Debs and Mike

Protaras

Posted on August 26, 2022December 15, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Protaras is in the Famagusta district of Cyprus. Protaras is home to Fig Tree Bay Beach which was declared as the 3rd best beach in Europe in 2011.

Travelling to Protaras

Prior to our holiday we stayed at the Clayton hotel at Manchester Airport the night before we were due to travel which included parking for the duration of our holiday. We were due to fly to Larnaca from Manchester Airport on 25th July 2021 at 7am but unfortunately we had a lot of drinks in the centre of Manchester the day before and did not wake up until 7.30am oops!

Because we had booked our holiday as a last minute deal with Tui at £500 each for an adults only 4 star plus it was great value. Straightaway we went to the airport to ask Tui if they could put us on another flight. Therefore we made up the excuse of the car breaking down rather than we had just slept in due to too much partying the night before. Disappointedly we were given a number to call by the Tui staff at check in. Despite booking with Tui when we called the number we were basically told that we had to sort things out ourselves and they could not help.

Subsequently we went on the internet and found a Jet 2 flight from Birmingham later that day and booked a train to Birmingham Airport. We also arranged a private transfer to take us to the hotel in Cyprus. Consequently this cost us an extra £200 each on top of our original holiday – a valuable lesson learned – do not go and party night before a flight!

Travelling to Protaras – Birmingham Airport

Finally we got to Birmingham airport it was very quiet due to Covid. However It was a bit time consuming going through check in due to the amount of documentation you had to show but after this passing through security was quick and easy. Then we decided to go in to Wetherspoons for a bite to eat and a drink – at one point we were the only people in there but more people did arrive later on. It certainly felt strange in the airport with it being so quiet compared to the usual hustle and bustle you would expect.

Finally we arrived in Larnaca but could not see our transfer. Therefore we checked our emails and the company we had booked with had sent an message saying that they had cancelled it but gave no reason. Fortunately a Tui flight landed at the same time as our flight from Birmingham. Eventually we managed to speak to the Tui rep about our situation and she told us to get on one of their transfers and gave us the bus number. Meanwhile we were told that the Tui flight from Birmingham was half empty so it was a bit annoying that Tui did not put us on that flight. Of course we wouldn’t have minded paying a small fee to do this.

Accommodation

Finally we were taken to our hotel which was the adults-only Tui Blue Atlantica Sea Breeze. We arrived at the early hours of the morning and check in was very quick and easy. As everything was closed the hotel provided us with sandwiches and a drink. Overall the rooms in the hotel are modern but basic. The rooms are cleaned daily to a good standard. There are clean towels provided every day.

Also there is a swim up pool bar which is lovely when spending days around the pool. The only entertainment around the pool is morning exercise. Equally the Music around the pool was very low key compared to most holiday hotels. The cocktails were lovely and made fresh. We particularly enjoyed the iced coffees, sometimes with Bailey’s and Tia Maria added. Because it was July it was very hot so you needed to get into the pool quite regularly. Will, who was one of the bar staff at the pool bar, regularly walked around the pool asking people if they needed any drinks and constantly providing bottles of water too. He had a great sense of humour and engaged with all guests who were willing to engage back.

Food and drink in the hotel

Additionally there is a nice little snack bar by the pool that is under shade which is much needed during the hot months. You order from a menu and it is waiter/waitress service which we like. The food here was lovely and there was a wide range to choose from. Markedly the Snack Bar is where we ate most days as opposed to the buffet restaurant as we like to eat outside.

Also we booked in the Al A Carte restaurant as you are allowed one visit per stay. We had the steak which was delicious and cooked just how we like it (Medium rare and Medium well done). The service in the Al A Carte restaurant was top-notch too. It is only very small therefore doesn’t cater for a lot of people at one time. Masks needed to be worn throughout the hotel when not sat down. We did try to adhere to this but it is easy to forget especially when you have had a drink.

Also in the buffet restaurant you also had to put on disposable gloves when before getting your food which is excellent. The food in the buffet restaurant was what you would expect with the usual fish, meat, chicken, chips, potatoes, vegetables, salads, meats, cheeses and desserts. Breakfast was also what you would expect with sausage, eggs, bacon, beans, breads, omelettes and pancakes. Additionally there is seating outside at the side of the pool which we liked too.

Entertainment

Due to the Covid restrictions the entertainment wasn’t as it would usually be but they did their best. All of the entertainment team would try and engage with guests and stop and chat with them. There is a small beach nearby but you have to walk across some waste land to get to it. We like to go for long walks along the beach but you are not able to do this here as some of the beach is taken up by hotels and you have to be residents to enter.

Location

The hotel itself is a taxi ride away to the centre of Protaras. On one occasion we walked to the centre which was quite difficult as it was over 35 degrees but it was an interesting journey. It was lovely to go to Fig Leaf Bay Beach and have a much-needed cold drink in a lovely little bar/restaurant actually called the Fig Leaf. Subsequently we decided to get a taxi back which was 12 Euros. We spent most of our evenings in the hotel as a lot of the bars and restaurants nearby were closed due to Covid.

Nightlife

We did go in to the centre of Protaras on one evening. Surprisingly The bars were very quiet although there were quite a few people walking around. Undoubtedly the Karaoke bar on the corner, an English bar was a lot busier than the other bars. We went in a few cocktail bars too. In each of the bars you had to show your covid pass to get in. We finally ended up in an open air rock bar until the early hours. It was great fun listening to the live music – a rock band who played a good number of rock classics that got the audience singing and dancing. This was the busiest bar on the main street especially in the early hours.

Black Pearl Pirate Ship

We booked an excursion with Tui on the Black Pearl Pirate Ship as this had been recommended by other guests who had been on the ship several times. The cost of this was £35 each which included lunch (chicken, potatoes, rice, tzatziki and bread – drinks are not included). We were picked up from our hotel by coach and taken to the ship which was in Ayia Napa. We have never been to Ayia Napa before as we felt that it was more catered for people in the 18-30 age range, but when we were driving through we saw some lovely hotels and a lot of families wandering around.

The ship is quite an impressive pirate ship and the crew were all in character in their pirate costumes. There was a mixture of people on the ship including couples, families and groups of friends. Obviously the main character of the ship was of course Jack Sparrow. He did look very much like the Jack Sparrow from the films. We got talking to him and found out he was from Yorkshire too. Not sure of his actual name but he told a story of how he became Jack Sparrow on the ship. According to him he had gone on the ship as a guest but got up to mischief and climbed up the rigging. He was then asked if he wanted the role of Jack Sparrow.

Black Pearl Ship – Great Fun

There was a lot of adult humour from all of the crew which had us laughing all day long. Also the crew were also very attentive towards the children with pirate flag making, singing songs and having the children join in dancing around the ship. Whilst on the ship the crew made sure to keep everyone entertained all day long.

The ship stops for swimming in the sea where you are able to jump off of the sides of the boat. The cannons were also set off with what we think were fireworks but not sure. The sea is a lovely turquoise colour and very warm. Another positive fact is that you also get to see some lovely scenery along the way. Many people were drinking alcohol on the ship including us as the ship has a bar with soft drinks. cocktails, beers, lagers and spirits. For an excursion these were reasonably priced. Everyone young and old was having a great time. We were so glad we had booked this excursion as it ticked a lot of boxes for us, seeing lovely places, swimming in the warm turquoise sea, watching entertainment and have a bit of a party – excellent!

