Home in Time for Tea

Being a warm and sunny year-round holiday destination, it is little wonder that Gran Canaria has afforded itself such a beach holiday reputation. However there is so much more to this tiny island and its mountains and ravines than sun, sea and sand. When I visited this year I barely had time for any beach encounters at all...  Gran Canaria: Artenara Cave Dwellings This fascinating set of ancient cave dwellings has been adorned with furniture and pottery/craft workshops to demonstrate how they were lived in and worked in, during the 1800s. The views across to the other mountains are breathtaking and you can even spy some prehistoric cave dwellings on the other side which were used by the ancient Guanche people - the natives of the Canary Islands who were non-Spanish.  To find these cave dwellings head into the town of Artenara and follow the brown tourist signs. Buses from Las Palmas should stop in Artenara, and hiring a car is cheap. Entry is free to the caves, but d...

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...