosphere was great with everyone dancing, singing, drinking, eating and generally having a great time. The band that was playing played a wide range of music that appealed to a lot of ages, from rock to Ed Sheran! At the beginning the music was mainly English but as the night went on it then changed to Croatian music, but it didn’t matter as we danced along with the locals and had a few drinks.

Food Festival

Zadar centre and Old Town

The next day we walked in to Zadar centre and to the Old Town which took about 45 minuites. We passed several small harbours along the way with lots of beautiful boats. Nearer to the centre the boats got a lot bigger with some spectacular yachts moored up. The sea around Zadar is crystal clear and so you can see fish large and small as you are walking past. We cut 20 minutes off of our walk by using a short boat crossing to the Old Town called the Boatmen of Zadar (Barkajoli Zadarski) which was an enjoyable experience, particularly climbing into the small boat. It costs 7 Kuna (just under £1) and runs from 10am until 10pm.

Bars, Shopping and restaurants

The streets of Zadar are typical for such an historic city with lots of narrow streets surrounded by historical buildings. Undoubtedly there are Roman and Venetian influences throughout Zadar. There are restaurants and bars on practically every street where you can sit out and watch the world go by. Although there are many shops, restaurants and bars it does not take anything away from the charm of the city.

We enjoyed sitting down in the sunshine outside the Gray Bar in People’s Square enjoying an Aperol Spritz, people watching strangely enough! The cost of an Aperol Spritz is around £6. A large beer costs about £3 and bottles of imported cider around £3 so slightly cheaper than in the UK.

People’s Square

We found a bar called Deja Brew that sold an excellent range of craft beers including the very drinkable Grif IPA. The bar became a bit crazy particularly as day turned into night but the atmosphere was lively and we loved it. It was predominately English during the day but in the evening there were more locals and a range of nationalities including Germans and Polish. The music was mainly 80’s classics which is not particularly to our taste but we still had a great time singing along. It felt a bit like going back in time seeing people smoking inside the bar and only being able to pay by cash. Most bars in Zadar are cash only although some restaurants do take cards. As one of the waiters stated, “Zadar is still 20 years behind England

How long to visit Zadar for?

Zadar is a really beautiful place with lots of history. There is plenty to see but it doesn’t take long to see all of the places of interest as the central area is relatively small and can be reached on foot. If you are not going on excursions outside of the city then you can see what you need to see in Zadar in a couple of days. We were a little unfortunate with the weather and the boat trips to other islands were not running on the day we wanted to go due to a thunder storm, which did eventually clear.

Small harbour

Dinning out

Certainly there are so many nice places to eat and drink in Zadar that it is hard to choose – best to go with local recommendation or even just choose at random. On one particular occasion we were out walking which had made us hungry so we randomly called in at a place called Submarine, which mainly sold burgers and fries. We had an Italian burger and truffle fries (see photos below) and two drinks each (Debbie 2 wines and Mike 2 cokes) and it cost around £25. The truffle fries were the best fries we have ever tasted and a must if you go to Croatia/Zadar – if we return to Zadar we will definately be visiting!

We spent an evening having a lovely meal at a restaurant called Trattoria Bueno. There was a wide range of foods on the menu including Italian, Croatian and Japanese. We shared a Bruschetta with cheese, truffles and Pancetta for starter and gnocchi with steak, rucola, grana padano and cherry tomatoes and the Croatian Kebab (Cevapi) for main courses. The food was delicious and the service was great too. The waiters were attentive but not too overpowering. The meal along with a nice bottle of wine cost around £65.

Croatian Kebab

Zadar sunsets

We witnessed some beautiful sunsets while in Zadar; Alfred Hitchcock once stated that Zadar has the most beautiful sunsets in the world. Many people gathered to watch the sunset over the water whilst listening to the Sea Organ which is a group of 35 organ pipes in the ground which run down to the sea. Basically the waves come up and they force the air through the pipes which then creates the sound similar to an organ. It is so unique to Zadar and therefore a must if you are visiting. Next to the Sea Organ there is a large solar powered light show which reminded us of a giant lit up dance floor from the 80’s/90’s.

Sunset in Zadar

Taxis

If you are not staying near the town centre be careful of the taxis as they will try and overcharge you. We set off home one evening at around midnight. The first taxi tried charging us £25 to get back to our apartment. The next tried £20 and the final price was around £12. Also we had been advised by Martina from the apartment that we should not pay more than £7-£8. We decided to walk back which was quite interesting walking for 45 minutes after several drinks.

Something for everyone

To summarise Zadar is a relatively quiet place compared to a lot of tourist destinations but if you want nightlife you can find it. If you are looking for a quiet laid back experience you can also have that. There are also many exciting excursions including white water rafting, motorised surf boarding and sky diving. There are also spectacular national parks within easy reach, including the Plitvice lakes. Zadar does have a lot to offer to people of all ages and activity needs.

Images

  • Amazing sunset
  • Amazing Turquiose Sea
  • Small Harbour – Fosa
  • Roman Forum
  • Church of St Donatus
  • People’s Square
  • St Mary’s Church
  • Cathedral of Anastasia
  • Church of Saint Simeon Stylites
  • Petar Zaronic Square
  • Five Well Square
  • Five Well Square (Trg 5 Bunara)
  • Street Food Festival
  • Zadar Sphinx
  • Live music on the beach
  • Greeting to the sun Light Show
  • Small Cruise Ship in the day
  • Small Cruise Ship
  • Darna’s Teranino
  • Truffle Fries
  • Beef Gnocchi
  • Croatian Kebab (Cevapi)

Things to do

  • Listen to the Sea Organ
  • Watch the sunset
  • Visit the Roman Forum
  • Visit Five Wells Square
  • Have a drink in People’s Square
  • Try the local cuisine
  • Take a boat trip to the islands.
  • Try Darna’s Teranino wine liquer
  • Visit St Mary’s Church and the Cathedral of Anastasia.
  • Visit the National Parks including the Plitvice Lakes and Krka waterfalls

Top tips

  • Make sure to visit a cash machine to get some Croatian Kuna as many places do not take cards.
  • If visiting after January 2023 Croatia should be using Euro.
  • If you struggle with mobility look for accommodation nearer the centre.
  • Taxis do try their luck. We were advised by Martina who we rented the apartment from to use Uber instead.
  • In the winter months Zadar gets extremely quiet with a lot of the restaurants and bars closing.
  • Cost of items are correct at time of publishing.
  • Check out the weather below for best time to visit Zadar. Remember these are averages therefore the weather can be hotter or colder.

Weather

Temp – Celsius
Rain – mm		JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High Temp 101113172226303026201511
Low Temp4571015182020171496
Rainfall7061706055503048577610088
Number of days111010109920209101212
Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Wroclaw

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Wroclaw has one of the biggest Christmas Markets in Europe. It is also home to over 600 bronze gnomes scattered around the streets.

Travelling to Wroclaw

We flew to Wroclaw in the month of November from Manchester Airport with Ryanair which cost £29 return plus extra for seats and case which added another £30 each. We mainly went to Wroclaw to visit the Christmas Market. Private transfers from the Airport took around 30 minutes.