Summary

This was only our second time in Cyprus (we went to Pathos about 10 years ago). There is so much more we would like to see of Cyprus so we will certainly return at some point. We would definitely recommend the hotel. If we hadn’t had the misfortune of missing the flight and having to pay an £400 to get there the holiday would have proved to have been exceptional value for money. The staff in the hotel were all very polite, attentive and helpful.

The rooms were always cleaned to a high standard. Food and drinks were of a good standard for a 4 star hotel. In fact we have stayed at 5 star hotels where the food and drinks have not been as good. We probably won’t go back to this hotel this is purely because we like to try other destinations and hotels – there were many guests who had returned time and time again.

Images

Agioi Anargyri Church
Cape Greco
Ayia Napa
Black Pearl Ship
Jack Sparrow
Black Pearl Ship
Black Pearl Ship
Snack bar
Rock Bar

Things to do

Visit Cape Greco (you get to see this on the pirate boat)
Go on the Black Pearl Pirate Ship
Visit Fig Tree bay
Visit Famagusta
Visit some of the beaches
Go to the strip on an evening
Go to the funfair

Top Tips

Dont miss your flight lol
Research your hotel as there wasnt much open around our hotel due to covid, It might be different now. The town center was a taxi ride away.
If you can book last minute do so as the prices do come down.
Some of the excursions are cheaper with a local tour operator.
Give tips at the beginning of your holiday as you get better service at the bar if all-inclusive
Check out the weather for best time to visit

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	16	17	19	22	26	30	32	32	30	27	22	18
Low Temp	7	7	8	11	15	18	21	21	19	16	12	9
Rainfall	62	52	42	12	9	1	1	1	1	19	43	80
Number of days	11	10	9	6	3	2	1	1	1	4	6	11

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Mexico

Posted on August 25, 2022December 15, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Chichen Itza is one of the 7 wonders of the world. Chichen Itza is the most visited archaeological site in Mexico.

Travelling to Mexico

We flew to Cancun in Mexico from Los Angeles. As we had not booked a package holiday we arrange a private transfer to our hotel which was in Playa Del Carmen which took about 40-50 minutes.

Accommodation

We were staying in the Iberostar Grand Paraiso which is a 5 star adults only hotel. Surprisingly check in was very quick and easy as we were the only people checking in at this time. Later we were taken to our room by one of the porters. He explained where everything was and numbers to call if we needed anything. Eventually we started to unpack our cases before venturing out for an explore of the hotel. There was a knock on the door which was our butler for the duration of our stay who was introducing himself. We had a separate number which went directly to him if we needed anything. He called each evening to ask if there was anything we needed. All the rooms were a lot larger than a lot of hotels we had stayed in.

The bathroom was the biggest bathroom we had been in in an hotel apart from the one at Ceasars Palace in Las Vegas. The Jacuzzi bath was huge. The rooms appeared to be modern but also traditional. There was a mini bar of wines, chocolates, biscuits, crisps, peanuts and spirits which were all included in the price of the all inclusive. . This was replenished every day without fail. Additionally the hotel also provided a turn down service which was a nice touch.

Accomodation – Location

The hotel isnt near anything so you need to get a taxi or go on an excursion if you want to see or do anything. Playa Del Carmen is approximately 13 miles from the hotel. Although it isn’t near anything it is on a lovely white sand beach.

Accomodation – Food and Drink

The hotel is 24 hour all inclusive and there is entertainment throughout the day and evening. There are 6 restaurants and 7 bars in this hotel. The food here was absolutely amazing in every one of the restaurants we hate in. The Hiku Japanese restaurant was fun watching the chef with his show cooking. At the beach bar you can order from a menu or go in to the buffet restaurant. We have never been to a beach bar in an hotel that is of the same standard as this beach bar. The range of food and quality was fantastic. The chef would even prepare fresh lobster for you if you wanted.

The waiters/waitresses were all in waist coats and bow ties. You may expect this in the Al A Carte but I have never seen this at a beach bar. There is a dress code for all the Al A Carte restaurants (Men must wear long trousers). There is also 24 hour room service so you can order food at anytime to your room. We often came back to our room after a few drinks and felt peckish therefore would order pizza, nacho’s, chips etc. The room looked like a bomb had hit it the following day lol.

The cocktail bar was very quiet on an evening but we liked to go in there and try some of the different cocktails that we had not heard of before. The lobby bar did get quiet busy so we always ended up in there. All the drinks were branded drinks and all included in the all inclusive. Even in the lobby bar the cocktails were great. Our favourite was a Mud Slide which consisted of chocolate sauce, Coffee liqueur, Bailey’s, Vodka and cream.

Accommodation – Pool Scene

Altogether there are 3 swimming pools and a swim up pool bar which was lovely to sit at and where we met a lot of nice people. There are sun lounges built in to the swimming pool to so it was always easy to cool down. There was entertainment around the pool each day including bingo with a fun twist which was a good laugh. On one day they put a large inflatable in the water and you had to try and run across it whilst the entertainment team were shaking it. This was great fun but we didn’t manage to run the full length of it.

Wildlife

The grounds of the hotel are immaculate with some wild life which was lovely to watch. We saw coati’s, agouti’s and Iguana’s. One of the Coati’s practically came in our room it was so tame. The Coati’s we saw in Brazil were vicious not like the Mexican Coati. Mexico does have a lot of high standard hotels. We have been to a couple of other hotels in Mexico in the past but this is on another level but the price does reflect this. A true saying “you get what you pay for”.

Excursions

In Playa Del Carmen there is the famous Coco Bongo’s show/night club. This is an amazing show and a must see if you are in Playa Del Carmen. This show has you captivated at all times. The atmosphere is amazing too. It is party time well in to the early hours. The price of a ticket starts at about £60 depending on where you are sat and the amount of drinks that are included. The drinks are very strong and are all branded drinks.

There are lots of tour operators in Playa del Carmen that offer excursions to Chichen Itza for around £40. It is a very long day of around 12 hours which includes a buffet lunch. The journey via coach from this hotel is around 3 hours. It is a lot quicker via car but a lot more expensive.

Summary

We have been to a couple of other hotels in Mexico in the past but this is on another level but the price does reflect this. A true saying “you get what you pay for”. We would definitely go back to this hotel which we don’t usually do as we like to try different places but this is hotel has luxury written all over it.

Images

Chichen Itza
Pool Scene
Cocktail Bar
Cocktail menu
Coati
Agouti
Iguana
Coco Bongo
Pool bar
Mixology Cocktail Bar
Evening Show
Buffet over looking pool
Beach
Beach

Things to do

Visit Tulum
Visit Chichen Itza
Go to Coco Bongo’s
Visit Cozumel by ferry
Visit Xel-Ha Park

Top Tips

Pre book the Al A Carte restaurants we did this via our butler
If booking excursions read reviews of the tour operator before booking
If you like a good show and nightlife book Coco Bongo’s
This hotel is a lot more expensive than other hotels in Mexico so do your research.
Check out safety and security when visiting Mexico on the Government website https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/mexico
Check out other destinations in the Carribean that we have visited. Please click on the following links Cuba , Jamaica
Check out the weather in Mexico below for best time to visit. Remember hurricane season is from June – November.

