the weekend wanderer

What is the best time to book tickets to Europe? What is the proper tipping etiquette? Should I get a rail pass? Is it better to book with hotels directly or through a third party? These are all questions I asked myself before I became the travel geek (I would say expert but frankly it sounds way too serious) that I am today. It definitely wasn’t smooth sailing and, yes, I made a fool out of myself more times than I can count but I lived to tell the tale and tell you how NOT

If you’re looking to save money on weekend trips then you’re in the right place because I have lots of great tips and travel hacks to share! Weekend breaks are on the rise and more people than ever before are ditching the traditional 2-week holiday in favour of lots of shorter holidays throughout the year. But weekend breaks can be expensive so keep reading to find out how to cut the costs and enjoy more weekenders! Weekend breaks are the best. If you book a few weekend break

Trips to Prague Combine Rambling Castles with a duo of Vibrant Town Squares, all Washed Down With Some of the Best Beer in Europe. The City of a Hundred Spires Despite its nickname, today Prague has more than 500 spires dotting its skyline, including the iconic Prague Castle and the impressive St Nicholas Cathedral. The city boasts architecture dating back to the Renaissance and Baroque periods, and all the way up to the Cubist and Art Nouveau styles of the 20th century, so i

Florence Holidays Flaunt all the Famous Landmarks – Like The Duomo Cathedral, The Ponte Vecchio Bridge, and Michelangelo’s Statue of David. Fanfare for Florence Florence is nicknamed the ‘Cradle of Renaissance’ thanks to its excessive art history, and the orange-and-lemon-coloured city centre has got its own UNESCO World Heritage label. You’ll need more than two hands to tick off Florence’s numerous art galleries, museums, and architectural masterpieces. Plus, it’s a top-notc

Berlin is a Real Mix of Culture and Fun – You can Spend Your Days Perusing Museums and Admiring Street Art, and Dive into the City’s Lively Party Scene Come Sunset. An Historical Hotspot Berlin’s turbulent 20th century has left behind a scattering of historic landmarks in the German capital. One of the most famous is the Berlin Wall – although not much of it remains, you can still visit small sections of this Cold War remnant all over the city. The Brandenburg Gate’s another

Trips to Copenhagen offer up a Winning Pick and Mix of Colourful History, Vibrant Street Art and Waterfront Landscapes. A City by the Water Originally a Viking fishing village, Copenhagen’s now Denmark’s much-loved capital city – and it still throws a lot of its weight behind its waterfront setting. The colourful harbour in the Nyhavn district is one of the city’s most photographed spots – it’s instantly recognisable for its vintage boats and rainbow-painted cafés. Dig a litt

Travel to Europe is a little different now that we are no longer a Member of the European Union (EU), so it's important you plan early to make sure you have everything in place in time for your trip. As well as reading through our guidance on the main changes below, it’s important to check the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advice for the destination you are visiting for country specific advice. If you’re visiting Ireland, plus Jersey, Guernsey or the Isle

Shopping on the Champs Élysées, Cocktails in Sight of the Eiffel Tower, Gourmet Dinners in Traditional Brasseries – Holidays to Paris are as Glamorous as They Come. The City of Lights – and Sights Not many cities can rival Paris in the culture stakes. Its hundreds upon hundreds of museums, monuments, and gardens mean no two trips here are the same. Come face-to-face with that iconic Mona Lisa smile at the Louvre. Kick back in the Champ de Mars park after dark to watch the Eif

These days most travellers want to be able to get online regularly while traveling to check email, get directions, check hotel and restaurant reviews, upload photos, update social media, and stay in touch with those back home. Travel routers can help with this. It is definitely easier to stay connected as wireless internet is now widely available in most parts of the world but there are still a number of situations when it can be tricky (or expensive) to connect. As a travel

Gondola Cruises, Beautiful Bridges, World-Class Architecture. A Holiday to Venice isn't your Typical City Weekend Break. The City of Water Venice is a city that breaks conventions. Grand palaces teeter on the edge of winding canals, bridges seem to levitate over water, and whole streets disappear at high tide. More than 100 islands form the city, grouped together in 16 sestieres, or districts. Although this sounds overwhelming, it’s actually very compact. Add that to the fact

The Italian Capital's Teeming with Ancient Architecture, and Eating Out Delivers Some of the Country's Best Cuisine. The Eternal City The ancient Romans believed that Rome would survive forever, and the bevy of pristine historic sites shows that they weren’t wrong. It’s full-to-bursting with centuries-old architecture, and the gaps are filled in with trendy boutiques, pavement cafés and traditional trattorias. Peppered with Piazzas Rome’s piazzas are at the heart of the city’

Holidays to Budapest Strike the Perfect Balance Between old and new. Hilly Buda Gives you History on tap, While Pest puts Buzzing Nightlife at your Fingertips. The Paris of the East Budapest is a city of two halves – both in name and geography. It’s split by the Danube River, with Buda to the west and Pest to the east. The former’s crowned by a hilltop castle and a fortress, which offer up some of the best panoramas around. Meanwhile, the latter’s home to the quirky Jewish Qu

