Category: Europe

There are just so many beautiful places that are easily accessible by public transport from Nice that we were able to select a different destination each day.  Our plan for the day was to visit Menton, the pearl of France which lies close to the Italian border.  It’s possible to reach the town by either…

From our base in Nice we planned a day trip to Ventimiglia, 8 km across the border in western Liguria, Italy.  We took the 10:36 train from Nice Ville station (single tickets €8 for the 55 minute journey).  As with our visit the previous day to Antibes we opted to buy single tickets as these…

The principality of Monaco lies 8 miles (13 km) from Nice, with Monte Carlo often being referred to as a playground for the rich and famous.  However, Monaco is an affordable place to visit for a day as it is easily accessible from Nice by public transport. The ultimate way to arrive is by helicopter…

Espoo lies close to Helsinki in southern Finland and despite not being as well known as the capital city, it is a lovely place to spend a few days. The city boundary covers the attractive centres of Tapiola and Matinkylä and the beautiful Nuuksio National Park. Getting there: Arrive into Helsinki Vantaa Airport (flights from…

After a good night’s sleep in our comfortable bed at the Ibis Styles Wroclaw Centrum, we enjoyed a relaxing breakfast in the hotel’s restaurant.  Continuing with the Alice in Wonderland theme, upturned wooden tables hang from the ceiling and furnishings include a checkerboard floor and playing card motifs on the walls.  We discovered a plentiful…

Poland has become one of my most visited countries, I enjoy spending time there so much. After selecting Poznan for a festive break last year, this time we decided to head to Poland’s fourth largest city Wroc?aw. It’s located on the Oder River in the Lower Silesian region of the south west of the country.…

Ghent is Belgium’s fourth largest city and one of the country’s most beautiful. It’s easy to reach from the UK without the need for flying as we took the Eurostar service from London St. Pancras to Brussels. The journey takes only two hours with regular onward connections to Flanders cities on Belgian Railways. Trams 1…

There are so many lovely places to visit in Helsinki and the surrounding area and one of my favourites is to spend a day in neighbouring Tapiola. With the opening of the western extension of the metro it’s now possible to reach Tapiola from the city centre in only 15 minutes. A one day ticket…

Luxembourg is one of the world’s smallest countries, similar in size to the county of Dorset in south west England. It’s located in north western Europe and bordered by Belgium, France and Germany. It may only be small but it certainly packs a punch as we found out during our recent visit. The previous afternoon…

Our day began with a visit to the National Maritime Museum along the historic riverside. A combined entrance ticket 35zl (￡6.50) can be purchased to include the museum ship Soldek moored alongside. Entrance is also included in the Gdańsk Card. The museum located in three restored old granaries is devoted to Gdańsk’s role as a…