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	28	29	30	31	32	32	32	32	32	31	30	28
Low Temp	19	20	21	23	25	25	24	24	24	22	21	19
Rainfall	17	15	6	14	16	173	156	164	173	114	29	21
Number of days	3	2	1	1	1	2	3	3	3	3	3	2

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Barcelona

Posted on August 24, 2022January 18, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Barcelona is the 5th most visited city in Europe. Istanbul, Paris, London and Rome are visited more. Barcelona is the most popular city to visit in Spain.

Travel to Barcelona

We visited Barcelona as it was part of our itinerary on our cruise. Please click on following link to find further information regarding the cruise and all the destinations we visited Highlights of the Mediterranean Our ship docked at Barcelona port on 15th July 2022. We were then taken to bus to the centre of Barcelona which was arranged by the cruise ship. There was a small fee to use the bus 7.50 euro’s return.

Hop on Hop Off Bus

We decided to get on the hop on hop off bus rather than a guided tour. There are two different hop on hop off bus routes around Barcelona (West – Orange route and East – Green Route). You may need to use both of these routes to see the sights that you want to (we needed to). We originally got on the West Orange route as one of the sights we wanted to see was Camp Nou home to FC Barcelona and is only on this route.

When you get on the bus you are given headsets and plug them in at the side of the seat. There is a button to change the language in to English if it is not already on this. The information provided is extremely interesting with facts about each destination, places of interest etc on the route. You can just stay on the bus all the time until the end of the journey or you can get off as and when you chose. Each route takes about 2 hours to complete if you remained on the bus.

Destinations – Orange Route

We got off the bus at stop 5 which is Camp Nou. Camp Nou translates to new field. This was a very popular destination to get off at as most of the bus got off at this point. Some people had booked tours of the stadium but has time was limited we were unable to do this. We wondered around the outside of the stadium along with lots of other people as this is obviously a main tourist destination. We took several photo’s and then got back on the bus. The buses run every 15 minutes to each stop on the route.

Our next destination was Casa Batilo which was 2 stops away from Camp Nou. Casa Batilo is sometimes known has “the house of the dragon. Casa Batilo is a building in the centre of Barcelona. It is a bit strange to see it surrounded by designer shops and chain fast food places. It is a very interesting building and nothing like anything we have seen anywhere in the world.

We decided to plan where we were going to go to next therefore we stopped and had a bite to eat and a cold drink. Temperature was already 39 degrees at 1pm. In these temperatures drinking a lot of water is essential.

Destinations – Green Route

We decided to walk to get on the East – Green Route to go to Basilica de a Sagrada Familia which is a large unfinished church. It is the most popular tourist attraction in Barcelona. When you get off the bus you can see how popular it is as it is very crowded but still well worth the visit. If in Barcelona this is a must see. Although it is still unfinished even though it was started being built in 1882 it is breath taking. We took a lot of photo which we have looked back on and even now see something new as there is so much detail gone in to this church.

The queue to get back on the bus was very long but it did go down pretty quickly. We got on the bus to the end of the line and then decided to walk down the Las Rambles the most famous boulevard in Barcelona. It is lined with nice bars, restaurants and street sellers. It would have been nice to have had a drink and a bite to eat on Las Rambles but unfortunately did not have enough time as the last bus back to the ship was 5.30pm.

Summary

Although we did not get off at many stops we did manage to see a lot of the sights of Barcelona. Barcelona is one of the trendiest cities in Europe. It has something to offer everyone of all ages. We would have loved to have had more time in Barcelona. To have time to visit the beaches and have a Sangria and some Tapas in one of the traditional bars and Restaurants. There was so much more we wanted to see and do. We think you need at least a few days in Barcelona. We will definitely come back to Barcelona.

Images

Estadi Olimpic de Montjuic
Fountain in Placa d’Espanya
Placa d’Espanya (Square in Spain)
Casa Batilo
Palau Nacional
Basilica de a Sagrada Familia
La Rambla
FC Barclelona

Things to do

There are so many places of interest in Barcelona the hop on buses take you to all the sites. There are 2 routes Orange and Green.

Top Tips

If you only have a short time in Barcelona plan what you want to see (Route maps of hop on and off bus can be found on line)
Ideally spend a few days in Barcelona.
If on a cruise get on the earlier coach to the centre of Barcelona therefore giving you more time.
The designer shops are cheaper than in England so bag yourself a bargain.
Plan time out of your day to sample the local cuisine.
Check out the festivals in Barcelona – La Merce Festival in September is a large street party. There are a lot of other festivals but this is the biggest.
Check weather below for best time to visit Barcelona. These are averages therefore

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	13	14	16	18	21	25	27	28	25	22	17	14
Low Temp	6	6	9	11	14	18	21	22	19	15	10	6
Rainfall	33	41	33	37	54	11	25	64	75	87	34	35
Number of days	3	5	4	5	5	2	2	5	5	6	4	5

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Highlights of the Mediterranean

Posted on August 23, 2022August 9, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Mediterranean Cruise

Travelling to Palma Majorca to board the ship

We flew from Norwich to Palma Majorca to board the ship on 9th July 2022. We booked the cruise with Tui at £628 each but with drinks upgrade and choosing seats it came to £718 as a last minute deal. This was our first cruise therefore did not know what to expect and we were both a little apprehensive.

We flew from Norwich due to Mike’s daughter being at University in Norwich therefore we could see her before we went and when we came back. We stayed at the Holiday Inn which is a short taxi ride to the airport. Unfortunately we were informed by Holiday Extra’s that the hotel provided a shuttle service but this was not the case. Taxi’s are very hard to get in Norwich due to lack of drivers. As we were setting off to the airport at 4.30am we pre booked it and it arrived on time.

Norwich Airport

Upon arrival at Norwich Airport and we were told at check in that we had to pay £10 each just to enter the airport (not to park or take a car but to go to the gate). We had never heard of anything like this before nor had we been informed about it. We paid the money as we had no choice in this.

The airport is a very small airport with Duty Free. 1 shop, 1 bar/restaurant and 1 executive. We had booked in the executive lounge which had basic breakfast, cereal, pastries, toast, crumpets, yoghurts etc. Unlike most executive lounges we were only allowed 2 alcoholic drinks. We were delayed by 3 hours therefore we had to purchase any further alcoholic drinks but we were allowed unlimited non alcoholic drinks. Jane was working in the executive lounge and looked after us so well. Norwich has to be the most stress free, easiest airport we have ever travelled to and from. We normally find that going through security the staff can be quite grumpy but not in Norwich.

Flight

When we got on the plane we were given a free snack and drink due to the delay. The flight is only a short flight (2 hours 30 mins) so it is not long before you reach your destination. It didn’t seem that long from getting off of the plane and on to the coach. The coach is for passengers going on the cruise only therefore it wasn’t full.

Checking in

We were on the Marella Discovery 2. Check in on the ship was quick and easy. We were then given a welcome drink and asked to go to the entertainment room where we watched a video on safety etc which was approximately 15 minutes long . Our cases were taken to our cabin by the porters.

Cabin

We had a floor 3 cabin with no windows. The cabin’s are quite small but enough for everything you need. We kept the beds as single as this worked for us. There is plenty of wardrobe space and draw space to keep everything in. The bathroom was quite small but adequate with a small corner sink and a small corner shower. Not having a window did not bother us as we were not in there very long. The only downside was that you struggled to dry swimwear as there was nowhere to hang them to dry. The staff that clean the cabin’s were brilliant as it was immaculately cleaned everyday. Towels left in the shape of animals and chocolates left on the pillows which was a nice touch.