Seville Gives you a Real Feel for Spanish Traditions. They Come Drenched in Sunshine too. The Neighbourhoods Seville, with its year-round balmy temperatures, takes bronze when it comes to Spain’s visitor numbers – it’s the county’s third most-popular spot. Its super-compact centre makes it a great city break destination, as it means you can explore the city at speed – Seville’s main sights and stops are all within walking distance of one another. That goes for its trio of UNE

Although credit cards are widely accepted in Europe, in some corners (Greece, for example) cash is still king. Here an overdependence on plastic can shape the Europe you experience. Finding Cash Machines In most places, cash machines are easy to locate. Ask for a distributeur in France, and a Bankomat just about everywhere else. Small towns may have a limited number of (or even no) ATMs. To avoid getting into a bind, make sure you have some cash before heading to a small-town

Amsterdam is Stuffed Full of Must-Dos – You've got a Still-Buzzing Centuries-Old Art Scene, Historical Hotspots, and a Lively Nightlife. The Neighbourhoods Amsterdam’s storybook scenery is instantly recognisable. The city’s packed full of narrow streets and canals – it’s a great place to get lost in. Tall, thin houses line the streets – they’re pretty uniform at first glance, but if you look a bit closer, you'll see each one’s unique. You'll find plenty of metro stations nest

In Europe, day-to-day spending can be more cash-based. So when I'm there I rely mostly on cash, though I appreciate the convenience that credit cards offer. For me, it all comes down to maximising ease and minimising fees. I pay for as much as possible with cash, using a bank that charges no or low fees for international ATM transactions, and withdrawing large amounts at each transaction. I never exchange pounds for foreign cash at a currency exchange booth, and I don’t bothe

Europe is an ideal place to visit if you want to see other parts of the world but don’t feel comfortable being too far away from home. It is easily reachable and you have a whole wealth of countries you can visit during your trip. Northern Europe If you are planning to visit northern Europe, you would be wise to take a few layers with you. The weather is, as you would expect, a lot cooler than what you may be used to in the UK. However, you’ll also find that these countries o

Packing can be one of the most stressful parts of going away; finding the balance between packing too much and not enough is very difficult. Here are my top useful tips to stress free and successful packing: Forget everything you knew about packing, do not fold your clothes, roll them to reduce space and prevent creasing. Remember that airlines have size and weight restrictions on hand and hold luggage, check and weigh your luggage before you leave home to avoid expensive fin

When planning a trip, no matter how short it is extremely important that you invest in quality travel insurance – especially if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. Sometimes travel insurance can seem like an unnecessary precaution, however without insurance you leave yourself vulnerable to potentially massive bills if something goes wrong abroad. Here are my top tips for buying affordable and quality Medical Travel Insurance; Make sure you have declared your conditi

When travelling, it pays to be prepared as failing to be organised can cost you valuable time and sometimes money! Here are my top 10 tips & tricks. Passport Holder So, there’s always one person who takes charge of the passports, but for security you will individually need them. If there are more than two of you travelling it can get confusing and take time dishing them all out again. Although you will need to take them out of the covers in most airports for security, the tim

Barcelona Showcases Catalonian Life at its Best - Think Cutting-Edge Architecture, Trend-Setting Fashion, and Narrow Cobbled Streets with Tasty Tapas Joints. Neighbourhood Hopping Each neighbourhood In Barcelona, or ‘barrio’, brings something unique to the tourist map. On a whistle-stop tour of the city you could see the bustling streets off Las Ramblas make way for the ancient sights of the Gothic quarter, and the graffitied walls in Poblenou lead down to the sands at La Bar

Trips to Lisbon Plant you on Portugal’s Premier City, Where 1,000-Year-Old Temples rub Shoulders with Gourmet Eateries and Luxurious Shopping Centres. The Neighbourhoods By capital city standards Lisbon’s pretty compact, which makes it super easy to explore during a short stay. It’s split into a collection of easy-to-navigate neighbourhoods – you can head to the old town and unwind with an espresso in one of the cobbled plazas. Or, stop by the Bairro Alto district and try out

Trips to Porto Take you to Portugal’s Most Culture-Clad Spot, Where Famous Tiled Architecture and Traditional Food are on the Cards. Traditional Meets Modern Porto – northern Portugal’s biggest city – has been in the shadow of the country’s headline acts for some time. Fast-paced Lisbon and the beach-dominated Algarve have long hogged the holiday limelight, while Porto ticks along on the periphery. But avoiding the spotlight is exactly what makes this place so special – tradi

A Trip to Athens is an Ideal Mix of Traditional and Trendy. Plus, you can Choose Between Coastal Escapes or City Stays. Top Sights Greece and history go hand-in-hand. And in the capital, this is amplified at every turn. With over 3,400 years of recorded history on the books, each neighbourhood and city sector’s like an individual exhibit at a museum. Ancient Greek temples rub shoulders with Byzantine-era churches from the 4th century, and signs of the Second World War still l