Home in Time for Tea

Making the Most of Budapest's Ancient & Therapeutic Thermal Waters... and Hundreds of Other Low-Budget Attractions! Historic 'Buda' with its much-adored medieval churches, bath houses and funicular railway - and Neo-classical 'Pest' with its flurry of shops and café culture - both make up the exciting city of Budapest. The wide and graceful Danube river glides through the elegant city separating these two halves which are linked by a series of stunning bridges. Lukacsz Baths - Outdoors at Night Of all the wonderful things to do and see in Budapest, the thermal baths are possibly the most famous. The city enjoys a wide range of thermal springs throughout Buda and Pest, and therefore a wide range of bath houses and spas - a handful of which are over 400 years old and built by the Turks - founders of bathing culture in Budapest, who harnessed the area's therapeutic natural hot springs.   The Rudas baths...

Ever Wanted to fly? Get on the slopes for the greatest high... The boots are stiff and tight, the skis are heavy and awkward to carry, you can't see with your helmet and goggles on, and you're burning up in all your snow gear - sweating in the middle of the rental shop before you can even struggle up towards the nursery lifts which feel so far away in such heavy, unhelpful footwear... Still want to learn to ski? Well you should - that equipment is not designed for walking, numpty! It is designed for flying down a snowy mountainside. It is designed for the stuff of dreams... Skiing is a great way to combine exercise, dramatic scenery, the great outdoors, and a fantastic social life. Apres-ski culture - often more sought-after than the sport itself - can be a real buzz, especially after an exhilarating day on the slopes, and of course winter sports really can't be beaten for its family-friendly feel, camaraderie, and unique gaudy winter fashion...

Flicking through European travel photos, it can be striking how many of them feature some sort of imposing stone structure or impressive beamed building. There is an abundance of colourful history out there and it feels so real, standing in front of any one of these structures dwarfed by their size, presence and atmosphere. The following buildings, and types of architecture are really something special, making great sights and points of interest in beautiful and interesting European locations - whether famous or off the beaten track. Historic European Architecture #1: Palais Des Papes, Avignon - France This stunning medieval stone palace was the old seat of the Vatican in the 1300s. Views from the top are beautiful and the atmospheric city of Avignon - which, with its intact city walls and Rhone River setting, makes a beautiful place to admire world-class cuisine and history as well as French culture. Surrounding attractions are the towns of...

Road-tripping around various places inevitably means listening to music of an un-Anglophone nature, even if I haven't meant to. It is a bit of a shame to come home to the UK and see how ignorant we are of anything even slightly 'foreign' unless of course it is from the across the Atlantic!   Music has strong nostalgic power and can take you back to very specific emotions and memories of the time when you heard it, including fantastic holidays and travels...   In France a specified percentage of what is aired has to be in the French language, so there are many artists and songs I have heard over and over (and over), and have grown quite attached to. As well as bringing back fond travel memories, they are really catchy tracks with a fresh sound!   My Favourite French Pop Music   Tal   Le Sens De La Vie                         ...

Sick of the sand? Summer holiday prices too high? Prone to sunburn? Enjoy These Unique & Exciting Swimming Activities for Adventurous & Relaxing Holidays ! From warm alpine thermal waters to a dip in a fresh lake, swimming in places other than the sea offers an exhilarating way to appreciate stunning landscapes, immerse yourself in nature, or just splash around a lot, somewhere new! Some of the most exciting & unusual places to swim that are not at the beach are as follows:   Corsican Vasques Corsica can be extremely hot in the summer and a trip up into the mountains to bathe in a cool natural pool higher up is deservedly refreshing. The natural pools dotted around the island are called vasques and are in such beautiful scenic locations, they are great to visit even if you do get cold feet when you arrive (pun intended - your feet will certainly feel somewhat fresh after dipping them in, as will your entire body when you base-jump from ...