Accommodation

The apartments we stayed in were Riverside Apartments booked through Booking.com. It was a one-bedroomed apartment with a sofa bed, dining area and fully equipped kitchen. Although the apartments were described as having a river view there wasn’t much of the river to be seen. The apartment was on the top floor and the building did not have a lift therefore we wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who has any mobility issues as it was up 8 flights of stairs. The location of the apartment was close to public transport. It was also about 15 minutes’ walk from the main square of Wroclaw. Although the apartment was basic it met our needs and the location was good.

Christmas Market

The Christmas Market is set up across the main square. It is lovely during the day but looks even prettier at night when all of the stalls are lit up. Basically the market is centred around the square but due to the sheer size of it, it stretches way outside of the square and along the side streets. There are so many stalls selling a variety of items such as hats, gloves, food and drink, and souvenirs. It was so interesting seeing the different local foods and items for sale.

Christmas Market

Straightaway we tried Meat Pierogi (which is a bit like a meat dumpling) as they looked so good. This is a must try when in Poland. We subsequently tried Paczki which is similar to a doughnut but we found this a bit too sweet for our taste. Overall there were so many Polish foods to try which all looked good but we did not manage to taste a lot of them. There are several places that sell various flavours of mulled wine served in little mugs shaped like boots.

Mulled wine

It is thought the idea of putting the mulled wine in boots comes from the Western Christian tradition that on St Nicholas Day (5th December) children put boots out for their presents to be put into. Obviously we had to try most of the flavours of the mulled wine which were all different – our favourites were the red wine based ones. Additionally they served hot chocolate and coffee with rum which was also very nice. The hot drinks were needed as it was very cold.

It was lovely just wandering around the market and looking around the different stalls. There is also a lovely smell from the market that is a combination of the sweet doughnuts, sausages and the mulled wine. It always makes you feel hungry even if you are not wanting to eat due to the nice smells. It is a great atmosphere and definitely puts you in the Christmas spirit.

Food stalls

Places of interest

There are lots of interesting places to visit in Wroclaw away from the main square. We went to Otrow Tumski (Cathedral Island) on a beautiful crisp, sunny day. This is the oldest part of Wroclaw. It is just a short walk from the square and well worth visiting. You can go into the Cathedral and walk around free of charge. You can also walk halfway up to the top of the Cathedral but if you want to go to the very top then you have to pay a small amount to do so.

Cathedral Island

We also went to see the sculptures in Wroclaw of people sinking into and rising out of the ground (“Przefscie” which translates to “Passage”). These statues were built in memory of people that were killed or went missing during the period of martial law in Poland that occurred during the 1980s.

We also spent a short time looking for the bronze gnomes that are scattered around the streets of Wroclaw. It isn’t clear exactly how many of them they actually are. You can buy maps and brochures to try and track them all if you have the time to do so. It would take some time as there are said to be over 600. A lot of the gnomes are sponsored by businesses therefore you will find many of them outside their premises.

One of the many bronze gnomes

Dinning out

There are many places to eat and drink in Wroclaw catering for every taste and budget. Besides the traditional polish restaurants there are the typical chain restaurants, fast food restaurants, and others specialising in the usual Italian, Spanish and French cuisine. There are also many take away places where you can get your curry or kebab fix if you need it.

Many people on an evening if not eating at the Christmas market would spend the time over a meal and a bottle of wine at one of the restaurants.

Stalls set up for food in the Christmas Market

Basically we ate at the Christmas market as this is why we were in Wroclaw. Also we ate at a French Bistro/Cafe called FC Nalesniki which is just a short walk from the Market Square. We had savoury pancakes which were delicious and a soft drink each which came to less than 10 Euros. There were a few bars around the square which did not get really busy. We went to a Irish Pub called Pub Guiness. There was live music on each night. This bar was busy both during the day and of an evening. It is only a short walk from the Market Square. Prices were similar to those in the UK.

FC Nalesniki

Summary

To summarise Wroclaw is a beautiful place both day and night. This was our first visit to Wroclaw for the Christmas market therefore can not comment on what it is like in the summer months but we are sure that it would bring a different experience to the visit. We especially loved the Christmas Market and its atmosphere. Previously we have been to the Christmas Market at Gdansk before but we preferred Wroclaw. It snowed whilst we were there which made it feel really Christmassy. The snow did get quite heavy at times, particularly on the night before we were due to leave so we were a bit worried if this would affect our flight, but we needn’t have done so. Nothing changed due to the snow; everyone went about their business as usual unlike in the UK when everything comes to a standstill.

Images

  • Christmas Market
  • Przefscie (Passage)
  • Bronze Gnome
  • Market Square
  • Market Square
  • Market Square
  • Bronze Gnome
  • Cathedral
  • Drinking mulled wine

Things to do

  • Visit Cathedral Island
  • Visit the Market Square
  • Visit the Royal Palace
  • Visit University Botanical Garden
  • Visit Ractawice Panorama
  • Visit the Christmas Market
  • Visit Rrzefscie (Passage)
  • Search for the Bronze Gnomes

Top Tips

  • Look on Skyscanner for cheapest flights.
  • If going for the Christmas Market remember this normally starts on the last weekend in November.
  • When booking somewhere to stay check the location. We felt that is was better to be close to the Market Square.
  • Ensure you take warm clothing if going for the Christmas Market.
  • The Christmas Market is also great for children. Aswell as the stalls it has a small fun fair.
  • Check out other places we have visited in Poland. Gdansk
  • Check out the weather for best time to visit.

Weather

Temp – Celsius
Rain – mm		JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High Temp 3591520232525201584
Low Temp-4-3048121414951-3
Rainfall302535306060956045353030
Number of days8687881088778
Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Protaras

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Protaras is in the Famagusta district of Cyprus. Protaras is home to Fig Tree Bay Beach which was declared as the 3rd best beach in Europe in 2011.

Travelling to Protaras

Prior to our holiday we stayed at the Clayton hotel at Manchester Airport the night before we were due to travel which included parking for the duration of our holiday. We were due to fly to Larnaca from Manchester Airport on 25th July 2021 at 7am but unfortunately we had a lot of drinks in the centre of Manchester the day before and did not wake up until 7.30am oops!

Because we had booked our holiday as a last minute deal with Tui at £500 each for an adults only 4 star plus it was great value. Straightaway we went to the airport to ask Tui if they could put us on another flight. Therefore we made up the excuse of the car breaking down rather than we had just slept in due to too much partying the night before. Disappointedly we were given a number to call by the Tui staff at check in. Despite booking with Tui when we called the number we were basically told that we had to sort things out ourselves and they could not help.

Subsequently we went on the internet and found a Jet 2 flight from Birmingham later that day and booked a train to Birmingham Airport. We also arranged a private transfer to take us to the hotel in Cyprus. Consequently this cost us an extra £200 each on top of our original holiday – a valuable lesson learned – do not go and party night before a flight!

Travelling to Protaras – Birmingham Airport

Finally we got to Birmingham airport it was very quiet due to Covid. However It was a bit time consuming going through check in due to the amount of documentation you had to show but after this passing through security was quick and easy. Then we decided to go in to Wetherspoons for a bite to eat and a drink – at one point we were the only people in there but more people did arrive later on. It certainly felt strange in the airport with it being so quiet compared to the usual hustle and bustle you would expect.