Pool Scene

Our first full day on the ship was at sea. We worried about being around the pool as it was a small pool with 1500 guests on board but we had not needed to worry. Because there were plenty of sun beds around the pool with most people spending the day on them and not in the pool. Also there was a lot of people sat around the edge of the pool and in the Jacuzzi. There was a wide age range around the pool, children, adults aged 18 to 80 +. Predominantly we would say that the main age range was from 40 – 55. The entertainment around the pool was none stop all day long. The entertainment staff got all the ship involved with quizzes etc. It was a great day with everyone no matter what age they were having fun.

Food and Drink

The drinks were great as well with branded drinks. We upgraded to Premium drinks package but not sure if it was worth it. We paid £60 each for the week but not sure what we got for that. Other guests who had not paid this appeared to have the same drinks as us. The staff at the bars and even the waiter service around the pool were brilliant and could not do enough.

During the day there is a snack bar around the pool which services, fish bites (which are amazing), burgers, fries etc. You can also go to the buffet restaurant.

We preferred the Gallery 47 restaurant. We tended to eat here for breakfast, lunch and evening meal. The food here is excellent and the service was even better. Breakfast at the restaurant has a menu you can choose from and is waiter service. Lunch and evening meal is 3 courses with additional sides if you want to.

We did here people moaning about the food but could not understand why. We have stayed in many 5 star all inclusive hotels and the food nor the service has not been has good as this cruise. Our favourite food in the Italian restaurant was the Cabanara (This cost a little extra but was worth it).

A lot of people said how much they loved the A la Carte restaurants which you have to pay extra for. You have to book these in advance which you can do via an app prior to travelling. Unfortunately we hadn’t booked any in advance and couldn’t get in any of the ones we wanted. The wine at the restaurants wasn’t too bad either. A lot of all inclusive the wine is practically undrinkable.

The Glass House is a bar at the side of the indoor swimming pool and serves deli-style light bites during the day and tappas in an evening. On one occasion we went in the Glass House at midnight and had a curry and a drink before we went back to our cabin.

Entertainment

The entertainment on the ship caters for most people. The Squid and Anchor bar is designed to be like a British pub. There are interactive games every evening including Mr & Mrs etc. Some people moaned it was like being at Butlins but we actually liked it. One evening they had a silent disco in the Squid and Anchor which was so funny. You put head phones on and there was two types of music you could listen to Dance or Rock. Basically we hit the dance floor listening to Dance music. As we are not the best singers in fact we are terrible so singing with headphones on was a bit of a shock to other guests.

Surprisingly we only watched a couple of the shows in the Broadway Show Lounge and each of them was good. Again people moaning that it was like Butlins. I do wonder what some people expect for what they have paid.

The Atrium Bar has low key live music every night so if you want a quiet drink with a bit of back ground entertainment then this is the place to be. There is also another bar through the Atrium Bar which has a small Casino and live music. The live music is a bit more livelier than the Atrium Bar with a lot of people up dancing.

There is a late night bar called Bar 11 that stays open until 2am. We often went up to this bar which is not a good thing when you have a busy day the next day although it was great fun at the time. This bar plays a lot of Dance music which is right up our street. All the bars serve amazing cocktails which are made in front of you from scratch. The only trouble is that this can create a bit of a queue but it is worth it. We have been on many all inclusive and been served the sugary cocktails that are pre made and do not taste like what they are supposed to do.

Itinerary

The itinerary for the cruise was good for what we had paid. We like to travel a lot so seeing so many places in 1 week was great.

Day 1 – Palma Majorca
Day 2 – At sea
Day 3 – Ajaccio, Corsica
Day 4 – Civitavecchia (for Rome), Italy
Day 5 – Livorno (for Florence and Pisa), Italy
Day 6 – St Raphael (For St Tropez and Cannes), France
Day 7- Barcelona, Spain
Day 8 – Palma, Majorca

Ajaccio

Ajaccio is the capital of Corsica . It is also the home of Napoleon Bonaparte. It is only a short walk from getting off the ship to the birth place of Napoleon. The Place de Gaulle is a large square with a statue of Napoleon (in fact there are statues everywhere of Napoleon). The Square is also a short walk from the ship. Also there are some nice beaches in Ajaccio which are a taxi or a decent walk from the port. There is a train that takes you around Ajaccio too. There are many other interesting places to visit in Ajaccio which we didn’t get to see. The temperature was 30 degrees in the morning so by mid afternoon we wanted to go back to the ship.

Civitavecchia

Civitavecchia is also a small port with a lot of history. The ship docked here mainly for guests wanting to travel to Rome. We had spent 4 days in Rome only a few years ago therefore felt there would be nothing more to see therefore did not book the excursion. The most famous landmark in Civitavecchia is Fort Michelangelo which you can see as soon as you reach the port. If you are just wanting to walk around the port there isn’t that much to see but if you are willing to go further afield there is places of interest. We had a cold drink at a lovely restaurant which has a lovely view over the port. It did not take us long to walk around Civitavecchia therefore headed back to the ship.

Pisa and Florence

We booked an excursion for Pisa and Florence. After Breakfast we got on the coach and had a lovely tour guide who was very knowledgeable. Please click on the following links for full details of Pisa and Florence Pisa , Florence .We returned back at the ship at about 6.30. It was a long day but worth it.

St Raphael

Before we travelled we were informed that you could get on a boat from the ship to Cannes and St Tropez from someone who had been on the same cruise a few years prior but this was not the case. Obviously things had changed since she went on the same cruise. We didn’t book an excursion due to this information therefore we were disappointed that we did not get to see these places. There is a small boat which takes you from the ship to St Raphael which is a lovely sea side resorts. The beach is lovely with soft sand and turquoise sea. It is nice to spend a day on the beach rather than sight seeing or around the pool. There are a lot of nice restaurants and bars around St Raphael. There is a small marina which you can walk round to.

Barcelona

There is no need to book an excursion for Barcelona as there is a coach from the ship that takes you to the centre of Barcelona where you can get on one of the hop on hop off buses that takes you to all the places of interest in Barcelona. There are buses leaving from the ship all the time and return all the time up until 5.30 so you can please yourself how long you need in Barcelona. Please click on the following link for full details of Barcelona Barcelona

Summary

You can go on organised excursions every day that can be booked with TUI prior to travelling or you can see destinations on your own which some guests did. We only booked one excursion which was Pisa and Florence. We regret not booking at least one more (St Tropez and Cannes).

On the last evening the entertainment crew did a farewell show in the Atrium Bar with everyone watching from inside balconies. It was lovely and a nice end to the cruise.

This was our first time on a cruise and it definitely wont be our last. There is nothing negative we can say about the cruise. Every member of the crew went out of their way to make sure we enjoyed our holiday. They all seemed happy in their work and nothing was too much trouble.

The food was better than we expected. Additionally we like to have waiter/waitress service for our meals and are not too keen on buffet restaurants. We were able to have waiter/waitress service for every meal which made this a better dinning experience. The cocktails were amazing too. Cabins are small but it is a cruise ship and to be expected. There were some people who were moaned about the food and entertainment. We couldn’t understand why but we had nothing to compare our cruise to. Some said that the bigger cruise ships were of an higher standard. We are looking in to our next cruise around the Caribbean.

