Visiting Estonia’s largest Island

Saaremaa, the largest island in Estonia, is in the Baltic Sea and separated from the mainland by the Moonsund Strait. A modern car ferry took us from Virtsu firstly to the smaller island of Muhu, which is often referred to rather disparagingly by those from Saaremaa as their doormat. The 30-minute crossing was €24.90 and […]…

A food based tour of Estonia’s Summer Capital

Whilst staying in the Estonian town of Pärnu, a three-hour private walking tour allowed us to discover its food scene as well as more general sights. Although only the fourth-largest city in Estonia, it’s officially recognized as the ‘Summer Capital’ from late June to early September, due to its beaches, spas, and festivals. Beach Park […]…

Latvia’s Switzerland

Whilst driving between Riga and Pärnu, we stopped at Gauja National Park, in northeastern Latvia, the country’s largest and oldest national park, established in 1973. It’s famous for the scenic Gauja River valley, often called ‘Latvia’s Switzerland,’ with sandstone cliffs, caves, and dense forests. Having reached Sigulda, with its eye-catching ‘S!’ logo, we passed its […]…

Central accommodation in Bilbao

We chose the Barceló Bilbao Nervión for our four-night stay in Bilbao, and overall, it proved to be a comfortable, well-located base for exploring the Basque city. Before arriving, we completed the hotel’s online check-in, which made the arrival process incredibly quick and efficient. Within minutes we were settled into Room 535 on the fifth […]…

Spain’s Ultimate City for Wandering, Wine and Food

Having visited southern Spain several times, we headed north for a change, hoping the Basque coast would offer a more comfortable summer escape and we were not disappointed. While much of Spain was sweltering, San Sebastián greeted us with warm sunshine, refreshing sea breezes and perfect temperatures for the leisurely exploring of what is said […]…

A city break in the Basque city of Bilbao

After six wonderful nights in San Sebastián, we spent four nights of our two-centre holiday in Bilbao, rounding off our trip to northern Spain and the Basque country. Getting There We flew into and out of Bilbao with Vueling Airlines, flying from London Gatwick and returning to Heathrow. With a flight time of around two […]…

A Smooth and Good-Value Flight Between London and Bilbao

We flew with the Spanish low-cost carrier, Vueling Airlines, from London Gatwick South to Bilbao and returned 10 days later to Heathrow. Overall, the experience was straightforward and good value, despite a couple of minor frustrations. Our outbound journey got off to an interesting start. On arrival at Gatwick, we found ourselves behind a group […]…

Exploring a northern Moldovan town

Edineț is a town in the far north of Moldova, close to the borders with Romania and Ukraine. It is therefore an important regional crossroads for the surrounding agricultural communities and whilst not one of the country’s major tourist destinations, we spent a day sightseeing whilst on route back to the capital. We began at […]…

A large and prosperous Roma community

The city of Soroca, in northern Moldova, was one of the most fascinating stops on our tour combining medieval history, spectacular views, and an insight into Roma culture. We began at the 30m tall monument, The Candle of Gratitude, and were fortunate enough to drive to it, as those starting in the town below, face […]…

Moldova’s Relaxed and Walkable Capital

One of the biggest surprises about Moldova’s capital Chișinău was how compact it was. Whilst we spent time exploring on our own, a half-day city tour was also well worth it. With wide boulevards, leafy parks and plenty of places to stop for a coffee or a cold drink, sightseeing felt relaxed rather than exhausting. […]…

Wining and Dining the Moldovan Way

We stayed in Moldova’s capital Chișinău on three separate occasions during our tour. While our hotels, the Bristol Central Park and City Park, served us well, we also explored some of the nearby restaurants and bars to sample the food and wine scene. LA PLĂCINTE Our first evening took us to La Plăcinte, one of […]…