Finally we arrived in Larnaca but could not see our transfer. Therefore we checked our emails and the company we had booked with had sent an message saying that they had cancelled it but gave no reason. Fortunately a Tui flight landed at the same time as our flight from Birmingham. Eventually we managed to speak to the Tui rep about our situation and she told us to get on one of their transfers and gave us the bus number. Meanwhile we were told that the Tui flight from Birmingham was half empty so it was a bit annoying that Tui did not put us on that flight. Of course we wouldn’t have minded paying a small fee to do this.

Accommodation

Finally we were taken to our hotel which was the adults-only Tui Blue Atlantica Sea Breeze. We arrived at the early hours of the morning and check in was very quick and easy. As everything was closed the hotel provided us with sandwiches and a drink. Overall the rooms in the hotel are modern but basic. The rooms are cleaned daily to a good standard. There are clean towels provided every day.

Also there is a swim up pool bar which is lovely when spending days around the pool. The only entertainment around the pool is morning exercise. Equally the Music around the pool was very low key compared to most holiday hotels. The cocktails were lovely and made fresh. We particularly enjoyed the iced coffees, sometimes with Bailey’s and Tia Maria added. Because it was July it was very hot so you needed to get into the pool quite regularly. Will, who was one of the bar staff at the pool bar, regularly walked around the pool asking people if they needed any drinks and constantly providing bottles of water too. He had a great sense of humour and engaged with all guests who were willing to engage back.

Food and drink in the hotel

Additionally there is a nice little snack bar by the pool that is under shade which is much needed during the hot months. You order from a menu and it is waiter/waitress service which we like. The food here was lovely and there was a wide range to choose from. Markedly the Snack Bar is where we ate most days as opposed to the buffet restaurant as we like to eat outside.

Snack Bar

Also we booked in the Al A Carte restaurant as you are allowed one visit per stay. We had the steak which was delicious and cooked just how we like it (Medium rare and Medium well done). The service in the Al A Carte restaurant was top-notch too. It is only very small therefore doesn’t cater for a lot of people at one time. Masks needed to be worn throughout the hotel when not sat down. We did try to adhere to this but it is easy to forget especially when you have had a drink.

Also in the buffet restaurant you also had to put on disposable gloves when before getting your food which is excellent. The food in the buffet restaurant was what you would expect with the usual fish, meat, chicken, chips, potatoes, vegetables, salads, meats, cheeses and desserts. Breakfast was also what you would expect with sausage, eggs, bacon, beans, breads, omelettes and pancakes. Additionally there is seating outside at the side of the pool which we liked too.

Entertainment

Due to the Covid restrictions the entertainment wasn’t as it would usually be but they did their best. All of the entertainment team would try and engage with guests and stop and chat with them. There is a small beach nearby but you have to walk across some waste land to get to it. We like to go for long walks along the beach but you are not able to do this here as some of the beach is taken up by hotels and you have to be residents to enter.

Location

The hotel itself is a taxi ride away to the centre of Protaras. On one occasion we walked to the centre which was quite difficult as it was over 35 degrees but it was an interesting journey. It was lovely to go to Fig Leaf Bay Beach and have a much-needed cold drink in a lovely little bar/restaurant actually called the Fig Leaf. Subsequently we decided to get a taxi back which was 12 Euros. We spent most of our evenings in the hotel as a lot of the bars and restaurants nearby were closed due to Covid.

Nightlife

We did go in to the centre of Protaras on one evening. Surprisingly The bars were very quiet although there were quite a few people walking around. Undoubtedly the Karaoke bar on the corner, an English bar was a lot busier than the other bars. We went in a few cocktail bars too. In each of the bars you had to show your covid pass to get in. We finally ended up in an open air rock bar until the early hours. It was great fun listening to the live music – a rock band who played a good number of rock classics that got the audience singing and dancing. This was the busiest bar on the main street especially in the early hours.

Rock Bar

Black Pearl Pirate Ship

We booked an excursion with Tui on the Black Pearl Pirate Ship as this had been recommended by other guests who had been on the ship several times. The cost of this was £35 each which included lunch (chicken, potatoes, rice, tzatziki and bread – drinks are not included). We were picked up from our hotel by coach and taken to the ship which was in Ayia Napa. We have never been to Ayia Napa before as we felt that it was more catered for people in the 18-30 age range, but when we were driving through we saw some lovely hotels and a lot of families wandering around.

Ayia Napa marina

The ship is quite an impressive pirate ship and the crew were all in character in their pirate costumes. There was a mixture of people on the ship including couples, families and groups of friends. Obviously the main character of the ship was of course Jack Sparrow. He did look very much like the Jack Sparrow from the films. We got talking to him and found out he was from Yorkshire too. Not sure of his actual name but he told a story of how he became Jack Sparrow on the ship. According to him he had gone on the ship as a guest but got up to mischief and climbed up the rigging. He was then asked if he wanted the role of Jack Sparrow.

Black Pearl Ship – Great Fun

There was a lot of adult humour from all of the crew which had us laughing all day long. Also the crew were also very attentive towards the children with pirate flag making, singing songs and having the children join in dancing around the ship. Whilst on the ship the crew made sure to keep everyone entertained all day long.

The ship stops for swimming in the sea where you are able to jump off of the sides of the boat. The cannons were also set off with what we think were fireworks but not sure. The sea is a lovely turquoise colour and very warm. Another positive fact is that you also get to see some lovely scenery along the way. Many people were drinking alcohol on the ship including us as the ship has a bar with soft drinks. cocktails, beers, lagers and spirits. For an excursion these were reasonably priced. Everyone young and old was having a great time. We were so glad we had booked this excursion as it ticked a lot of boxes for us, seeing lovely places, swimming in the warm turquoise sea, watching entertainment and have a bit of a party – excellent!

turquoise sea

Summary

This was only our second time in Cyprus (we went to Pathos about 10 years ago). There is so much more we would like to see of Cyprus so we will certainly return at some point. We would definitely recommend the hotel. If we hadn’t had the misfortune of missing the flight and having to pay an £400 to get there the holiday would have proved to have been exceptional value for money. The staff in the hotel were all very polite, attentive and helpful.

The rooms were always cleaned to a high standard. Food and drinks were of a good standard for a 4 star hotel. In fact we have stayed at 5 star hotels where the food and drinks have not been as good. We probably won’t go back to this hotel this is purely because we like to try other destinations and hotels – there were many guests who had returned time and time again.

Images

  • Agioi Anargyri Church
  • Cape Greco
  • Ayia Napa
  • Black Pearl Ship
  • Jack Sparrow
  • Black Pearl Ship
  • Black Pearl Ship
  • Snack bar
  • Rock Bar

Things to do

  • Visit Cape Greco (you get to see this on the pirate boat)
  • Go on the Black Pearl Pirate Ship
  • Visit Fig Tree bay
  • Visit Famagusta
  • Visit some of the beaches
  • Go to the strip on an evening
  • Go to the funfair

Top Tips

  • Dont miss your flight lol
  • Research your hotel as there wasnt much open around our hotel due to covid, It might be different now. The town center was a taxi ride away.
  • If you can book last minute do so as the prices do come down.
  • Some of the excursions are cheaper with a local tour operator.
  • Give tips at the beginning of your holiday as you get better service at the bar if all-inclusive
  • Check out the weather for best time to visit

Weather

Temp – Celsius
Rain – mm		JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High Temp 161719222630323230272218
Low Temp77811151821211916129
Rainfall6252421291111194380
Number of days111096321114611
Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Highlights of the Mediterranean

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Mediterranean Cruise

Travelling to Palma Majorca to board the ship

We flew from Norwich to Palma Majorca to board the ship on 9th July 2022. We booked the cruise with Tui at £628 each but with drinks upgrade and choosing seats it came to £718 as a last minute deal. This was our first cruise therefore did not know what to expect and we were both a little apprehensive.

