Debs and Mike

Rio de Janeiro

Posted on March 2, 2021December 14, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Rio De Janeiro is the 6th most populated place in the Americas.

It was founded by the Portuguese in 1565. Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil until 1960 when the capital changed to Brasilia

Travelling to Rio De Janeiro

In the month of June we travelled to Rio De Janeiro. We were fortunate enough to fly on British Airways in Business Class using staff travel from Heathrow Airport. As we were boarding the plane we noticed 2 armed police officers with a man in handcuffs it was clear that this man was being deported back to Brazil. Due to being in Business Class fortunately we were not sat anywhere near the Police or the man. The flight was around 11 hours 50 mins but did not seem that long as the cabin crew were very attentive and provided us with al a carte meals and lovely drinks. We arranged a private transfer which took about 25 minutes and cost £20 return.

Accommodation

Finally we arrived at Rio Othon Palace at Copacabana beach which we were staying at for 4 nights. The hotel was ideally situated on Avenue Alantica and we had an excellent view of the beach from our hotel room balcony. The hotel costs around £100 a night in June. The rooms are very clean and were adequate for our stay. Additionally there is a roof top pool which is small but again adequate. We didn’t go in the pool as we were only in Rio a short time and wanted to make the most of sight seeing.

Safety in Rio De Janeiro

Prior to visiting Rio we had been warned to be careful at night due to muggings so we were mindful of this when we went out for a walk on the first evening, but the streets were fairly busy and we didn’t encounter any problems. Please check out the government website for safety and security advice when visiting Rio https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/brazil/safety-and-security

Full day tour of Rio De Janeiro

Whilst we were walking around Rio De Janeiro we were approached by a tour guide who offered us a full days tour of Rio De Janeiro for £60 which seemed like a good deal. The guide showed us his ID and the company he worked for which all seemed good. The tour was even better than described, the guide spoke excellent English and was very informative.

San Corado Beach

Firstly we were picked up from outside our hotel and headed off to San Corado Beach where there were a number of hand gliders floating down from the Pedra da Gavea mountain. The San Corado Beach is famous for the hand gliding which is very popular with both tourists and locals. On the hills above the beach there is the largest Flavela of Rochinha.

National Park of Tijuca

Our next destination was the Tujica rainforest which was declared a National Park in 1961. Tijuca rainforest is described as the largest urban rainforest in the World but not sure if this is actual correct as other rainforest also tries to claim this title. A lot of the rainforest has already been cut down for development of Coffee and sugarcane farming. Fortunately due to its status has a National Park the rainforest will now be protected. Our guide showed us around the National Park providing us with information along the way. The National Park is beautiful and definitely worth a visit. From the National Park of Tijuca there were amazing views of the city to be seen. We also saw our first glimpse of Christ the Redeemer from here, looking spectacular in the distance.

Favelas

As the minibus took us around the city we saw a number of favelas which our tour guide told us were safe enough to walk through waving your I-phone around, but we weren’t too sure about that and so decided to give that a miss. The army vehicles situated right outside the entrances to the favelas didn’t give us any confidence either! Rochinha is the largest hill Favela in Rio and even in the whole of Brazil. During the World Cup of 2018 the Flavelas of Rio hit the headlines with regards to the drugs and the mistreatment of residence of the favelas whilst the stadiums were being built.

Christ the Redeemer

Finally we arrived at Christ the Redeemer which is the fourth largest statue of Jesus Christ in the World. The statue stands at over 2310ft tall. The minibus parked up and we then embarked on our walk up to the top. We were very excited to be seeing our first of the seven modern wonders of the world, and when the statue came into full view it didn’t disappoint. It was well worth the walk. It was pretty crowded up there and so getting a photo of the two of us without anyone else in was a challenge, but we finally managed to take one. Seeing the Christ the Redeemer was the highlight of the day.

Santa Teresa

After spending some more time admiring the wonderful views from the top, it was on to our next stop, the Santa Teresa neighbourhood. This was a very colourful village where all of the lamp-posts were brightly painted and was full of quirky buildings and artist’s studios. It also is home to a very interesting tram museum. We spent about an hour wandering round the narrow streets, before heading into the city to see the Serlaron Steps.

Selaron Steps

Our final destination was the Seleron Steps Selaron Steps, a beautiful set of tiled steps created by the Chilean artist Jorge Selaron as “my tribute to the Brazilian people”. The steps connect the neighbourhoods of Lapa and Santa Teresa. Selaron has added tiles from around 60 countries and there are now over 2,000 tiles added to the staircase. Apparently both U2 and Snoop Dogg have recorded music videos on the steps!

Cocabana Beach

The beautiful Cocabana beach is lovely and we walked on this most days and did not feel threatened but we were very cautious to keep our valuables safe. On one of the days there were 100’s of Santa’s, elves etc which was very strange in the middle of June but everyone seemed to be having a great time. It turned out that it was 25 years since Santa school started and May, June is the time they start growing their beards for the Christmas period (not 100% sure if this was the reason but this is what we were told).

Bars and Restaurants

The bars in Rio de Janeiro vary as in most places. You can find the usual cocktail bars where you pay around £5 a cocktail and around £2.60 a pint of beer. The smaller bars are cheaper with around £2.10 but not much choice of cocktails. Eating out in a mid – good range restaurant costs around £25 for two (Not including drinks). There are some bars that are just put up for the evening and are selling drinks from small carts. We sat at one of the carts and had a Caipirinha just to give the guy some custom. The drink was lovely and a lot cheaper than the bars. Many of the bars on the front were pretty quiet not sure if this was due to the time of year or if this was due to the risks of mugging etc.

Summary

Rio is an amazing place to visit with lots to see and do. We would recommend anyone to visit here. You have to be aware of the risks when walking around especially at night. We never came across anything that made us worried or felt threatened.

Images

Christ the Redeemer
Christ the Redeemer
Tyuca National Park
Tyuca National Park
Tyuca National Park
Sugarloaf Mountain
View of Rio de Jeneiro
Santa Teresa
Selaron Steps
Selaron Steps
Copacabana Beach
Copacabana Beach
View from hotel room of Copacabana Beach
Copacabana Beach at night
Copacabana Beach at night
Steet Parade of 100’s of Santa’s in June
Steet Parade of 100’s of Santa’s in June

Things to do

Visit Christ the Redeemer
Visit Sugarloaf Mountain
Visit the Selaron Steps
Visit Santa Teresa
Visit Copacabana Beach
Visit Tijuca National Park

Top tips

Book sightseeing with the hotel or a trusted tour guide. Our guide spoke good English and was very informative.
Keep as many of your valuables in the safe in the room as possible.
Be alert when walking on the beach and streets.
Try and avoid the beaches on an evening.
If going to see Christ the Redeemer try and avoid the busiest times as it is hard to get photo’s without a stranger in the picture.
Lots of photo opportunities so ensure camera and/or phone is fully charged.
We did not go to Sugarloaf Mountain which is accessible by cable car and we regret not having the time to do this.
Check out temperatures below for best times to visit Rio de Janeiro
Check out other destinations we have visited in Brazil. Please click on the following links Foz Do Iguacu, Praia do Forte
Check out the government safety advise before visiting Brazil. https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/brazil/safety-and-security

Borovets

Posted on March 2, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Borovets is a sking resort on the slopes of the Rila Mountains

Travelling to Sofia

In the month of March we flew to Sofia from Manchester via Easy Jet. The journey from Sofia airport to Borovets is approximately 2 hours. We hired a private transfer which costs around £40 each (6 people were in our party). As we were going sking and it was winter the journey to Borovets was very stunning. The scenery on our journey was breath taking. With lovely lakes and mountains along the way.