Images

Marella Discovery 2
View of Palma Majorca from Ship
Climbing wall
View of Palma Majorca at night
Piano bar
Cocktail Bar
Silent disco
Heading to port
On deck for the sunset
Amazing sunsets
Waiter making Carbonara
Delicious deserts
Cocktails
Farewell show

Things to do

Try the crazy golf.
Try the climbing wall.
Watch an evening movie on deck with popcorn
Watch the shows
Eat at the specialist restaurants
If you like to party try bar 11.
Join in the quizes around the pool on a day time
Try the cocktails
Go on the excursions

Top Tips

Check out the drinks menu before you book to see if it is worth the upgrade.
Book Al a Carte restaurants in advance as they get booked up.
Check out destinations and if an excursion is necessary.
If booking an excursion book in advance as these get booked up too
It isn’t necessary to book excursions with Tui as some other operators are cheaper but read reviews before booking.
Do research about the destinations you are wanting to see as time is limited when you are there.
There is a dress to impress night so take your glad rags.
Check out temperatures and weather before booking. All our destinations were 38 degrees plus at mid day which was very hot and uncomfortable for sight seeing at times.

Venice

Posted on August 23, 2022August 9, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Venice is famous for its canals and gondola’s. The Grand Canal is the main canal which is the main water traffic route around Venice. It is also home to the famous St Marks Square and the Rialto Bridge.

Travelling to Venice

We flew to Venice from Leeds and Bradford Airport in the month of July. We flew with Ryanair to Treviso Airport which is a 1 hour bus ride from Venice centre. Ryanair provided a free bus to the centre. If you fly to Marco Polo airport the transfer is only about 20 minute’s. The cost of flying to Marco Polo was a lot more expensive hence why we flew to Treviso. The bus dropped us right next to a Kiosk where you can buy tickets for the water buses. We were in Venice for 4 days therefore we bought the tickets for the full duration of our visit.

Accommodation

We stayed at a budget hotel on the Lido (Unfortunately does not exist now). This was a short waterbus ride from Venice Centre. The Hotel was a short walk to the water buses and the beach. It also had a supermarket opposite which was very useful too.

Site Seeing via Waterbus

On our first day we caught the waterbus in to Venice centre and went to St Marks Square. This is a beautiful square with lots of bars and restaurants around the square.. It is a very busy square with lots of tourists which you would expect. The architecture of the buildings is quite spectacular. There are a lot of restrictions in Venice regarding building work and renovation which is lovely that it still keeps its charm. Should renovations be needed then a sheet is put up in front of any scaffolding with a picture of the building on it to appear that it is the building itself.

At St Marks Square the bars and restaurants are quite expensive compared to other area’s of Venice. Many of the bars have live classical music which adds to the atmosphere. As it was a lovely sunny day despite the cost we decided to sit and have a drink or two watching the world go by.

Bar/Restaurant in St Marks Square with Classical Music

There were also some lovely restaurants and bars at the side of the canal. We had lunch here and a couple of drinks watching the world go by. The food and drinks were much cheaper than at St Marks Square.

If in Venice then a visit to the Rialto Bridge, There is an amazing view of the Grand Canal from the Bridge with bars and restaurants lining either side of the canal. Both day and night it is a lovely place to visit.

After spending most of the day in the centre of Venice we got the waterbus back to our hotel to get changed for the evening. We then got the waterbus back to Venice centre for the evening. It was nice seeing it all lit up at night time. We wandered along some of the back streets and found lots of little traditional bars which were nice to sit out at of an evening.

Day at the Beach

The next day we decided we would organise a picnic and go to the beach for the day which was 10 minutes walk from our hotel. As it was a hot day the beach was very busy. Unfortunately some of the more expensive hotels own parts of the beach therefore it is only residents that can sit in those area’s. There is still a lot of the beach that anyone can sit it. There are as what you would expect from any beach places to buy food and drink if you wanted to. We went in the sea quite a lot as it did cool you down a bit. The sea was really nice clear and warm. We spent all day on the beach having drinks and food.

We decide to stay on the Lido for the evening and went to a local bar/restaurant for something to drink and eat. The prices were at least half of what it was in Venice Centre. Some of the bars got quite lively. At 11 O’clock nobody is allowed to dink or sit outside of the bars therefore everyone came in doors. Apparently it is a crime to do so.

Grand Canal

On one occasion we caught the water bus to the end of the grand canal where there is a glass factory, shops and few small places to buy something to eat and drink. We had a wander around the glass factory and the shops etc which did not take very long as it is only small. Finally we then got the waterbus in to the centre of Venice and wondered around some more of the back streets.

Summary

Although our hotel was not have a high standard it was always clean and the service was good. Also we thought the destination of our hotel was great. This was because could visit the beach etc but also we were only a short waterbus away from the sites of Venice. We would definitely go back to Venice. We would also stay on the Lido again.

Images

Grande Canal
Gande Canal
Gondola’s
Classical music St Mark’s Square
St Mark’s Square
Smaller Canal
Ponte di Rialto Bridge at night
Venice Street
Venice Lido Beach
Grand Canal at night

Things to do

Visit St Mark’s Square
Visit Ponte di Rialto Bridge
Go on the water bus down the Grande Canal
Go to the beach on the Lido.
Visit the Bridge of Sigh’s
Visit San Giorgio Maggiore

Top Tips

Remember there are two airports to Venice Centre with Marco Polo Airport being the closest.
Food and drink are very expensive around St Marks Square and other tourist attractions.
Book your waterbus ticket for the duration of your stay as this makes it cheaper and gives you a lot of flexibility to travel around Venice.
Cost of hotels vary so much check out comparison websites.
If you want to combine a beach break and city break then the Lido di Venezia is the place to stay.
Check out other places in Italy we have visited. Click on the following links Ravello , Florence , Pisa , Rome
Check out the weather below for best time to visit. Please remember these are averages therefore could be higher or lower
Check out our general travel tips. Click on the following link Travel Tips

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	6	8	12	16	21	24	28	27	24	18	11	7
Low Temp	0	1	4	8	12	16	18	18	15	10	4	1
Rainfall	40	50	60	60	70	90	70	70	70	80	80	50
Number of days	8	6	8	13	11	11	8	9	9	10	11	10

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Florence

Posted on August 22, 2022January 24, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Florence is the capital of the Tuscany region. It is also home to Michaelangelo’s famous sculpture “David”. The center of Florence was declared a World Heritage Site in 1982.

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Travelling to Florence

We went to Florence on 13th July 2022 via coach from our cruise ship. Please click on the following link for full details of the cruise and our itinerary Highlights of the Mediterranean. It took about 1 1/2 hours to get to Florence from the port of Livorno. We had our own guide on the coach who talked us through various area’s we travelled through on the coach. She was very knowledgeable about Italy. It was a bit strange finding out that area’s of Italy do not like other area’s of Italy. For example our guide was from Livorno in Italy and she spoke negatively of people from Pisa although it be in a jokey way.

Places of interest

It was a very hot day 39 degrees with bright sunshine. Later met another guide who took us around various places of interest in Florence. The Guide was also very knowledgeable about Florence. She spoke at great lengths about the The Cathedral of Sana Maria del Fiore and Piazza Duomo. We were at the Cathedral for over an hour. Fortunately we were stood in the shade whilst listening.

The guide took us to see some extremely interesting tourist attractions in Florence including Ponte Vecchio bridge and Michael Angelos David to name a few.

Florence is a beautiful and interesting place to visit. There is so much to see and do that you could spend more time there but unfortunately we had to go to our next destination which was Pisa, But before we left Florence we were taken to the viewing point which over looks the whole of Florence. The view is absolutely spectacular.