We flew from Norwich due to Mike’s daughter being at University in Norwich therefore we could see her before we went and when we came back. We stayed at the Holiday Inn which is a short taxi ride to the airport. Unfortunately we were informed by Holiday Extra’s that the hotel provided a shuttle service but this was not the case. Taxi’s are very hard to get in Norwich due to lack of drivers. As we were setting off to the airport at 4.30am we pre booked it and it arrived on time.

Norwich Airport

Upon arrival at Norwich Airport and we were told at check in that we had to pay £10 each just to enter the airport (not to park or take a car but to go to the gate). We had never heard of anything like this before nor had we been informed about it. We paid the money as we had no choice in this.

The airport is a very small airport with Duty Free. 1 shop, 1 bar/restaurant and 1 executive. We had booked in the executive lounge which had basic breakfast, cereal, pastries, toast, crumpets, yoghurts etc. Unlike most executive lounges we were only allowed 2 alcoholic drinks. We were delayed by 3 hours therefore we had to purchase any further alcoholic drinks but we were allowed unlimited non alcoholic drinks. Jane was working in the executive lounge and looked after us so well. Norwich has to be the most stress free, easiest airport we have ever travelled to and from. We normally find that going through security the staff can be quite grumpy but not in Norwich.

Flight

When we got on the plane we were given a free snack and drink due to the delay. The flight is only a short flight (2 hours 30 mins) so it is not long before you reach your destination. It didn’t seem that long from getting off of the plane and on to the coach. The coach is for passengers going on the cruise only therefore it wasn’t full.

Checking in

We were on the Marella Discovery 2. Check in on the ship was quick and easy. We were then given a welcome drink and asked to go to the entertainment room where we watched a video on safety etc which was approximately 15 minutes long . Our cases were taken to our cabin by the porters.

Cabin

We had a floor 3 cabin with no windows. The cabin’s are quite small but enough for everything you need. We kept the beds as single as this worked for us. There is plenty of wardrobe space and draw space to keep everything in. The bathroom was quite small but adequate with a small corner sink and a small corner shower. Not having a window did not bother us as we were not in there very long. The only downside was that you struggled to dry swimwear as there was nowhere to hang them to dry. The staff that clean the cabin’s were brilliant as it was immaculately cleaned everyday. Towels left in the shape of animals and chocolates left on the pillows which was a nice touch.

Pool Scene

Our first full day on the ship was at sea. We worried about being around the pool as it was a small pool with 1500 guests on board but we had not needed to worry. Because there were plenty of sun beds around the pool with most people spending the day on them and not in the pool. Also there was a lot of people sat around the edge of the pool and in the Jacuzzi. There was a wide age range around the pool, children, adults aged 18 to 80 +. Predominantly we would say that the main age range was from 40 – 55. The entertainment around the pool was none stop all day long. The entertainment staff got all the ship involved with quizzes etc. It was a great day with everyone no matter what age they were having fun.

Food and Drink

The drinks were great as well with branded drinks. We upgraded to Premium drinks package but not sure if it was worth it. We paid £60 each for the week but not sure what we got for that. Other guests who had not paid this appeared to have the same drinks as us. The staff at the bars and even the waiter service around the pool were brilliant and could not do enough.

During the day there is a snack bar around the pool which services, fish bites (which are amazing), burgers, fries etc. You can also go to the buffet restaurant.

We preferred the Gallery 47 restaurant. We tended to eat here for breakfast, lunch and evening meal. The food here is excellent and the service was even better. Breakfast at the restaurant has a menu you can choose from and is waiter service. Lunch and evening meal is 3 courses with additional sides if you want to.

Gallery 4y

We did here people moaning about the food but could not understand why. We have stayed in many 5 star all inclusive hotels and the food nor the service has not been has good as this cruise. Our favourite food in the Italian restaurant was the Cabanara (This cost a little extra but was worth it).

A lot of people said how much they loved the A la Carte restaurants which you have to pay extra for. You have to book these in advance which you can do via an app prior to travelling. Unfortunately we hadn’t booked any in advance and couldn’t get in any of the ones we wanted. The wine at the restaurants wasn’t too bad either. A lot of all inclusive the wine is practically undrinkable.

The Glass House is a bar at the side of the indoor swimming pool and serves deli-style light bites during the day and tappas in an evening. On one occasion we went in the Glass House at midnight and had a curry and a drink before we went back to our cabin.

Entertainment

The entertainment on the ship caters for most people. The Squid and Anchor bar is designed to be like a British pub. There are interactive games every evening including Mr & Mrs etc. Some people moaned it was like being at Butlins but we actually liked it. One evening they had a silent disco in the Squid and Anchor which was so funny. You put head phones on and there was two types of music you could listen to Dance or Rock. Basically we hit the dance floor listening to Dance music. As we are not the best singers in fact we are terrible so singing with headphones on was a bit of a shock to other guests.

Silent Disco

Surprisingly we only watched a couple of the shows in the Broadway Show Lounge and each of them was good. Again people moaning that it was like Butlins. I do wonder what some people expect for what they have paid.

The Atrium Bar has low key live music every night so if you want a quiet drink with a bit of back ground entertainment then this is the place to be. There is also another bar through the Atrium Bar which has a small Casino and live music. The live music is a bit more livelier than the Atrium Bar with a lot of people up dancing.

Atrium Bar

There is a late night bar called Bar 11 that stays open until 2am. We often went up to this bar which is not a good thing when you have a busy day the next day although it was great fun at the time. This bar plays a lot of Dance music which is right up our street. All the bars serve amazing cocktails which are made in front of you from scratch. The only trouble is that this can create a bit of a queue but it is worth it. We have been on many all inclusive and been served the sugary cocktails that are pre made and do not taste like what they are supposed to do.

Itinerary

The itinerary for the cruise was good for what we had paid. We like to travel a lot so seeing so many places in 1 week was great.

  • Day 1 – Palma Majorca
  • Day 2 – At sea
  • Day 3 – Ajaccio, Corsica
  • Day 4 – Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy
  • Day 5 – Livorno (for Florence and Pisa), Italy
  • Day 6 – St Raphael (For St Tropez and Cannes), France
  • Day 7- Barcelona, Spain
  • Day 8 – Palma, Majorca

Ajaccio

Ajaccio is the capital of Corsica . It is also the home of Napoleon Bonaparte. It is only a short walk from getting off the ship to the birth place of Napoleon. The Place de Gaulle is a large square with a statue of Napoleon (in fact there are statues everywhere of Napoleon). The Square is also a short walk from the ship. Also there are some nice beaches in Ajaccio which are a taxi or a decent walk from the port. There is a train that takes you around Ajaccio too. There are many other interesting places to visit in Ajaccio which we didn’t get to see. The temperature was 30 degrees in the morning so by mid afternoon we wanted to go back to the ship.

