After Portugal, we took a short flight with TAP from Lisbon to Seville to begin a week of travelling around Andalusia by train. This part of Spain is all about its Moorish history as ‘Al Andalus’ under Islamic rule from the early 8th century until Granada finally fell to the Spanish Reconquista by it’s Catholic […]
Category Archives: Europe
A late summer stroll through Portugal’s cities
Bom Dia! 2024 has certainly been Portugal’s year in the travel limelight, with a record number of visitors to this relatively small country of just 10m people. A lot of Discover Travel clients have visited in the last couple of years, and it’s easy to see why; for Europe, it’s still surprisingly affordable, prices are […]
Discovering Turkey: A Journey Through History, Culture, and Scenic Beauty
Istanbul to Konya I had only been to Istanbul before, so I was excited to explore more of Turkey. Was everything I read about as amazing as it sounded? It took two weeks to find out, and yes, it certainly was. When I arrived at SAW airport, immigration was quick, but I had to print […]
Savouring San Sebastián: A Foodie’s Delight and Cultural Escape
After our whirlwind tour of Barcelona, we decided to slow things down a bit. We caught a short flight to San Sebastián and settled into an apartment in the old town for four nights. It was a welcome change of pace and a perfect opportunity to immerse ourselves in the local culture. San Sebastián is […]
Travel Journal | 50 Hours in Barcelona: A Whirlwind Journey
We really made the most of our time in Barcelona! By cramming as much as we could into each day, we soaked up the vibrant atmosphere and stunning sights the best way we knew how. Day 1: The afternoon started with a leisurely wander through the Gothic Quarter, a maze of narrow, winding streets filled […]
Travel Journal | From Urban Calm to Arctic Wilderness: A Journey from Oslo to Longyearbyen
Oslo often flies under the radar for travellers eager to explore Europe’s iconic cities, likely because it lacks well-known landmarks and is seen as quite pricey. So, I was pleasantly surprised by how impressive it is for a first-time visitor. The city boasts vast green spaces, including two massive sculpture parks, a hip urban seafront […]
Cycling by the Shores: A Serene Journey Around Lake Constance
As a keen swimmer, the idea of spending a week on a bike was always going to be more appealing if it meant being close to water. Lake Constance, nestled at the borders of Switzerland, Germany, and Austria, turned out to be the perfect spot for my first cycling holiday. My mum and I decided […]
Land of the Midnight Sun: Take a Journey through Land, Sea, and Legends Iceland
Keflavik Airport in Iceland has really changed since I first went through it. It’s much bigger and more impressive now, probably because Iceland has become super popular with tourists. Iceland expected 2.5 million visitors in 2018, which is a lot for a country with a population similar to Christchurch. Reykjavik now has direct flights to […]
Pedals and Perspectives: Cycling through Former Soviet Lands
Growing up in the UK during the 70s and early 80s meant living with the backdrop of the Cold War and the Iron Curtain, which divided East and West Europe. Evenings were spent glued to the family wireless, listening to European football matches involving teams like Partizan Belgrade and Torpedo Moscow. I’d hear stories of […]
Pedals and Sails: A Croatian Island Adventure
Travelling around Croatia with friends during the summer with extreme temperatures, and nothing but a tent and some camping gear was quite the adventure. We embarked on a road trip from the UK with just a tent and some camping gear. We drove through Slovenia and the Italian lakes, exploring mainland Croatia up to Split. […]