There is also Michael Angelo’s David at the viewing point, Should you be in need of a cold drink and a bite to eat there are stalls selling food and drink.

Food and Drink

We had lunch at a little side restaurant and watched the world go by. It was a typical Italian restaurant serving traditional food and good wines. Due to the heat of the day the restaurant had good fans which kept you cool. There were a lot of people in the restaurant drinking Aperol Spritz. We just stuck with water and soft drinks as we had a long day.

We had an ice cream in a lovely little bar/restaurant and sat eating it on an upstairs balcony other looking the streets of Florence. The ice creams cost 16 Euro’s for 2 but the surroundings and where we were sat made them worth every penny. The ice cream was very nice too.

Shopping

Florence has a commercial are full of many designer shops but it also has a lot of traditional narrow cobbled streets with nice little bars and restaurants. Florence has the best of both worlds the old and the new. You could spend days in Florence and still not have enough time to see everything.

We then had to head back to the meeting point and wait for our guide to take us back to the coach. We had to wait in intense heat for people who were not back in time. This is always the problem with organised excursions.

Summary

Florence is a beautiful place with so much to see and do. We would like to return in the future and do the things we have not managed to do on this trip. Also it would be nice to have the freedom to go where we want as apposed to an organised excursion.

Images

Baptistery of St John
Florence Cathedral, Giotto’s Campanile, Piazza del duomo,The Baptistery of St John and Loggia del Bigallo
Florence Cathedral, Piazza del duomo,The Baptistery of St John and Loggia del Bigallo
Palazzo Vecchio
Replica of statue of David in the background
Piazza della Signoria
Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Basilica of Santa Croce
Piazzale Michelangelo
View of Florence from View Point
View Point

Things to do

Visit Ponte Vecchio Bridge
Visit the Cathedral
Visit Basiica of Santa Croce
Visit Baptistery of St John
Visit Piazza della Signoria
Visit Piazzale Michelangelo
Visit Piazza del Duomo
See the statue of David
Visit the view point.

Top Tips

If you are able to get to Florence on your own do.
Take hat, sun cream and lots of water when it is hot.
If not on an organised excursion plan what you want to see.
Allow lots of time in Florence to see things
Check out other places in Italy that we have visited. Please click on the following links Ravello , Pisa , Venice , Rome
Check out the weather below for best time to visit. Please be aware that these are averages therefore could be higher or lower.

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	12	12	15	19	24	29	31	31	27	21	15	11
Low Temp	3	4	6	9	13	18	19	18	16	12	7	4
Rainfall	63	49	69	79	72	50	31	48	76	96	102	72
Number of days	11	8	9	13	9	8	5	6	9	12	14	13

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Pisa

Posted on August 22, 2022January 24, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Pisa is a city in Tuscany and is famous for its leaning tower. Although this is the most famous building Pisa does have a lot of other historical places to visit.

Travelling to Pisa

Firstly we were picked up by coach from Florence as we were on an excursion from our cruise on 13th July 2022. Please click on the following link for full details of cruise and itinerary Highlights of the Mediterranean. It is a short walk from the coach park to the leaning tower. Also there are a lot of people around all doing the same thing. However we had a tour guide who put up a sign for us to follow her as it was very crowded even on the streets. Before we were left to do our own thing the tour guide told us where the meeting point was and when to be back to get on to the coach.

It was a particularly hot day reaching 39 degrees at times . Consequently even the dogs had shoes on as the ground was too hot for them to walk on. On the way to the tower etc there are several stalls selling things souvenirs, drinks, food etc. Surprisingly there is even a Mc Donald’s on the way too. Despite expecting Pisa to be very touristy we were shocked to see how busy it was. Also we found it a bit of a let down with a Mc Donald’s not far from the tower itself. It was certainly very hard to take any photo’s as there was always someone walking in the way.

Places of Interest

The leaning tower and the Pisa Duomo Cathedral are in beautiful ground. Undoubtedly the architecture of both buildings are absolutely spectacular. Also you can go in to the Cathedral each day form 10am – 7pm and look round. Subsequently you can ago up the leaning tower but you have to book on busy days as there is always a queue.

The Baptistery is also located on the same grounds as the leaning tower. Unquestionably this also has spectacular architecture. The building are stunning and definitely worth visiting. You cant go to Pisa without visiting the leaning tower.

Time in Pisa

Unfortunately we didn’t have much time in Pisa as we had booked an excursion which allowed us to spend a lot of time in Florence but not has much in Pisa. We would have like to have more time and see more of Pisa not just the leaning tower site. It would have been nice to experience some of the other places of interest and evening time in a nice restaurant and bar.

Food and Drink

Because of the intense heat a lot of people were trying to find shade. The stalls selling cold drinks were always busy even Mc Donald’s had a long queue. The stalls selling souvenir’s etc were reasonably priced. Water did vary from place to place form 3.5 Euro’s to 1 Euro.

Finally we waited at the meeting point for some time until all the coach was back. Because it was so hot and just stood still with very little shade the time seemed longer. Unfortunately this is the downside to excursion’s as there is always someone who is not back on time. Saying that we had a great time and saw some wonderful sites.

Summary

Although we did see the main sites of Pisa but felt it had a lot more to offer and would have liked to have spent more time. May be to have something to eat and drink in a traditionally restaurant. We definitely feel that there is a lot more to Pisa than what we have managed to write about.

Images

The Baptistery
Typical photo
leaning Tower of Pisa
Angelo Caduto
Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
Learning Tower in background
Stunning Buildings

Things to do

Visit the leaning tower of Pisa
Visit the Baptistery
Visit the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta
Visit the Botanic Gardens
Sample the local cuisine
Visit Messo Bridge
Visit the city center for shopping, restaurants and bars

Top Tips

Take plenty of sun cream on hot days and a hat.
Drink plenty of water.
Check out days that may be less busy.
Try to see other area’s of Pisa
Check out other places in Italy we have visited. Please click on the following links Ravello , Florence , Rome , Venice
Check out weather and rainfall below for best time to visit. Please remember that these are averages therefore may be higher or lower.

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	11	12	15	17	21	26	29	29	26	21	15	11
Low Temp	3	3	6	8	11	15	17	18	15	12	6	4
Rainfall	70	60	70	110	70	60	30	50	110	150	110	80
Number of days	11	9	11	11	9	8	4	5	10	13	16	14

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Travel Tips

Posted on August 22, 2022August 9, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Travelling Light

If you are wanting to travel light there are ways to maximise the amount you can take for carry on baggage.

Buy toiletries in airport – this means that you can take what ever size you want and are not restricted to the 100ml rule .
If needing more than one jacket/coat wear them – you can always take them off when you are in the airport.
Wear coats/jacket with pockets where you can put items in them (not creams or liquids).
Travel Vacuum packs are a good investment as they come with a light weight mini USB pump vacuum which enables you to fit triple the amount of clothes in a suitcase. (always check the weight of the case when full to avoid additional charges).
If you want to take toiletries with you instead of buying at airport, buy the empty travel bottles/tubs (can buy for as little as a £1 per pack) and fill them with your own products.
Mosquito repellent is expensive at the airport and some of the bottles are over 100ml. Mosquito repellent wipes are ok to be left in your hand luggage and have worked fine for me in the past.
If you have more than one carry on bag and are limited to one bag. Get a duty free bag and put things in that as it is not counted as a carry on bag.