Home of Napoleon Bonaparte

Civitavecchia

Civitavecchia is also a small port with a lot of history. The ship docked here mainly for guests wanting to travel to Rome. We had spent 4 days in Rome only a few years ago therefore felt there would be nothing more to see therefore did not book the excursion. The most famous landmark in Civitavecchia is Fort Michelangelo which you can see as soon as you reach the port. If you are just wanting to walk around the port there isn’t that much to see but if you are willing to go further afield there is places of interest. We had a cold drink at a lovely restaurant which has a lovely view over the port. It did not take us long to walk around Civitavecchia therefore headed back to the ship.

Pisa and Florence

We booked an excursion for Pisa and Florence. After Breakfast we got on the coach and had a lovely tour guide who was very knowledgeable. Please click on the following links for full details of Pisa and Florence Pisa , Florence .We returned back at the ship at about 6.30. It was a long day but worth it.

Pisa

St Raphael

Before we travelled we were informed that you could get on a boat from the ship to Cannes and St Tropez from someone who had been on the same cruise a few years prior but this was not the case. Obviously things had changed since she went on the same cruise. We didn’t book an excursion due to this information therefore we were disappointed that we did not get to see these places. There is a small boat which takes you from the ship to St Raphael which is a lovely sea side resorts. The beach is lovely with soft sand and turquoise sea. It is nice to spend a day on the beach rather than sight seeing or around the pool. There are a lot of nice restaurants and bars around St Raphael. There is a small marina which you can walk round to.

Barcelona

There is no need to book an excursion for Barcelona as there is a coach from the ship that takes you to the centre of Barcelona where you can get on one of the hop on hop off buses that takes you to all the places of interest in Barcelona. There are buses leaving from the ship all the time and return all the time up until 5.30 so you can please yourself how long you need in Barcelona. Please click on the following link for full details of Barcelona Barcelona

Barcelona

Summary

You can go on organised excursions every day that can be booked with TUI prior to travelling or you can see destinations on your own which some guests did. We only booked one excursion which was Pisa and Florence. We regret not booking at least one more (St Tropez and Cannes).

On the last evening the entertainment crew did a farewell show in the Atrium Bar with everyone watching from inside balconies. It was lovely and a nice end to the cruise.

Farewell Show

This was our first time on a cruise and it definitely wont be our last. There is nothing negative we can say about the cruise. Every member of the crew went out of their way to make sure we enjoyed our holiday. They all seemed happy in their work and nothing was too much trouble.

The food was better than we expected. Additionally we like to have waiter/waitress service for our meals and are not too keen on buffet restaurants. We were able to have waiter/waitress service for every meal which made this a better dinning experience. The cocktails were amazing too. Cabins are small but it is a cruise ship and to be expected. There were some people who were moaned about the food and entertainment. We couldn’t understand why but we had nothing to compare our cruise to. Some said that the bigger cruise ships were of an higher standard. We are looking in to our next cruise around the Caribbean.

Making Carbonaro

Images

  • Marella Discovery 2
  • View of Palma Majorca from Ship
  • Climbing wall
  • View of Palma Majorca at night
  • Piano bar
  • Cocktail Bar
  • Silent disco
  • Heading to port
  • On deck for the sunset
  • Amazing sunsets
  • Waiter making Carbonara
  • Delicious deserts
  • Cocktails
  • Farewell show

Things to do

  • Try the crazy golf.
  • Try the climbing wall.
  • Watch an evening movie on deck with popcorn
  • Watch the shows
  • Eat at the specialist restaurants
  • If you like to party try bar 11.
  • Join in the quizes around the pool on a day time
  • Try the cocktails
  • Go on the excursions

Top Tips

  • Check out the drinks menu before you book to see if it is worth the upgrade.
  • Book Al a Carte restaurants in advance as they get booked up.
  • Check out destinations and if an excursion is necessary.
  • If booking an excursion book in advance as these get booked up too
  • It isn’t necessary to book excursions with Tui as some other operators are cheaper but read reviews before booking.
  • Do research about the destinations you are wanting to see as time is limited when you are there.
  • There is a dress to impress night so take your glad rags.
  • Check out temperatures and weather before booking. All our destinations were 38 degrees plus at mid day which was very hot and uncomfortable for sight seeing at times.

Venice

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Venice is famous for its canals and gondola’s. The Grand Canal is the main canal which is the main water traffic route around Venice. It is also home to the famous St Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge.

Travelling to Venice

We flew to Venice from Leeds and Bradford Airport in the month of July. We flew with Ryanair to Treviso Airport which is a 1 hour bus ride from Venice centre. Ryanair provided a free bus to the centre. If you fly to Marco Polo airport the transfer is only about 20 minute’s. The cost of flying to Marco Polo was a lot more expensive hence why we flew to Treviso. The bus dropped us right next to a Kiosk where you can buy tickets for the water buses. We were in Venice for 4 days therefore we bought the tickets for the full duration of our visit.

Accommodation

We stayed at a budget hotel on the Lido (Unfortunately does not exist now). This was a short waterbus ride from Venice Centre. The Hotel was a short walk to the water buses and the beach. It also had a supermarket opposite which was very useful too.

Site Seeing via Waterbus

On our first day we caught the waterbus in to Venice centre and went to St Marks Square. This is a beautiful square with lots of bars and restaurants around the square.. It is a very busy square with lots of tourists which you would expect. The architecture of the buildings is quite spectacular. There are a lot of restrictions in Venice regarding building work and renovation which is lovely that it still keeps its charm. Should renovations be needed then a sheet is put up in front of any scaffolding with a picture of the building on it to appear that it is the building itself.

St Marks Square

At St Marks Square the bars and restaurants are quite expensive compared to other area’s of Venice. Many of the bars have live classical music which adds to the atmosphere. As it was a lovely sunny day despite the cost we decided to sit and have a drink or two watching the world go by.

Bar/Restaurant in St Marks Square with Classical Music

There were also some lovely restaurants and bars at the side of the canal. We had lunch here and a couple of drinks watching the world go by. The food and drinks were much cheaper than at St Marks Square.

Bars and Restaurants near Rialto Bridge

If in Venice then a visit to the Rialto Bridge, There is an amazing view of the Grand Canal from the Bridge with bars and restaurants lining either side of the canal. Both day and night it is a lovely place to visit.

Rialto Bridge

After spending most of the day in the centre of Venice we got the waterbus back to our hotel to get changed for the evening. We then got the waterbus back to Venice centre for the evening. It was nice seeing it all lit up at night time. We wandered along some of the back streets and found lots of little traditional bars which were nice to sit out at of an evening.

Day at the Beach

The next day we decided we would organise a picnic and go to the beach for the day which was 10 minutes walk from our hotel. As it was a hot day the beach was very busy. Unfortunately some of the more expensive hotels own parts of the beach therefore it is only residents that can sit in those area’s. There is still a lot of the beach that anyone can sit it. There are as what you would expect from any beach places to buy food and drink if you wanted to. We went in the sea quite a lot as it did cool you down a bit. The sea was really nice clear and warm. We spent all day on the beach having drinks and food.

Unflattering photo at The Lido

We decide to stay on the Lido for the evening and went to a local bar/restaurant for something to drink and eat. The prices were at least half of what it was in Venice Centre. Some of the bars got quite lively. At 11 O’clock nobody is allowed to dink or sit outside of the bars therefore everyone came in doors. Apparently it is a crime to do so.

Grand Canal

On one occasion we caught the water bus to the end of the grand canal where there is a glass factory, shops and few small places to buy something to eat and drink. We had a wander around the glass factory and the shops etc which did not take very long as it is only small. Finally we then got the waterbus in to the centre of Venice and wondered around some more of the back streets.