Accommodation

We stayed at the Festa Winter Palace Hotel which is ideally situated in the center of Borovets close to ski runs and Ski lift. The hotel is one of the more expensive hotels in Borovets but it is also one of the best hotels. We stayed on a bed breakfast and evening meal basis. The food was buffet style service and always plenty to choose from. The hotel itself is beautiful inside and outside. The rooms are immaculate clean and decorated to a high standard. The service in the hotel was also excellent and nothing was too much trouble. When the hotel was lit up on an evening covered in snow it looked amazing. As we had gone at the end of the skiing season there was not as much snow as usually.

Skiing lessons in Manchester

This was our first time skiing therefore had taken a days lesson in an indoor ski and snowboard center in Manchester called “The Chill Factor”. It was a full day with lunch and refreshments provided which cost £175 each. As the snow is man made therefore is quite soft and light. The instructor was quite informative and seemed to teach us what we needed to know to give it a go on the slopes of Bulgaria. We were given a pack at the end of the course advising of what techniques we had learned and a Certificate of achievement.

Skiing in Borovets

We had gone to Borovets on the recommendation of a friend who had been skiing there on a number of occasions and was an excellent skier. Borovets is a lot cheaper than most popular skiing resorts with ski hire costing around £10 per day and lift pass around £5 per day.

Skiing lessons in Borovets

We were also introduced to a skiing instructor who was commonly known as “Mario” as he bares a strong resemblance to Mario of Mario brothers. He is an Olympic skier who represented Bulgaria in the 80’s. His real name is Christof. Kristof and his wife own the White Magic bar and restaurant. Mario also is a skiing and Snowboard instructor.

We had several lessons with Mario at £25 an hour for two of us which is excellent value. Although we had had a days lesson Mario took us back to basics and started from scratch. He did not agree with how we had been taught at the indoor ski slope. We had several lessons with Mario which helped us develop our skiing ability a lot quicker than our day lesson. As the snow in the indoor ski slope was man made it did not compare to the snow on the slopes which was often compounded to what was quite icy. The technique of the snow plough which was used in the indoor ski slope did not work on the icy snow.

Mario was an amazing instructor and made learning a lot of fun as he had a great sense of humour. We had a couple of hours lessons each day with Mario which was enough as it is quite hard work especially when you are learning.

Ski lifts

It was difficult to master the button lifts. They came round very fast and you had to sort of stand/sit on them but it was all good fun. The Gondola lift took you up to the top slopes where there were a lot of slopes for the more experienced skier and some smaller slopes.

Food and Drinks

We had a bailey’s/irish coffee/hot toddie in one of the cabins at the top of the slope which was delicious. It definitely warmed us up not sure how much alcohol was in there but did have a bit of an effect. Probably not the best thing to do when learning to ski. There were many cabin type bars that served food and drinks dotted about the slopes. One of the cabins served burger, chips and a pint of beer for £4. You could even change the beer for a glass of wine for the same price.

The apres-ski in Borovets is great with a lot of bars in a very short walking distance. During the seasons when the snow is a lot heavier you can ski from bar to bar. The age range of the people in the bars is predominantly people in their 20’s but that did not stop us having a great time. All the bars are very reasonably priced so does not cost a lot to have a good bar crawl. We often went to Mario’s bar “White Magic”. He would organize games in the bar which was great fun. One game was to hit a long nail into a large log with the wrong side of the hammer. May sound a bit strange but playing it in a big group after a few drinks was hilarious.

Night Skiing

For the more experienced skier’s you could do the night time ski which looked great but we were still only novices so had to give that a miss. You could also hire jet ski’s which looked great but due to going at the end of the season we were limited as to where you could use the jetski as there was not as much snow around.

Summary

At the end of our holiday in Borovets we were able to ski a lot better than before we went but still had to stick to the smaller slopes. We do intend to return to Borovets on another skiing holiday. It is a lovely place are far cheaper than a lot of other skiing resorts. We will also have more lessons from Mario (Kristof) if he is available.

Images

Fiesta Winter Gardens at night
Night Skiing
Learning to Ski

Things to do

Obviously go skiing
Try night skiing
Go snowboarding
Go Snowmobiling
Apres Ski

Top tips

Buy Ski wear pre worn for first time skiing as it may not be your thing.
We bought on ebay and got good makes of ski wear at a very good cost.
Base wear is cheap at many sports wear shops.
Accommodation is very cheap in Borovets but standard and location does vary, do your research.
We wasted our time with the indoor ski center at a cost of £175 each for a day which is not cheap. If possible go straight to an instructor in Borovets.
Check out the skiing season which is mid December to Early March.
Check out other destination we have visited in Bulgaria Sunny Beach

Snow Fall

Average Snow fall

December 13cm

January 26cm

February 22cm

March 33cm

Las Vegas

Posted on March 1, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Las Vegas is well known for its gambling, shopping and nightlife.

Las Vegas is said to be the entertainment capital of the world.

Travelling to Las Vegas

In the month of September we had been to a few destinations in America. On our final destination we flew to Las Vegas from San Diego via American Airlines. This was an extremely short flight. Many people who had stayed in our hotel in San Diego hired a car and drove to Las Vegas as it was only a 4 hour drive. Our flight cost £25 each which was cheaper than renting a car.

Accommodation

We stayed at Caesars Palace which looked impressive from the moment we arrived. When we arrived we were offered an up grade for approximately £20 a night. We were in Las Vegas for 5 nights so we agreed to the £100 upgrade. We were than given a £50 voucher to spend in Gordon Ramsey’s restaurant which meant we had only paid £10 per night for the upgrade.

The room

When we got to our room we absolutely gob smacked by the shear size of the room. It had two extra large king sized beds in it. There was also a dinning and seating area. The widows were from floor to ceiling and over looked the Bellagio fountain. We would watch the formation of the fountain most days whilst having a cocktail or a drink in our room.

The Bathroom

The bathroom was equally impressive with a jacuzzi bath that was the biggest we had ever seen. There was also a 60 inch TV on the wall in the bathroom. The bathroom was actually bigger than a lot of hotel rooms we had stayed in.