Train Travel UK

Using the Train split website is a good way to save money on most journeys – just enter your details in to the website and it will calculate the savings for you. You don’t have to change trains to get the savings – https://www.trainsplit.com
If there is more than one person travelling together it may be worth checking out getting a Two Together Rail card which costs £30 for a year. I have bought more than one of these as I have used one with my friend and another with Mike. You just need a photo of each of you to add onto the railcard – https://www.twotogether-railcard.co.uk
Booking in advance can save a lot of money. You can usually book up to 3 months in advance.

Cheap Flights

When airlines advertise a sale try to be ready to search at the time they state the sale starts to bag a bargain.
If you are flexible with where you want to go and dates try skyscanner – https://www.skyscanner.net/skyscanner/flights. In the search specify the month you are wishing to travel and leave the destination as Flexible. This will bring up all the destinations with the cheapest price for that month. We have had return flights to various places including Prague, Portugal and Poland for under £45.
Booking flights in advance is good too as when the demand for the flight goes up so does the price.
Be aware of additional costs with certain airlines as although the headline price of the flight may seem cheap, when other elements are added, such as hand luggage or reserved seating, it can increase the price considerably and if you are on a tight budget that’s the last thing you need. Certain airlines now charge for a small suitcase. Other airlines may charge a bit more for the flight but include hand luggage and therefore could work out cheaper.

Airport Lounges

Different airports and terminals in different countries all have different choices of Airport Lounges. Search the following to weigh up if it is worth the amount that is being charged.

What is the cost.
What is available in the lounge (wifi, Tv, newspapers etc).
What drinks are available (alcoholic and non- alcoholic).
What food and snacks are available (hot and cold).
How long can you be in the lounge prior to your fight departure.
re you able to stay in the lounge should your flight be delayed (some lounges offer this at a small cost).
Search for discount codes prior to booking . We have used discount codes in the past for airport lounges and have saved up to 12%.

Considering the cost of food and drinks in airports we have found that the lounges are often good value for money and the whole experience more relaxing than being in the main terminal concourse.

Airport Transfers

There are so many transport companies in every country to choose from with various prices for the same journey.

Check prices for more than one company.
Look for discount codes before booking.
Check the companies reviews as some companies have been known to take the money and not turn up.
Check if your accommodation offers airport transfers as this can often be safer and cheaper.
Ensure you have your flight times and address of accommodation prior to booking.

Accommodation

Again there are so many companies to choose from that offer the same accommodation at various prices.

Check price comparison sites such as Trivago and Tripadvisor.
When comparing websites always check you are looking at the same hotel with the same board details. For example one site may offer the hotel at a cheaper price but this may be on a room-only basis, whereas another site may offer you the same hotel at a slightly higher price but this may be on a bed and breakfast basis.
If you have a disability or children do check whether the hotel can accommodate your needs.
Always check package holidays for price as it is not always cheaper to book accommodation, flights and transfers separate.
Check out reviews but be aware if you are paying 3 star prices you are not going to get 5 star accommodation. Take any extreme views with a pinch of salt and look for common elements of feedback from a number of reviews.
Secret escapes – https://www.secretescapes.com/luxury/hotels is a good site to look at if you are wanting a bit more luxury in accommodation but without a large price tag.

Package Holidays

Many companies can offer the same package holiday’s at different prices.

Check out what the package includes (does it include baggage and transfers) and if it doesn’t include everything research the cost of the additional elements.
Check out reviews of both the package holiday company and accommodation.
Check if the company is ATOL and ABTA registered.
Check price comparison sites.
Some hotels offer various board bases – do check to ensure that the board basis is what you want before booking.
If booking all-inclusive check out what is included as all-inclusive varies from hotel to hotel.
Some all inclusive finish at 11pm others may be later. Many offer 24 hour all inclusive. Always check that the all inclusive is within the times you want. If you like to have a drink in to the early hours and the all inclusive finishes at 11pm this may put added cost on your holiday.
Many travel agencies advise to book in advance which can work better for a lot of people. We have found booking around 2 weeks before we want to travel as saved us a lot of money. For example 2 weeks to Egypt 5 star was £1200 we paid £680 last minute.

About us

Posted on August 22, 2022April 16, 2024 by Debs and Mike

Introduction

Let us introduce ourselves! We are Debbie and Mike and our passion is travelling and enjoying life experiences. As we both have grown up children and no pets we are able to travel when we want (work permitting) although we do travel sometimes with family and young children. We also consider ourselves to have quite a young, optimistic outlook on life therefore our experiences on our holidays reflect this.

Reason for setting up the site

The reason we have set up our website is that we want to provide down to earth views, advice and tips for some of the destinations we have visited. Many travel websites focus solely on expensive experiences of far and exotic destinations. Although we do visit some of these destinations we also visit more affordable destinations which are closer to the UK, including places of interest in Europe. On our site we will also include many all inclusive package holidays and cruises.

Unfortunately we are now of an age where the back packer scene and the club scene are no longer for us, but we do like to have a good time! Undoubtedly we like to have fun, sometimes having a drink well into the early hours while meeting many different people. We also like to join in with games and activities when staying in a holiday resort. As well as the fun side of travelling we also like to experience the cultural side of travel and spend a lot of our holiday time sightseeing. Basically we aim to get as much as possible out of our holidays. On this site we will try to cover weather, destinations, places of interest, things to do, entertainment (if in holiday resort), food and drink and nightlife.

We aim to provide advice for travellers who are on a tight budget and also for those that wish to spend a bit more on their trips. Some of the tips we provide at the end of each destination review come from our learnings from our experiences in those locations and which would have been useful to know before we travelled. Many are money-saving tips and we all like to save a bit of money – we believe that if we keep the cost of our trips as low as possible we can afford more travel experiences in the future!

We are new to writing about our travel experiences

Being totally honest we are new to producing a website and writing about our travels so we are sure the site will come with some flaws – we are not professional writers! In addition we are not influenced by or receive any payment from any hotel or travel provider. We are simply here to provide our honest views and opinions on the locations that we have visited. Our main hope is that this site will provide you with a bit of an insight into the locations that we have visited and to provide some ideas and tips should you wish to visit any of the destinations. Over time we have visited so many places which have provided many unforgettable memories. We have written about all of the places we have visited over the past few years.

We hope you enjoy reading our posts on the various destinations we have visited, including package holidays, far away destinations and cruises. Please do let us know what you think by using the feedback function on the site, and also please do share this site with your family and friends. We aim to keep adding to the content of the site as we continue to travel to new destinations.