Grand Canal at night

Summary

Although our hotel was not have a high standard it was always clean and the service was good. Also we thought the destination of our hotel was great. This was because could visit the beach etc but also we were only a short waterbus away from the sites of Venice. We would definitely go back to Venice. We would also stay on the Lido again.

Images

  • Grande Canal
  • Gande Canal
  • Gondola’s
  • Classical music St Mark’s Square
  • St Mark’s Square
  • Smaller Canal
  • Ponte di Rialto Bridge at night
  • Venice Street
  • Venice Lido Beach
  • Grand Canal at night

Things to do

  • Visit St Mark’s Square
  • Visit Ponte di Rialto Bridge
  • Go on the water bus down the Grande Canal
  • Go to the beach on the Lido.
  • Visit the Bridge of Sigh’s
  • Visit San Giorgio Maggiore

Top Tips

  • Remember there are two airports to Venice Centre with Marco Polo Airport being the closest.
  • Food and drink are very expensive around St Marks Square and other tourist attractions.
  • Book your waterbus ticket for the duration of your stay as this makes it cheaper and gives you a lot of flexibility to travel around Venice.
  • Cost of hotels vary so much check out comparison websites.
  • If you want to combine a beach break and city break then the Lido di Venezia is the place to stay.
  • Check out other places in Italy we have visited. Click on the following links Ravello , Florence , Pisa , Rome
  • Check out the weather below for best time to visit. Please remember these are averages therefore could be higher or lower
  • Check out our general travel tips. Click on the following link Travel Tips

Weather

Temp – Celsius
Rain – mm		JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High Temp 681216212428272418117
Low Temp014812161818151041
Rainfall405060607090707070808050
Number of days868131111899101110
Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Florence

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region. It is also home to Michaelangelo’s famous sculpture “David”. The center of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site in 1982.

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Travelling to Florence

We went to Florence on 13th July 2022 via coach from our cruise ship. Please click on the following link for full details of the cruise and our itinerary Highlights of the Mediterranean. It took about 1 1/2 hours to get to Florence from the port of Livorno. We had our own guide on the coach who talked us through various area’s we travelled through on the coach. She was very knowledgeable about Italy. It was a bit strange finding out that area’s of Italy do not like other area’s of Italy. For example our guide was from Livorno in Italy and she spoke negatively of people from Pisa although it be in a jokey way.

Places of interest

It was a very hot day 39 degrees with bright sunshine. Later met another guide who took us around various places of interest in Florence. The Guide was also very knowledgeable about Florence. She spoke at great lengths about the The Cathedral of Sana Maria del Fiore and Piazza Duomo. We were at the Cathedral for over an hour. Fortunately we were stood in the shade whilst listening.

The guide took us to see some extremely interesting tourist attractions in Florence including Ponte Vecchio bridge and Michael Angelos David to name a few.

Ponte Vecchio bridge

Florence is a beautiful and interesting place to visit. There is so much to see and do that you could spend more time there but unfortunately we had to go to our next destination which was Pisa, But before we left Florence we were taken to the viewing point which over looks the whole of Florence. The view is absolutely spectacular.

View of Florence from View Point.

There is also Michael Angelo’s David at the viewing point, Should you be in need of a cold drink and a bite to eat there are stalls selling food and drink.

Michael Angelo’s David

Food and Drink

We had lunch at a little side restaurant and watched the world go by. It was a typical Italian restaurant serving traditional food and good wines. Due to the heat of the day the restaurant had good fans which kept you cool. There were a lot of people in the restaurant drinking Aperol Spritz. We just stuck with water and soft drinks as we had a long day.

We had an ice cream in a lovely little bar/restaurant and sat eating it on an upstairs balcony other looking the streets of Florence. The ice creams cost 16 Euro’s for 2 but the surroundings and where we were sat made them worth every penny. The ice cream was very nice too.

Shopping

Florence has a commercial are full of many designer shops but it also has a lot of traditional narrow cobbled streets with nice little bars and restaurants. Florence has the best of both worlds the old and the new. You could spend days in Florence and still not have enough time to see everything.

We then had to head back to the meeting point and wait for our guide to take us back to the coach. We had to wait in intense heat for people who were not back in time. This is always the problem with organised excursions.

Summary

Florence is a beautiful place with so much to see and do. We would like to return in the future and do the things we have not managed to do on this trip. Also it would be nice to have the freedom to go where we want as apposed to an organised excursion.

Images

  • Baptistery of St John
  • Florence Cathedral, Giotto’s Campanile, Piazza del duomo,The Baptistery of St John and Loggia del Bigallo
  • Florence Cathedral, Piazza del duomo,The Baptistery of St John and Loggia del Bigallo
  • Palazzo Vecchio
  • Replica of statue of David in the background
  • Piazza della Signoria
  • Ponte Vecchio Bridge
  • Basilica of Santa Croce
  • Piazzale Michelangelo
  • View of Florence from View Point
  • View Point

Things to do

  • Visit Ponte Vecchio Bridge
  • Visit the Cathedral
  • Visit Basiica of Santa Croce
  • Visit Baptistery of St John
  • Visit Piazza della Signoria
  • Visit Piazzale Michelangelo
  • Visit Piazza del Duomo
  • See the statue of David
  • Visit the view point.

Top Tips

  • If you are able to get to Florence on your own do.
  • Take hat, sun cream and lots of water when it is hot.
  • If not on an organised excursion plan what you want to see.
  • Allow lots of time in Florence to see things
  • Check out other places in Italy that we have visited. Please click on the following links Ravello , Pisa , Venice , Rome
  • Check out the weather below for best time to visit. Please be aware that these are averages therefore could be higher or lower.

Weather

Temp – Celsius
Rain – mm		JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High Temp 121215192429313127211511
Low Temp346913181918161274
Rainfall6349697972503148769610272
Number of days11891398569121413
Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Pisa

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Pisa is a city in Tuscany and is famous for its leaning tower. Although this is the most famous building Pisa does have a lot of other historical places to visit.

Travelling to Pisa

Firstly we were picked up by coach from Florence as we were on an excursion from our cruise on 13th July 2022. Please click on the following link for full details of cruise and itinerary Highlights of the Mediterranean. It is a short walk from the coach park to the leaning tower. Also there are a lot of people around all doing the same thing. However we had a tour guide who put up a sign for us to follow her as it was very crowded even on the streets. Before we were left to do our own thing the tour guide told us where the meeting point was and when to be back to get on to the coach.

Cruise Ship

It was a particularly hot day reaching 39 degrees at times . Consequently even the dogs had shoes on as the ground was too hot for them to walk on. On the way to the tower etc there are several stalls selling things souvenirs, drinks, food etc. Surprisingly there is even a Mc Donald’s on the way too. Despite expecting Pisa to be very touristy we were shocked to see how busy it was. Also we found it a bit of a let down with a Mc Donald’s not far from the tower itself. It was certainly very hard to take any photo’s as there was always someone walking in the way.

Places of Interest

The leaning tower and the Pisa Duomo Cathedral are in beautiful ground. Undoubtedly the architecture of both buildings are absolutely spectacular. Also you can go in to the Cathedral each day form 10am – 7pm and look round. Subsequently you can ago up the leaning tower but you have to book on busy days as there is always a queue.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Baptistery is also located on the same grounds as the leaning tower. Unquestionably this also has spectacular architecture. The building are stunning and definitely worth visiting. You cant go to Pisa without visiting the leaning tower.