Shopping Mall

Caesar’s Palace also has a shopping mall that appears to be open air but is actually under cover. The ceiling of the shopping mall is lit up and designed to look like the sky which does look very nice. It is a decent sized Mall with lots of designer shops

Pool Scene

The pool seen at Ceasar’s Palace is also impressive with several pools to choose from. However we found the drinks round the pool a bit pricey but it is to be expected in hotels of this standard. The Bali beds around the pool were chargeable but you did get your own butler. We did not see many people using this service. It was quite busy when we were at Ceasar’s Palace and if you were not round the pool early enough all the sun beds were taken.

Hotel grounds

Outside of the hotel there is a replica of the Trevi Fountain of Rome. When we were there a duck had nested with her chicks in the fountain they were so cute.

Casino’s

One of the main reason people go to Las Vegas is to gamble. Although we are not big gamblers ourselves we did go round a lot of the Casino’s to see what they were like and have a small gamble. The Casino are very interesting to go to and most of a theme and the decor and surroundings are in keeping with that theme. There are so many to see and all are very big inside so it is difficult in one stay in Vegas to actually see them all. Many of the Casino’s offer free food and drink if you are gambling.

We never were offered a free drink or food but we were told by others that this does happen. We didn’t mind as we did not stay in one Casino very long. Just walking down the street in Las Vegas you get the feel that it is the entrainment capital of the world.

There are so many Casino’s to choose from. One of the Casino’s had a diamond covered car belonging to Liberace which was very impressive. Las Vegas is so unique with the style of the hotels that you could mistake for being in other countries. From the Luxor (Egypt) to the Venetian (Italy). If we were to visit Las Vegas again which we are sure we will we are not sure how we would choose which hotel to stay in as they are all spectacular.

Dick’s Last Stand Bar

We went to the Excalibur Hotel and to Dick’s Last Stand Bar. If you are easily insulted then this is not the bar for you. We had been to the bar that they have in San Diego so we were aware of what to expect. The staff at the bar are very rude on purpose. They even make hats for you and put rude comments on them eg “I rub more balls than a gypsy”. It is a very fun bar to have a drink in. As we had spent time in the San Diego Dick’s Last Stand the jokes were not new to us.

Fremont Street

We caught a bus to the famous Fremont Street which is where the original Casino’s of Las Vegas are. Fremont Street is mainly undercover and has light shows each evening. There are a lot of other shows as well from Tribute acts to DJ’s. It wouldn’t be Vegas if we didn’t watch an Elvis tribute act. There are also many people in fancy dress who charge $1 dollar for you to take your photo with them. Some of them were dressed with nothing more than tape over there intimate parts. Fremont Street is not somewhere I would recommend for families to go to. It sure was an eye opener for us.

Zip Liner

There is a zip linner that shoots you out of a trap door and you fly down the full length of Fremont Street. They put your harness on and then you lay on a bed and are attached to the wires. The bed then lowers down and you are fired out of the door. It was a great experience and felt like you were actually flying.

Grand Canyon and Hoover Damn

One of the places we wanted to go see is the Grand Canyon . Previously we had spoken to some friends who had flown over the Grand Canyon in an helicopter which sounded very excited. We were told that this would cost £350 each to do this. For a once in life time experience this did not seem a bad price. As we like to travel a lot we are often on a bit of a budget therefore this was more than what we wanted to pay. We found an excursion via coach to Hoover Damn and Gran Canyon which cost £75 each. We were picked up at the hotel at around 6am and taken to a small place for breakfast (not included in the price).

Hoover Damn

The journey is quite long by coach but we stopped several times along the way. When we got to the Hoover Damn we had to go through security similar to at an airport. We were informed by our tour guide that the Hoover Damn is a big terrorist target as it is the biggest reservoir in the United States. The Dam’s generator’s provide power to Nevada, Arizona and California. We were given a short time to wander around the Dam and take photo’s before heading back to the coach. The Hoover Dam is a big tourist attraction it attracts over a million visitors each year.

Grand Canyon

We then return to the coach to the Grand Canyon stopping along the way at a little village for lunch. When we arrived at the Grand Canyon we were given time to walk round and take photo’s. Due to the size of the Grand Canyon we were driven to various viewing points. At each point there is opportunity to get food, drinks and visit bathroom. We went in September to the Grand Canyon and it was very hot so you need to drink plenty of water. The Grand Canyon is spectacular and even more impressive than seen on TV.

One of the things we were surprised to see is that there was actually houses at the bottom of the Canyon. Not only did we see house we even noticed a couple of cars (not sure how they got there). We did see people white water rafting in parts of the Canyon. If we had had enough time we would have liked to have done this. At the viewing points there is also native Indians who dance and request payment for photo opportunities. We had our photo with them and paid the small amount they were requesting.

Tipping

It was a very long day approximately 12 hours but definitely worth doing. There was so much to see and although we were given plenty of time for photo opportunities etc the time seemed to go so quickly. Our guide was very humorous and informative which made the whole experience better. When we were dropped off at the drop off point we were told by the tour operator that we should give $15 each to the Driver/Guide. Although he was great we thought that we should have had an option as to how much we should give considering we had already paid for the tour.

Summary

We had such a great time in Las Vegas but did not do everything that we wanted to do. We will definitely be going back there in the too distant future.

View from hotel room
Pool scene Ceasars Palace
Pool Ceasars Palace
Trevi Fountain replica Ceasars Palace
Ducklings in Trevi Fountain replica
Bellagio Fountain
Bellagio Fountain
Luxor hotel
New York, New York hotel
Freemont Street
Harnessed up ready for Zip linner
Hoover Dam
Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon

Things to do

Try your look in the Casino’s
Even if you don’t want to gamble go and have a look round.
Visit Freemont Street
Visit the Hoover Dam
Visit the Grand Canyon
Go to Dick’s Last Stand bar in the Excalibur

Top Tips

Take water, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses when going to Grand Canyon if going in hot months.
Visit Fremont Street.
Have a look round other hotels and Casino’s
Shop around for tours as they vary so much in price.
Research your hotel before booking to ensure it meet you/families needs.
See chart below for best time to visit Las Vegas.
Check out other places in America we have visited Washington DC , Miami , Los Angeles , New York
Check out safety and security advice when visiting America https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/usa

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	14	17	21	26	31	38	41	39	35	28	19	14
Low Temp	1	4	7	11	16	21	23	23	19	12	6	1
Rainfall	13	11	10	5	5	5	11	14	8	6	11	8
Number of days	6	6	5	3	3	3	5	6	3	3	5	4

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Agadir

Posted on March 1, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Morocco’s economy relies heavily on tourism and fishing.

Marrakech and Agadir are the main tourist destinations in Morocco

Travelling to Agadir

We flew to Morocco on the 2nd of September 2018 with family and friends. We flew with Air Moroc which unknown to us a dry plane. During the trip on of our friends was turning 50 year’s young and hence we were all in good mood ready for a celebration. When we boarded the plane and noticed we could not have a drink we were somewhat disappointed! Some of the other passengers obviously knew about this and were drinking alcohol they had purchased from duty free (you would never catch us doing such a thing!). The plane was not very full so we had plenty of room to stretch our legs and move about. Not sure if this was due to it being a dry plane or, more likely, the time of year that we travelled.