Please click on the following links in green or use the search function at the top of the page to read about some of our trips to the following destinations – Africa – Tunisia . Sharm El Sheikh , Cairo , Hurghada , Agadir , Cape Verde, Safari/Nairobi, Diani Beach America – Miami , Las Vegas , New York , Washington DC , Los Angeles , Bali – Bali , Brazil – Rio de Janeiro , Foz Do Iguacu , Praia do Forte , Bulgaria – Borovets , Sunny Beach , Caribbean – Antigua , Barbados , Cuba, Dominica , Grenada , Jamaica , Martinique . St Lucia , St Maarten , Croatia – Zadar , Cruises – Highlights of the Mediterranean , Taste of the tropics , Paradise Islands , Cyprus – Protaras , Hong Kong – Hong Kong , Italy – Florence , Ravello , Rome , Pisa , Venice , India – Goa , New Delhi , Mumbai , Poland – Gdansk , Wroclaw , Portugal – Madeira , Singapore – Singapore , Spain – Barcelona , Thailand – Bangkok , Koh Samui , Turkey – Kemer , Lara Beach , Vietnam – Ho Chi Minh City , Nha Trang United Arab Emirates – Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah

Madeira

Posted on August 16, 2022January 24, 2023 by Debs and Mike

Madeira is a region in Portugal. It comprises of 4 islands. Its capital is Funchal. The cable car in Funchal is a big tourist attraction along with the Christiano Ronaldo museum for Football fans.`

Travelling to Madeira

During Covid we were unable to travel to many countries. Fortunately Portugal was allowing travelers who were fully vacinated. Therefore we decided to book an holiday. Due to the demand of holidays to Portugal/Madeira we felt the cost of holidays were high compared to higher standard holidays outside of Covid. We booked with Tui costing around £1000 each for 10 days.

On the 21st May 2021 with flew from Birmingham Airport to Madeira. Birmingham Airport felt really strange due to it being very . Although it was quiet it did take some time checking in due to having to show a lot of documentation. At one point we were the only people in the Weatherspoon’s.

On the journey to the hotel there had been a minor bump. Instead of moving the cars out of the way they just left them there which prevented our coach and other coaches getting to their destinations. Many of the people on the bus decided to walk as the hotel wasnt that far from where we had stopped. The journey from the Airport is only around 15 minutes.

Accommodation

Finally we arrived at the Riu Madeira which is all inclusive. The hotel had only opened a week or so before we arrived. Surprisingly It is advertised with Tui as a 4 star plus. The rooms were very basic but fit for purpose. They were always clean with fresh towels each day. This hotel is definitely not a 4 star plus and would be a 3 star plus at its best. Previously we have been to many 4 star plus hotels and this hotel does not compare. . Unfortunately some of the facilities were closed and the reason given was Covid. The only restaurant open was the buffet restaurant.

There was no entertainment of any sort at anytime during our 10 day stay. Tui never informed us that these facilities would be closed. We appreciate that Covid has and did effect a lot of things but we feel that Tui should have given us full information as to what facilities were available at the hotel. Given this information we would have been able to make an informed decision whether to go to this hotel or not.

Food and Drink at the Hotel

Fortunately the buffet restaurant had a lot of choice. It seemed to cater for most tastes. There was always fish, meat, pasta, meats , cheeses, vegetables, fresh salad, chips, and pizza. We always found something we liked. The staff at the beginning of the holiday were very attentive therefore you never had to wait long for a drink but has more guests arrived there wasnt enough waiters/waitresses therefore the service diminished. During the day it was lovely having something to eat at the buffet restaurant with a glass of wine overlooking the sea. Also during the day there was a snack bar serving sandwiches and cakes. As the day went on the sandwiches became less edible.

Bar staff did their best considering they were under such pressure with being understaffed. They always smiled and tried to serve everyone in order even though the bar sometimes was 4 deep with people wanting to get served.

Management

The pools were very small and were too cold to actually get in to so we spent our time on sunbeds or at the outdoor bar. On an evening there was no entertainment etc in the hotel. If we had not met a lot of lovely people in the hotel I think we would have wanted to leave this hotel.

The management were extremely rude to a lot of the guests. On one occasion he asked a group of us for our room numbers as we were said to being too loud. We were not causing any nuisance or doing anything we shouldn’t just a group of 40+ adults having a few drinks and a laugh. We could understand if it was late/early morning but it was bearly 11pm and we were on holiday. The rules and restrictions continued throughout the holiday which actually spoilt it. We had been to other hotels in the peak of Covid and not had this treatment. Covid appeared to be an excuse to many things in this hotel.

Seeing the Island

On one occasion we went to the centre of Funchal by bus just to have a look around. Unfortunately it was a bit later in the afternoon so we were time limited. Afterwards a taxi driver came up to us and handed his card for future trips out. Subsequently we called him a couple of days later and he came and picked us up at the hotel (Unfortunately can not remember his name).

Firstly the driver took us to Funchal to get the cable car up to the top where there is a church and botanical gardens which are lovely. Also the view is amazing.

We then got on the basket toboggan where you sit in obviously a large basket and tow men run pulling you down the road. It is great fun but not has fast or has scary as we had thought it would be.

He then met us at the bottom. He then took us to a viewing point at the other side of Funchal. The view was amazing and well worth going to. He took around the island for most of the day. The driver was very informative about the island and had a genuine love and passion for Madeira. He explained to us about the various festivals throughout the year in Madeira which sounded great fun.

Group Tour

We had met a lovely group of people in Madeira we informed them of the tour with our private taxi/guide. Several people were keen to have a tour around the island therefore we arranged for two taxi’s to take a group of 8. They took us to several destinations around the island including the viewing area (Gabo Girao Skywalk) which is the 2nd highest cliff in the world and the highest in Europe. We stopped at Porto Maniz on our way back and had a meal at a lovely restaurant over looking the sea appropriately named Sea View Restaurante. We also had a dip in the natural pools of Porto Maniz but it wasnt that good weather therefore didnt stay in the water that long. It was a lovely day with good company though.

We stopped at Porto Maniz on our way back and had a meal at a lovely restaurant over looking the sea appropriately named Sea View Restaurante. We also had a dip in the natural pools of Porto Maniz but it wasn’t that good weather therefore didnt stay in the water that long. It was a lovely day with good company though.

Just a short walk from the hotel there were some lovely little bars that often played live music. The food in the bars we tried were of a decent standard but not where you would go for a special meal. The Portuguese traditional drink Poncha was absolutely one of the best drinks we had tasted all holiday, It is quite a sweet drink and not to everyone’s taste.

Summary

We don’t think we will be going back to Madeira any time soon. There are a number of reason’s for this but mainly due to the hotel and the rude management. The weather wasnt great either which changed how we spent our days when not out and about. Usually we lounge around the pool and have a swim now and then. The pool was too small and due to the weather it was too cold. Unfortunately the indoor pool wasn’t open. Regardless we do have some good memories of Madeira but this was due to the people we had met and not down to the experience of staying in this hotel.

Images

View from Cable Car Funchal
Funchal Cable Car
Toboggan’s
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte
Ready to go in Toboggans
Finish of Toboggan ride
Botanic Gardens Funchal
Botanic Gardens Funchal
View looking down from Gobo Girao Skywalk
Gobo Girao Skywalk
Gobo Girao Skywalk
Making Poncha

Things to do

Go up in the cable car in Funchal
Do the toboggan run
Visit the Botanic Gardens
Go to the glass view point (Gobo Girao Skywalk)
Swim in the natural pools at Porto Moniz
Have a drink of Madeira’s traditional drink Poncha

To Tips

Do some research on the hotel before booking.
If you want a lot of nightlife this is not the place for you.
Check out the festivals as they sound great fun.
Do the basket toboggan ride as it is a unique experience.
There are a lot lovely places to visit in Madeira a private taxi was a good way to see a lot in one day.
Check out weather below as Madeira is very seasonal. Please be aware that these are averages therefore could be higher or lower.

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	18	18	19	19	21	23	24	25	25	23	21	20
Low Temp	14	15	15	15	16	18	19	20	20	19	17	15
Rainfall	108	72	52	60	15	9	6	3	36	90	90	81
Number of days	13	9	10	10	8	5	4	4	9	12	12	16

Average daily temperatures and rainfall