The Baptistery

Time in Pisa

Unfortunately we didn’t have much time in Pisa as we had booked an excursion which allowed us to spend a lot of time in Florence but not has much in Pisa. We would have like to have more time and see more of Pisa not just the leaning tower site. It would have been nice to experience some of the other places of interest and evening time in a nice restaurant and bar.

Food and Drink

Because of the intense heat a lot of people were trying to find shade. The stalls selling cold drinks were always busy even Mc Donald’s had a long queue. The stalls selling souvenir’s etc were reasonably priced. Water did vary from place to place form 3.5 Euro’s to 1 Euro.

Finally we waited at the meeting point for some time until all the coach was back. Because it was so hot and just stood still with very little shade the time seemed longer. Unfortunately this is the downside to excursion’s as there is always someone who is not back on time. Saying that we had a great time and saw some wonderful sites.

Summary

Although we did see the main sites of Pisa but felt it had a lot more to offer and would have liked to have spent more time. May be to have something to eat and drink in a traditionally restaurant. We definitely feel that there is a lot more to Pisa than what we have managed to write about.

Images

  • The Baptistery
  • Typical photo
  • leaning Tower of Pisa
  • Angelo Caduto
  • Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
  • Learning Tower in background
  • Stunning Buildings

Things to do

  • Visit the leaning tower of Pisa
  • Visit the Baptistery
  • Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
  • Visit the Botanic Gardens
  • Sample the local cuisine
  • Visit Messo Bridge
  • Visit the city center for shopping, restaurants and bars

Top Tips

  • Take plenty of sun cream on hot days and a hat.
  • Drink plenty of water.
  • Check out days that may be less busy.
  • Try to see other area’s of Pisa
  • Check out other places in Italy we have visited. Please click on the following links Ravello , Florence , Rome , Venice
  • Check out weather and rainfall below for best time to visit. Please remember that these are averages therefore may be higher or lower.

Weather

Temp – Celsius
Rain – mm		JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
High Temp 111215172126292926211511
Low Temp336811151718151264
Rainfall7060701107060305011015011080
Number of days1191111984510131614
Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Madeira

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Madeira is a region in Portugal. It comprises of 4 islands. Its capital is Funchal. The cable car in Funchal is a big tourist attraction along with the Christiano Ronaldo museum for Football fans.`

Travelling to Madeira

During Covid we were unable to travel to many countries. Fortunately Portugal was allowing travelers who were fully vacinated. Therefore we decided to book an holiday. Due to the demand of holidays to Portugal/Madeira we felt the cost of holidays were high compared to higher standard holidays outside of Covid. We booked with Tui costing around £1000 each for 10 days.

On the 21st May 2021 with flew from Birmingham Airport to Madeira. Birmingham Airport felt really strange due to it being very . Although it was quiet it did take some time checking in due to having to show a lot of documentation. At one point we were the only people in the Weatherspoon’s.

On the journey to the hotel there had been a minor bump. Instead of moving the cars out of the way they just left them there which prevented our coach and other coaches getting to their destinations. Many of the people on the bus decided to walk as the hotel wasnt that far from where we had stopped. The journey from the Airport is only around 15 minutes.

Accommodation

Finally we arrived at the Riu Madeira which is all inclusive. The hotel had only opened a week or so before we arrived. Surprisingly It is advertised with Tui as a 4 star plus. The rooms were very basic but fit for purpose. They were always clean with fresh towels each day. This hotel is definitely not a 4 star plus and would be a 3 star plus at its best. Previously we have been to many 4 star plus hotels and this hotel does not compare. . Unfortunately some of the facilities were closed and the reason given was Covid. The only restaurant open was the buffet restaurant.

Pool Scene

There was no entertainment of any sort at anytime during our 10 day stay. Tui never informed us that these facilities would be closed. We appreciate that Covid has and did effect a lot of things but we feel that Tui should have given us full information as to what facilities were available at the hotel. Given this information we would have been able to make an informed decision whether to go to this hotel or not.

Food and Drink at the Hotel

Fortunately the buffet restaurant had a lot of choice. It seemed to cater for most tastes. There was always fish, meat, pasta, meats , cheeses, vegetables, fresh salad, chips, and pizza. We always found something we liked. The staff at the beginning of the holiday were very attentive therefore you never had to wait long for a drink but has more guests arrived there wasnt enough waiters/waitresses therefore the service diminished. During the day it was lovely having something to eat at the buffet restaurant with a glass of wine overlooking the sea. Also during the day there was a snack bar serving sandwiches and cakes. As the day went on the sandwiches became less edible.

Eating lunch over looking the sea

Bar staff did their best considering they were under such pressure with being understaffed. They always smiled and tried to serve everyone in order even though the bar sometimes was 4 deep with people wanting to get served.

Management

The pools were very small and were too cold to actually get in to so we spent our time on sunbeds or at the outdoor bar. On an evening there was no entertainment etc in the hotel. If we had not met a lot of lovely people in the hotel I think we would have wanted to leave this hotel.

The management were extremely rude to a lot of the guests. On one occasion he asked a group of us for our room numbers as we were said to being too loud. We were not causing any nuisance or doing anything we shouldn’t just a group of 40+ adults having a few drinks and a laugh. We could understand if it was late/early morning but it was bearly 11pm and we were on holiday. The rules and restrictions continued throughout the holiday which actually spoilt it. We had been to other hotels in the peak of Covid and not had this treatment. Covid appeared to be an excuse to many things in this hotel.

Seeing the Island

On one occasion we went to the centre of Funchal by bus just to have a look around. Unfortunately it was a bit later in the afternoon so we were time limited. Afterwards a taxi driver came up to us and handed his card for future trips out. Subsequently we called him a couple of days later and he came and picked us up at the hotel (Unfortunately can not remember his name).

Funchal

Firstly the driver took us to Funchal to get the cable car up to the top where there is a church and botanical gardens which are lovely. Also the view is amazing.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte
Botanical Gardens

We then got on the basket toboggan where you sit in obviously a large basket and tow men run pulling you down the road. It is great fun but not has fast or has scary as we had thought it would be.

Toboggan

He then met us at the bottom. He then took us to a viewing point at the other side of Funchal. The view was amazing and well worth going to. He took around the island for most of the day. The driver was very informative about the island and had a genuine love and passion for Madeira. He explained to us about the various festivals throughout the year in Madeira which sounded great fun.

Group Tour

We had met a lovely group of people in Madeira we informed them of the tour with our private taxi/guide. Several people were keen to have a tour around the island therefore we arranged for two taxi’s to take a group of 8. They took us to several destinations around the island including the viewing area (Gabo Girao Skywalk) which is the 2nd highest cliff in the world and the highest in Europe. We stopped at Porto Maniz on our way back and had a meal at a lovely restaurant over looking the sea appropriately named Sea View Restaurante. We also had a dip in the natural pools of Porto Maniz but it wasnt that good weather therefore didnt stay in the water that long. It was a lovely day with good company though.

Gabo Girao Skywalk

We stopped at Porto Maniz on our way back and had a meal at a lovely restaurant over looking the sea appropriately named Sea View Restaurante. We also had a dip in the natural pools of Porto Maniz but it wasn’t that good weather therefore didnt stay in the water that long. It was a lovely day with good company though.