Accommodation

We had chosen to stay at the Atlas Amadil Beach Hotel in Agadir on an all-inclusive basis. We were a party of 6 adults and 3 children aged 5, 4 and 4 months. The hotel was ideally situated close to the beach and within walking distance of the stylish Marina. The rooms in the hotel were clean but basic, however for the price we had paid they were perfectly adequate. The lobby of the hotel was pleasant and spacious with glass elevators gliding up and down the floors. There was a small shop on site which sold a range of reasonably priced items.

The entertainment round the pool was varied including aerobics, yoga, darts and aqua-aerobics. The entertainment staff were engaging and ensured that we had a great deal of fun during the day, and we joined in with most things. There was also a small children’s pool with plenty of available sun loungers around so that the children could enjoy themselves while the adults watched on from close-by. There was also a small pool with slides for the children.

Food and Drink

For dining the hotel had the usual buffet restaurant plus 3 al-a-carte restaurants; an Oriental, Moroccan and Italian from which you can book one visit per weekly stay. We managed to book the restaurants most nights with each family taking a turn at booking. Not sure how we managed this but we did! To book you have to be at the desk situated outside the restaurant in the lobby before 10am; it’d best to book these as soon as you can during your stay to avoid disappointment. Also you had to fill in what you wanted on a sheet that you gave in at the desk.

Snack Bar

The hotel had a snack bar overlooking the beach and sea which made for a pleasant venue to sit at during lunch. The food was was quite good for a snack bar and had more than your usual burgers, chips and pizza. The waiters at the snack bar were very attentive and brought bottles of red and white wine to our table when requested. We often sat outside for a few hours over lunch enjoying a bite to eat and a glass (or two!) of wine. There was also an enclosed area of sand right next to the snack bar terrace where the children could play.

Entertainment

On an evening we would go and enjoy the various shows in the entertainment room. The entertainment staff did their best to entertain both adults and children and while not particularly professional was still good fun. We were the only couple with no children so we often stayed until the bar closed in this part of the hotel. Unfortunately we did find some of the bar staff in the entertainment room very rude and always looked miserable. For example they cut me off mid-round saying that’s enough – we had 6 adults in our party! On the other end of the spectrum The staff in the lobby bar were great fun and often made us special cocktails. It seemed strange to see such different levels of service in the two bars.

Birthday Celebrations

For our friend’s 50th birthday we booked in to the Asian Restaurant. We had informed the hotel that it was his 50th birthday and they allowed us to go in the restaurant before it opened and decorate it with balloons and banners for our evening meal. The food was delicious and the staff were very attentive. They brought out a birthday cake at the end of the meal and all of the staff, including the chef and kitchen staff came out and sang Happy Birthday which was a lovely touch.

Pool Scene

The pool area was always kept immaculate. There was music and entertainment around the pool which made for quite a lively daytime if that’s what you enjoy. We enjoy music and fun activities so it was ideal for us. However if you did not want the attention the staff would leave you alone. The hotel also provides beach towels; as we needed 8 sunbeds each day the pool attendant always helped us to get 8 beds together and put towels on them. The drinks around the pool are served in small plastic cups. The cocktails unfortunately did not taste much like the cocktails they were supposed to be, but again we had not paid 5-star prices and overall the drinks were OK for the standard of hotel.

Marina

We often went for walks along the seafront to the marina. We were hoping that there would be some bars along the way where we could get a decent proper cocktail. Although we found a couple of bars, there were not as many as we had thought there would have been. The Marina is very picturesque with many boats in the harbour offering leisure trips. There were people trying to get us to go on a boat ride but they were not particularly pushy. As one person in our party suffers from severe motion-sickness and another not keen on boat trips due to not being a good swimmer we decided to give the boat trips a miss.

Summary

We found the most of the Moroccan people to be extremely friendly and helpful. It is a very interesting country which we managed to see on a previous trip to Agadir when we went on several excursions. Morocco is an ideal place if you are on a budget as it offers cheap flights and hotels. There are obviously higher standard hotels in Agadir (you get what you pay for), however if you are on a budget you will have a great time at the Atlas Amadil. We would definately recommend a trip to Agadir. The weather is warm for most of the year and not as seasonal as some other destinations.

Images

Pool Scene
Mike holding Scorpion
Sea Front
The Gang
Birthday Celebrations
Sunset
Beach Bar
Lobby Bar

Things to do in Agadir

Visit the Marina
Visit Souk El Had
Have a ride on La Grande Roue D’Agadir (Similar to London Eye)
Spend a day on the beach
Do a sight seeing tour
Do a boat trip

Top Tips

Research your hotel as to what it offers and compare with other similarly priced hotels
If going all-inclusive be aware you get what you pay for. If wanting cheap and cheerful it is exactly that. (no premium drinks or special cocktails)
Although we did not do any excursions on this visit we have previously and they have been well worth the money and we got to see some of the real Morocco
Check out the weather below for best time to go to Agadir
Check out other places in Africa we have visited Tunisia, Cape Verde , Sharm El Sheikh , Cairo , Hurghada
Check out the government website regarding safety when visiting Agadir https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/algeria/safety-and-security

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	22	23	26	26	26	28	30	30	29	28	25	22
Low Temp	8	9	11	13	14	17	18	18	17	15	12	9
Rainfall	37	29	25	13	7	1	0	1	1	22	29	63
Number of days	5	3	4	2	1	1	0	1	1	3	3	6

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Hurghada

Posted on March 1, 2021December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Hurghada is a beach resort on the Red Sea Coast.

Hurghada is renowned for its scuba diving and snorkeling.

Travelling to Hurghada

In the month of November we travelled to Hurghada from Manchester airport flying with Tui. We booked in the Clayton Hotel which is a couple of minutes walk from the Terminal the night before we flew out. Fortunately we were able to leave our car at the hotel which made things a lot easier.

Accommodation

having booked to stay at the 5-star Sunrise Crystal Bay Resort. The hotel was in a decent location, about a 20 minute drive from Hurghada Marina. We had booked last-minute with TUI and paid £600 each for a week which we felt was a decent price for what we experienced. When we arrived at the hotel we were checked-in quickly and with no fuss. Our cases were taken up to our rooms for us and arrived within 5 minutes. The rooms were very spacious and nicely decorated. All of the expected toiletries were provided as well as robes and slippers. The hotel itself is a fairly decent size at 364 rooms, and overall the standard definitely felt 5-star.

Food and Drink

There were several al-a-carte restaurants to try out including Egyptian, Asian, Seafood and Greek. You could eat at each one of these restaurants during a 7-day stay. The food in each of the al-a-carte restaurants were nice but did not always taste authentic. There was also a beach restaurant open for lunch with full waiter service and a great view of the beach. We spent many a lunchtime having a few glasses of wine and a bite to eat overlooking the sea.

Pool Scene

As we stayed in November the temperature does get rather cool in the evening so be sure to take a jacket and a pair of trousers or jeans for sitting out comfortably. However it was sunbathing weather during the day and also one of the pools was heated so their was no issue with jumping into the pool. Unfortunately the swim up bar was in the unheated pool so it was too cold for us to sit in there, although there were some very brave people who did. There were plenty of sunbeds available and the staff would bring us beds and place them where we wanted each day.

Out by the sea there are some lovely cabanas which are not chargeable unlike at a lot of hotels which charge extra for the privilege. The cabanas were very comfortable for lying on, with large bean bags in front of them and as they were located around a cove they were ideally situated for a quick dip in the sea. The sea was a fair bit warmer than the unheated swimming pool, a bit cold when you first got in but not for long. As we went in November the days were quite short and sunset was relatively early at about half past four. Waiters wandered around the grounds and cove taking drinks orders which saved having to walk to the bar. The range of cocktails was extensive and they tasted good!

Entertainment

On an evening there was entertainment but it was fairly low key. There wasn’t much to do on an evening and as it was a bit chilly outside we didn’t always watch the entertainment. However the lobby bar was open 24 hours and the bar staff were entertaining in their own right. They entertained us on a number of evenings with Tom Cruise style cocktail making. They built towers of glasses on the bar, poured Sambuca from the top and then set the alcohol on fire. The cocktails they made were of a good standard with fancy fruit to decorate the glass. If it hadn’t been for the bar staff the evenings would have been much quieter. We did meet a lot of lovely people though. We also took the opportunity to wander into the sister hotel next door for a change of scene (and bar!).

Location

There isn’t a great deal to do immediately outside of the hotel although there are a few shops within walking distance. However there are many different excursions available including boat trips and diving.

Submarine Boat Trip

We opted for a submarine boat trip which was actually a boat with windows below sea level. The boat trip also included snorkeling at a coral reef that was quite spectacular, both coral and fish.

A lot of the people on the boat decided to snorkel near to the boat, however one of the crew members got in the water with us and took us a bit further to where the main coral reef was. Whilst we were snorkeling he would point to colourful, large fish in case we had missed them and explained to us what type of fish they were. We were able to snorkel for a good hour or so which we really enjoyed. The snorkels were provided by the boat crew but of course you could take your own equipment along if you have it. They also put out a floating island on the water which was fun to climb on and try and stand on, trickier to accomplish than it sounds!

Summary

This was our second time to Hurghada; on our first visit we went out a bit more as we were closer to the Marina but we did go for two weeks on that holiday whereas on this occasion we only went for a week. If we were to return to Hurghada we would probably choose a hotel with more going on on an evening and at a time of year when it is a bit warmer on an evening.

Hurghada offers all year round sunshine therefore is a good place to go for winter sun. It is also very cheap in the winter months compared to other winter destinations like the Caribbean. You get a good standard of hotel for half the price of the Caribbean. We will definitely go back to Hurghada and hopefully visit Luxor the next time.

Images

Pool Scene
Pool Scene
Beach Bar
Beach
Bali beds around the cove
Egyptian Restaurant
Indian Restaurant
View from Pier at night
Outside dinning
Egyptian Tom Cruise
Cocktail
Sunset
View from Submarine
View from Submarine
View from Submarine
Inside Submarine

Things to do

Go scuba diving
Go snorkeling
Visit the marina
Go on a submarine
Visit Cairo
Go on a quad bike in the desert
Visit Luxor

Top Tips

Go on a boat trip as they are very reasonably priced and good fun.
Hotels nearer the Marina offer a chance to get out of the hotel more as there are bars, restaurants and shops near by.
Many of the hotels in Hurghada are not close to anything apart from a few shops so choose your hotel and location wisely depending on if you want to just relax within the hotel grounds or prefer to have more withing walking distance.
Check out the best time to visit Hurghada as Egypt temperatures during the summer months are very high, however during the winter months it can get chilly of an evening.
Take water shoes when going snorkeling as some the coral and rocks can be pretty sharp.
Take plenty of medicines as many people who visit Egypt do seem to suffer from an upset stomach.
Check out other destinations we have visited in Africa Tunisia , Agadir , Cape Verde , Sharm El Sheikh, Cairo
Check out the government website for safety and security advice when visiting Hughada https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/egypt

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	21	22	25	29	33	34	35	34	33	29	26	22
Low Temp	11	12	15	19	22	24	25	25	24	20	16	12
Rainfall	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	2	1
Number of days	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

New York

Posted on November 24, 2020December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

New York is the most populous city in the United States.

It is also the most popular destination in America for tourism.

Travelling to New York

In the month of September we travelled to New York. We were due to flyvia Norwegian airlines which we had not flown with before. As we had got a cheap flight costing £200 one one way so we did not expect much. At the airport we were told that we had been changed to another airline but when we went to board the plane in Manchester it was Norwegian airlines. We were very impressed with the plane as we expected a budget airline with no inflight entertainment but instead we got a new plane with the entertainment.

The plane had dimmer switches for the windows and all inflight service was done electronically. You went on the screen in the front of your seat and decided what you wanted to eat or drink. You then chose this and swiped your credit card/debit card for payment. Within a few minutes the drink and or food was brought to your seat. This was a lot more efficient than the trollies on other airlines.

Transfer

We booked a private transfer from the airport to the hotel which was quick and easy. Our driver was waiting for us in the airport with a sign with our names on it. The driver was very friendly and made polite conversation on our way to the hotel. We booked the transfer with Hoppa (not sure of cost but was very reasonable)

Accommodation

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt which is directly next door to Grand Central Station therefore the location is ideal. The hotel is lovely 4 star hotel with very big rooms. The hotel looks impressive from the moment you pull up to the door. You are met by the Concierge who takes you to check in. The hotel has a lovely bar over looking the streets of New York. Everything in the hotel is of an high standard. The rooms are extremely clean and have all the toiletries you need for your stay. The best thing we liked about this hotel was its location. The cost of staying at the Grand Hyatt is quite high at around £330 per night for September. There are many other hotels in the same district at lower cost but of equal standard.

Statue of Liberty

On our first day in New York we decided to go to the Statue of Liberty. We got the tube to Battery Park and then the ferry across to the Statue of Liberty. On the walk to the ferry there is the dome that was outside the World Trade Centre. Although it is damaged considering it was there when the World Trade Centre collapse it is in remarkable condition and a constant reminder of all the people who lost their lives that day. The Statue of Liberty looked different in real life to what we had seen on TV. It seemed smaller than we expected but still very impressive and worth a visit.

Brooklyn Bridge

On our second day which was a lovely sunny day we caught the tube to Brooklyn Bridge. As it was a nice sunny day it was quite busy on the bridge with lots of tourists doing the exact same as us and walking the length of the bridge. The bridge first opened in May 1883 and is approximately 486m long. The Brooklyn bridge connects Manhattan with Long Island. It does not take long to walk both ways as it is not too long. We wanted to see as many sights as possible in New York during the 3 days we were there Brooklyn Bridge being one of them.