Porto Maniz

Just a short walk from the hotel there were some lovely little bars that often played live music. The food in the bars we tried were of a decent standard but not where you would go for a special meal. The Portuguese traditional drink Poncha was absolutely one of the best drinks we had tasted all holiday, It is quite a sweet drink and not to everyone’s taste.

Man making Poncha

Summary

We don’t think we will be going back to Madeira any time soon. There are a number of reason’s for this but mainly due to the hotel and the rude management. The weather wasnt great either which changed how we spent our days when not out and about. Usually we lounge around the pool and have a swim now and then. The pool was too small and due to the weather it was too cold. Unfortunately the indoor pool wasn’t open. Regardless we do have some good memories of Madeira but this was due to the people we had met and not down to the experience of staying in this hotel.

Images

  • View from Cable Car Funchal
  • Funchal Cable Car
  • Toboggan’s
  • Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte
  • Ready to go in Toboggans
  • Finish of Toboggan ride
  • Botanic Gardens Funchal
  • Botanic Gardens Funchal
  • View looking down from Gobo Girao Skywalk
  • Gobo Girao Skywalk
  • Gobo Girao Skywalk
  • Making Poncha

Things to do

  • Go up in the cable car in Funchal
  • Do the toboggan run
  • Visit the Botanic Gardens
  • Go to the glass view point (Gobo Girao Skywalk)
  • Swim in the natural pools at Porto Moniz
  • Have a drink of Madeira’s traditional drink Poncha

To Tips

  • Do some research on the hotel before booking.
  • If you want a lot of nightlife this is not the place for you.
  • Check out the festivals as they sound great fun.
  • Do the basket toboggan ride as it is a unique experience.
  • There are a lot lovely places to visit in Madeira a private taxi was a good way to see a lot in one day.
  • Check out weather below as Madeira is very seasonal. Please be aware that these are averages therefore could be higher or lower.

Weather

Temp – Celsius
Rain – mm		JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
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Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Borovets

Posted on by Debs and Mike

Borovets is a sking resort on the slopes of the Rila Mountains

Travelling to Sofia

In the month of March we flew to Sofia from Manchester via Easy Jet. The journey from Sofia airport to Borovets is approximately 2 hours. We hired a private transfer which costs around £40 each (6 people were in our party). As we were going sking and it was winter the journey to Borovets was very stunning. The scenery on our journey was breath taking. With lovely lakes and mountains along the way.

Accommodation

Festa Winter Palace

We stayed at the Festa Winter Palace Hotel which is ideally situated in the center of Borovets close to ski runs and Ski lift. The hotel is one of the more expensive hotels in Borovets but it is also one of the best hotels. We stayed on a bed breakfast and evening meal basis. The food was buffet style service and always plenty to choose from. The hotel itself is beautiful inside and outside. The rooms are immaculate clean and decorated to a high standard. The service in the hotel was also excellent and nothing was too much trouble. When the hotel was lit up on an evening covered in snow it looked amazing. As we had gone at the end of the skiing season there was not as much snow as usually.

Skiing lessons in Manchester

Chill Factor

This was our first time skiing therefore had taken a days lesson in an indoor ski and snowboard center in Manchester called “The Chill Factor”. It was a full day with lunch and refreshments provided which cost £175 each. As the snow is man made therefore is quite soft and light. The instructor was quite informative and seemed to teach us what we needed to know to give it a go on the slopes of Bulgaria. We were given a pack at the end of the course advising of what techniques we had learned and a Certificate of achievement.

Skiing in Borovets

We had gone to Borovets on the recommendation of a friend who had been skiing there on a number of occasions and was an excellent skier. Borovets is a lot cheaper than most popular skiing resorts with ski hire costing around £10 per day and lift pass around £5 per day.

Skiing lessons in Borovets

We were also introduced to a skiing instructor who was commonly known as “Mario” as he bares a strong resemblance to Mario of Mario brothers. He is an Olympic skier who represented Bulgaria in the 80’s. His real name is Christof. Kristof and his wife own the White Magic bar and restaurant. Mario also is a skiing and Snowboard instructor.

We had several lessons with Mario at £25 an hour for two of us which is excellent value. Although we had had a days lesson Mario took us back to basics and started from scratch. He did not agree with how we had been taught at the indoor ski slope. We had several lessons with Mario which helped us develop our skiing ability a lot quicker than our day lesson. As the snow in the indoor ski slope was man made it did not compare to the snow on the slopes which was often compounded to what was quite icy. The technique of the snow plough which was used in the indoor ski slope did not work on the icy snow.

Mario was an amazing instructor and made learning a lot of fun as he had a great sense of humour. We had a couple of hours lessons each day with Mario which was enough as it is quite hard work especially when you are learning.

Ski lifts

Gondala

It was difficult to master the button lifts. They came round very fast and you had to sort of stand/sit on them but it was all good fun. The Gondola lift took you up to the top slopes where there were a lot of slopes for the more experienced skier and some smaller slopes.

Food and Drinks

White Magic and Mariao

We had a bailey’s/irish coffee/hot toddie in one of the cabins at the top of the slope which was delicious. It definitely warmed us up not sure how much alcohol was in there but did have a bit of an effect. Probably not the best thing to do when learning to ski. There were many cabin type bars that served food and drinks dotted about the slopes. One of the cabins served burger, chips and a pint of beer for £4. You could even change the beer for a glass of wine for the same price.

The apres-ski in Borovets is great with a lot of bars in a very short walking distance. During the seasons when the snow is a lot heavier you can ski from bar to bar. The age range of the people in the bars is predominantly people in their 20’s but that did not stop us having a great time. All the bars are very reasonably priced so does not cost a lot to have a good bar crawl. We often went to Mario’s bar “White Magic”. He would organize games in the bar which was great fun. One game was to hit a long nail into a large log with the wrong side of the hammer. May sound a bit strange but playing it in a big group after a few drinks was hilarious.

Night Skiing

For the more experienced skier’s you could do the night time ski which looked great but we were still only novices so had to give that a miss. You could also hire jet ski’s which looked great but due to going at the end of the season we were limited as to where you could use the jetski as there was not as much snow around.

Summary

At the end of our holiday in Borovets we were able to ski a lot better than before we went but still had to stick to the smaller slopes. We do intend to return to Borovets on another skiing holiday. It is a lovely place are far cheaper than a lot of other skiing resorts. We will also have more lessons from Mario (Kristof) if he is available.

Images

  • Fiesta Winter Gardens at night
  • Night Skiing
  • Learning to Ski

Things to do

  • Obviously go skiing
  • Try night skiing
  • Go snowboarding
  • Go Snowmobiling
  • Apres Ski

Top tips

  • Buy Ski wear pre worn for first time skiing as it may not be your thing.
  • We bought on ebay and got good makes of ski wear at a very good cost.
  • Base wear is cheap at many sports wear shops.
  • Accommodation is very cheap in Borovets but standard and location does vary, do your research.
  • We wasted our time with the indoor ski center at a cost of £175 each for a day which is not cheap. If possible go straight to an instructor in Borovets.
  • Check out the skiing season which is mid December to Early March.
  • Check out other destination we have visited in Bulgaria Sunny Beach

Snow Fall

Average Snow fall

December 13cm

January 26cm

February 22cm

March 33cm