Ground Zero

We decided to walk to Ground Zero which was a bit of a walk but we found that we managed to see more of New York this way as apposed to getting the tube. Ground Zero is one of the strangest experiences we have ever encountered. There were 1000’s of people there yet it was eerily silent. Words can not explain the feeling you have whilst being there and how somewhere so busy can be so quiet. Looking around at other people everyone has a somber look on their faces. The size of Ground Zero is enormous and much bigger than we anticipated it looking.

There is a famous bronze statue that was outside the World Trade Centre when it collapse and is still there to this day. The Statue does not look much different now as it did prior 911. The Statue looks basically un scaived by the events of 911. It is amazing how it has lasted through it.

There are several other monuments/buildings etc. around Ground Zero that played a vital part during 911 including St Paul’s Chapel. St Paul’s Chapel is Manhattan’s oldest public building in continuous use.

Time Square

During our stay in New York we tried to cram as much as we could in to the time we were in New York. We went to Time Square on more than one occasion as it was with in walking distance from our hotel and a great place to visit especially in the evenings when all the bars and restaurants were open. Also we did frequent an Irish Bar (O’Briens) whilst we were there. The bar had a great atmosphere and had a mix of tourists and locals each evening. The drinks were the usual price for New York which is a bit more than the UK. Not sure what time this bar was supposed to close but were often in there until the early hours. Fortunately our hotel was not too far away to get to after consuming a quite a bit of alcohol lol.

Central Park

Central Park was also within walking distance to our hotel. We had another bright sunny day and decided to have a walk round Central Park. The Park is lovely with lots to see see and do. If we had had more time it would have been lovely to just sit and have a picnic. The Park is well kept and there are people cleaning it constantly. There are a number of cafe’s, ice cream stalls etc to get a drink and a bite to eat which was very pleasant sat there just watching the world go round. There are also some beautiful horse and carts that will take you round Central Park. We saw a number of squirrels in the park that were very tame and almost ate out of our hands.

Summary

New York is an exciting and interesting place to visit with so much to see and do. Unfortunately we did not have enough time to do all the things we wanted to. Although we found some of the New Yorkers quite rude the majority were polite and helpful. We will definitely have another visit to New York in the not too distant future.

Images

Statue of Liberty
View over looking Central Park
View of Manhattan
Time Square
Time Square
Time Square
Brooklyn Bridge
The Sphere in Battery Park
Squirrel at Battery Park
Ground Zero
St Paul’s Chapel
The Double Check Business Man Bronze Statue

Things to do

Visit the Statue of Liberty
Go to Central Park
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
Visit Grand Central Station
Go to time square
Watch a show
Go to the viewing platform at the Empire State Building

Top tips

Do you research regarding hotel standard, location and price.
New York can get very cold in the winter months therefore ensure you have appropriate clothing.
If limited for time plan your itinerary to get the most out of your stay.
Tube is a good way to get around if going long distance or have mobility issues.
Check out the chart below for best time to visit New York.
Check out other destinations we have visited in America Washington DC , Las Vegas , Miami , Los Angeles
Check out government safety advice before travelling to New York

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	6	7	9	16	20	27	29	28	24	18	12	13
Low Temp	-3	-3	1	6	12	17	20	20	16	10	5	04
Rainfall	85	57	90	96	114	98	101	87	104	94	69	85
Number of days	10	9	12	15	15	13	13	12	10	10	12	12

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Sunny Beach

Posted on November 19, 2020December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Sunny Beach is on Bulgaria’s Black Sea Coast.

It is known for its lovely beach’s, watersports and nightlife.

Travelling to Sunny Bech

We flew to Bulgaria in the month of June from Manchester Airport. We stayed in the Crown Plaza hotel a few minutes walk from the terminal. It also has a regular shuttle bus to the airport. Our car was parked there for the duration of our holiday.

Accommodation

We booked the holiday as a last minute deal with TUI costing £600 each all inclusive for a week. We stayed at the Riu Helios Paradise which is at the far end of Sunny Beach in an area called St Vlas. The hotel is rated as a 4 star plus and a Platinum hotel. The hotel is 24 hour all inclusive which we made good use of lol. There are a number of specialist restaurants in the hotel including Asian, Bulgarian and Italian. We ate at each of them and was not disappointed with the standard of food.

There is also a nightclub on the complex which is open until the early hours. This was a great place to go as it had Karaoke and dance music on every evening. There was also evening entertainment in the entertainment room but could be watched from outside whilst having a nice cocktail. The hotel has a lovely swim up bar with a good selection of local branded drinks.

There is a full itinerary for entertainment around the pool during the day which was great fun. The hotel has its own beach with a bar and snack bar. The hotel grounds and rooms were very clean.

Adults only Riu

Whilst we were in Sunny Beach an Adults only Riu hotel had just finished being built next door to our hotel (Riu Palace Sunny Beach) and opened part way through our holiday. We were able to go and look round the hotel which had a lovely infinite pool. As everything was very new it felt quite clinical and seemed to lack atmosphere but we are sure that this will change as the hotel is used more.

Location

Our hotel was a short walk from the center of Sunny Beach. We walked out most days along the front which was lovely. The only downside was that each shop, bar, restaurant etc you passed someone tried to sell you something. On the positive side they were not as pushy as other countries and as soon as you said no they left you alone. There are a lot of shops selling copies of designer clothing which did not appear to be good quality. There were a lot of things going on at the front and in hotels for children from large inflatables to fair ground rides. We did notice that there was a lot of families in Sunny Beach.

Nightlife

On a couple of evening we did go in to the center of Bulgaria for a few drinks. There were many bars with tribute acts Freddie Mercury, Robbie Williams, Michael Jackson, Tina Turner to name a few. We did go and watch some of them which was great fun with a lot of audience interaction. Sunny Beach is on a similar parr to Benidorm but not as big. We did not stay in the centre of Sunny Beach until the early hours but we were aware that it is a place that never closes.

There are many excursions to go on in Sunny Beach but as we were only there for 7 days we were limited as to where we could go without taking up too much time of our holiday. One of the things we would have done if we had had more time was to go to Istanbul.

Nessabar

We got a taxi to Nessabar which is only a short drive away from Sunny Beach. Nessabar is such a contrast to Sunny Beach with its cobbled street and old buildings. Whilst walking around Nessabar it feels like you are in a completely different place to Sunny Beach. There are lots of gift shops in Nessabar which are different to the ones in Sunny Beach. The restaurants and bars also have a different feel to the ones in Sunny Beach. Nessasbar is very picturesque and definitely worth a visit.

Summary

We thoroughly enjoyed our holiday in Sunny Beach. The hotel was lovely and met all our needs. We also liked the hotel as it was in a quiet area but near enough to all the nightlife to walk to. At £600 each for a week all inclusive we found the holiday to be very good value for money. As the world is such a big place we are not sure if we would go back to Sunny Beach but never say never.

Images

Pool Scene
Pool Scene
Pool Bar
Beach
Nessebar
Nessebar
Nessebar
Freddie Mercury Tribute Act
Michael Jackson Tribute Act

Things to do

Visit Nessebar
Take a boat trip
Sample the local cuisine
See a tribute act or two
Sample the nightlife
Take a day trip to Istanbul
Visit the beach.

Top tips

If you want to be near the nightlife but far enough away should you wish to relax than this area is ideal.
Taxi’s are cheap in Bulgaria and can be cheaper than some excursions.
Visit Nessabar
The tribute acts are great fun and worth seeing.
Designer copies appeared poor quality best to avoid.
We regretted not having the time to go to Istanbul make sure you have enough time.
Hotels vary so much with regards to location, standard etc. Do your research before you book.
Bulgaria is very seasonal, check weather below for best time to visit.
Check out other destinations we have visited in Bulgaria Borovets

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	6	8	11	16	21	25	28	27	24	19	13	8
Low Temp	-1	0	3	7	12	16	18	17	15	14	6	2
Rainfall	41	43	40	54	42	49	33	30	37	47	56	48
Number of days	6	6	7	8	5	6	4	4	4	6	7	5

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Koh Samui

Posted on November 19, 2020December 13, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Koh Samui is

Thialands second largest island.

Koh Samui is famed for its lovely beaches, moonlit parties and its Buddhist temples.

Travelling to Koh Samui

We travelled to Koh Samui in December for the New Year from Bangkok. We flew with Thia Airline which was probably one of the longest planes we have ever seen. The plane was only about half full so we had plenty of room.

Accommodation

We originally booked into the Hacia Leisure Resort in the Lamai area of Koh Samui. When we arrived it was late so we did not unpack and ventured out of the hotel to get something to eat and drink. The next day we were appalled by the hotel. The sink had pubic hair in it and the there was a door leading out to an outside area which could have been nice if it had been looked after but it hadn’t and was very overgrown. Also we wandered around the hotel to take a look as to how clean it was. Our original thought was maybe the room had been a bit overlooked and the rest of the hotel would compensate. We hoped that we would just request for the room to be cleaned properly. On looking around the pool area it was clear this hotel was dirty everywhere.

Discussions with owner of hotel

Firstly we contacted Booking.com who advised that we should only pay for the night we had stayed and find alternative accommodation. Although we tried to do this but the hotel manager refused to give back our passport unless we paid for the full 5 nights stay. Due to how dirty the hotel was we refused and the manager got the owner of the hotel to deal with the situation. We explained to him that we were not happy with the cleanliness of the hotel. He said that there had been a bit of a storm the day before we arrived and that they had not had chance to clear this up. I advised that the storm had not been in the room and that the room was dirty. After a long discussion he agreed to take half of the money for payment.

Fortunately we then found a lovely hotel which was in a better location than the Hacia and was actually cheaper. It was very clean and well located. Throughout our discussions with the owner Booking.com refused to help any further.

The Aumpai Luxury

The Aumpai Luxury was located just off the main road. It was a quiet location but within easy reach to everywhere. The rooms were traditionally decorated and very spacious with a separate kitchen and dinning area. The rooms were cleaned to a good standard everyday. The pool area was small but lovely and met our needs. This is not 5 star accommodation but the price is not too. It cost £200 for 5 nights which was extremely good value. On an evening whilst walking on the outside corridor to our room there were lots of gecko’s/ small lizards on the ceilings and walls. We loved to watch them.

Bars and Restaurants

Koh Samui has so many bars, restaurants and shops to choose from. We found a nice little bar called “The Dolphin”. The cocktails and drinks were very cheap. It had evening entertainment every night. The staff at the Dolphin bar were very friendly and helpful. We also got talking to the owner of the bar who always gave us special attention as there wasn’t many English going to the bar. The bars on the beach are lovely and you can get some amazing cocktails. Although they are not as cheap as the Dolphin bar they are very reasonably priced.

New Years Eve

We were in Koh Samui for the new year. We spent time in the Dolphin bar before heading to the beach for cocktails and to see the New Year in. The party atmosphere on the beach was amazing with everyone drinking, dancing and singing. There was also spectacular fireworks lighting up the sky. This was the best New Years we both have experienced. We stayed on the beach until the early hours

Full Day Excursion

We booked a tour with a tour operator on the main street. The cost of the tour was around £50 for two. We got picked up at around 8am via a Jeep along with other people from other hotels. We took a rucksack with food, drink, mosquito spray, Sunscreen and wipes in it as we did not know the full itinerary and if we would be able to get food and drink along the way. The tour consisted of Wat Plai Laem Temples, Big Buddah, Elephant Trekking, Mumified Monk and Lad Koh Viewpoint.

The day was approximately 9 hours long. Although it was quite a long day it was definitely worth it. We got to see a lot more of the island and its many attractions. At each of the attractions you have a lot of time to wander around by yourselves which is great for photo’s etc. The temples and the Big Buddah are spectacular and worthy of many photo’s. We were dropped off back at our hotel around 5.30pm.

Summary

Koh Samui is a lovely place to visit it has something for everyone of all ages and expectations of a holiday. One of our regrets was that we did not do the full moon party which would have been a great experience (your never too old for fun).

Thailand is a wonderful place and there is so much to see and do. We intend to revisit Thailand in the near future to experience different islands and locations. Thailand is always good value for money. The people in Thailand are some of the warmest and friendliest people we have met. Cant wait to go back soon.

Images

Dolphin Bar
New years eve beach party
New years eve fireworks
New years Koh Sumui Beach
Mummified Monk
Big Buddah
Viewing Point
Aumpai Luxury Hotel
Elephant Trekking

Things to do

Visit the Big Buddha
Visit the temple at Wat Plai Laem
Visit Lamai Beach
May be go to a full moon party if this is your thing
Try the local cuisine

Top tips

Check out reviews of hotel before booking
Check out location of hotel
Book excursion.
Ensure you have Sunscreen, mosquito spray, toilet tissue, hand sanitizer, food and drink if going on excursion.
Dolphin Bar is great fun and very cheap for drinks.
Bars on the beach are lovely to watch the sun set.
Check out table below for best time to visit Koh Samui
Check out other destination we have visited in Thailand Bangkok
Check out government safety advice before travelling to Koh Samui https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/thailand/safety-and-security

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	28	29	31	32	33	32	32	32	31	30	29	29
Low Temp	24	25	26	26	26	26	25	25	25	24	24	24
Rainfall	90	30	30	80	160	100	120	100	130	290	430	150
Number of days	7	5	4	5	9	9	9	10	11	16	15	9

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Gdansk

Posted on November 18, 2020December 14, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Gdansk is a city on the Baltic coast of nothern Poland.

The city is said to take its name from the Gdania River which is the original name of the Motlawa River

Travelling to Gdansk

We flew to Gdansk in November from Leeds and Bradford Airport. The flights to Gdansk only cost us £39 return. We flew out on a Friday for a long weekend. Our main reason for visiting Gdansk was the Christmas Market. Fortunately as we live on around 20 minutes drive from the airport this was very convenient.

Accommodation

In advance we booked an apartment on Air b n b in the centre of Gdansk The apartment was very clean with contemporary furnishing and very stylish. The location was excellent as it was only a short walk to the river and shops, restaurants and bars. There are many nice apartments for rent in good locations and at a reasonable price. We paid £150 for 3 nights which was excellent value. The apartment had everything we needed with a fully equipped kitchen, lounge area, bathroom and good sized bathroom.

Nightlife

In Gdansk there are lots of bars and even an Irish Bar. The Irish bar is what you would expect which is full of people from the UK. Some of the bars are the same price as what you would pay in England. The Polish shot bar is very cheap. As the name suggests it mainly sells shots which people buy around 10 at a time but you can get larger and wine too. A glass of wine cost around £1.50 in the Polish shot bar in other bars cost around £6. The bar is very lively every night so it is well worth a visit if you are wanting to hit the bars.

Christmas Market

Whilst we were in Gdansk we went to the Christmas Market which was lovely. It was very cold but we had come prepared with warm clothes, gloves etc. At the Christmas market they sold the most amazing rum and apple mulled wine. Not only did it taste lovely but on a cold also warmed you up. We might have had quite a few on them whilst we were there purely to keep us warm lol.

Market Food

At the market there were a lot of stalls selling traditional Polish food, Pertogi (polish dumplings), various pastries (not sure what these were called), Placki Ziemniaczane (Potato pancakes), Zrazy (Beef rolls), various polish sausage etc. There were lots of stalls where you could sit down, eat and drink. There were also many stalls selling arts, crafts and Christmas decoration. It was a lovely market and well worth the visit.

Food and Drink

The Golden Gate leads to the Dlugi Targ the main walk through Gdansk. it is not very long approximately 500 metres long. Café, shops, bars and restaurants line the walk. The restaurants cater for all tastes of food from Italian, Indian, Polish, Spanish etc. This walk is very busy all day long with both tourists and locals. There are so many beautiful buildings in Gdansk.It has a wealth of history with many museums.

Motlawa River

Walking along the Motlawa river was lovely both day and night again lots of nice places to eat and drink. We stayed at one side of the river but crossed over to the other where there were some lovely shops and coffee places. The coffee shops sold amazing hot chocolate which was great on the cold mornings.

Whilst walking near the river we came across a man who had a spectacular motor bike. He had various props, items of clothing that you could put on and have a photo taken on his motorbike for a small fee. It was great fun doing this and having photo’s that bring a smile when you look at them.

Summary

Like most places we have visited there never seems enough time to see and do everything you want to. We were only in Gdansk for a few days but we definitely made the most of it. We would definitely recommend visiting Gdansk it is such a beautiful place

AmberSky on Motwala River
Christmas Market
Christmas Market
Having a very large drink lol
Christmas Market
Christmas Market
Pirate Ship
Pirate Ship
Selfie
Motwala River
Motwala River at night
Green Gate
Dlugi Targ
Neptune’s Fountain
Dlugi Targ
Green Gate
Photo on motor bik
Old fashion car

Images

Things to do

Go to the Christmas Market
Try the Rum and Apple Mulled Wine,
Try some of the Polish traditional foods.
Walk along the Motlawa river.
Have something to eat or drink on the Dlugi Targ.
Visit the Polish Shot Bar if you are out to sample the night life.

Top tips

If going to Gdansk in the winter months ensure you have plenty of warm clothing.
There are a lot of tourist type bars which do charge more than the bars aimed at the locals. Check out the local bars.
The Christmas market in Gdansk was lovely and a good time to go for a fun and cheap long weekend. Christmas market starts late November. Dont forget to try the Rum and Apple mulled wine.
We found that the Airbnb was very reasonable in price, centrally located, exceptionally clean, lovely décor and gave us lots of space for our stay.
If you are flexible with your dates to travel Skyscanner can search the whole month and advise of cheapest time to travel.
Check out other destination we have visited in Poland Wroclaw
Check out government safety advice when visiting Gdansk https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/poland

Weather

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	1	1	4	10	16	18	21	21	16	11	4	1
Low Temp	-4	-4	-3	1	6	9	12	12	8	4	0	-4
Rainfall	31	24	19	32	33	58	73	70	53	38	29	39
Number of days	9	7	5	7	7	8	10	9	8	8	7	9

Average daily temperatures and rainfall

Ravello

Posted on November 18, 2020December 14, 2022 by Debs and Mike

Ravello is on the Amalfi coast of Italy.

Due to its picturesque setting and off the beaten track has a lot of rich and famous visitors.

Ravello is set in the mountain tops overlooking the Amalfi coast of Italy. It has thousands of years of history which can be seen just by walking around this small quaint place. It has the most amazing views of the coast line.

Travelling to Ravello

In the month of June we flew into Naples from Manchester Airport. We pre-booked a taxi to take us from the airport to our accommodation. The journey from the airport took about 1 hour. It was a very hot day so the driver stopped at a little restaurant so we could have a cold drink. The roads up to Ravello are very steep, windy and a bit hair-raising but we managed to get there in one piece.

We had gone to Ravello for Mum’s 70th Birthday and parents 50th Wedding Anniversary as they love the place and go back year after year. They stay in the same hotel, the Palazzo Avino, which is one of the more expensive hotels, but has amazing views and Michelin starred food which we really enjoyed – we are just glad we weren’t paying the bill!

Accommodation

We stayed at an Airbnb for the 3 nights we were there costing £230 which is a very good price compared to the hotels in the area. The apartment was fairly basic but had all you needed should you wish to do your own cooking. As we were with family we ate all our meals out, including an Italian meal at Mimi’s which we would recommend. The apartment also had a large sun terrace which over-looked the streets. It was quite nice sitting up there on an evening with a drink watching the world go by and the lovely sunsets.

Piazza Centrale

Walking around Ravello is quite an experience, with many interesting shops and art galleries situated amongst the cobbled streets. If you are after some artwork or Italian pottery then this is the place to come!

Food and drink

There are many restaurants with spectacular views of the sea. It is worth asking for local guidance on the best restaurants to visit given the wide choice on offer. There is also a square in the centre of the town, the Piazza Centrale which hosts a number of restaurants / bars where you can sit out in the sun and watch the world go by. The Cathedral in the Piazza Centrale hosts a large number of weddings as this is a very popular place to get married – apparently Gary Lineker got married here.

Meal at Mimi Restaurant short walk from Piazza Centrale

Villa Cimbrone

We also took a walk around the Villa Cimbrone which has some beautiful gardens to walk around and again a great view of the coast at the end – there is a small restaurant / bar here and we sat in the gardens with a refreshing glass of wine. On our walk back towards the Villa we saw a helicopter land in the grounds – this place sure attracts some rich people!

Amalfi

On one of the days we decided to get out and about and took the bus from the centre of Ravello down to Amalfi. The journey is full of hair-pin bends and we had heard some horror stories about this road, but we felt pretty safe on the bus. Amalfi is worth a look around, a picturesque coastal town with many shops, restaurants and bars. You can catch boats and ferries to various destinations from here.

Moiori

We decided to take a ferry over to Maiori and really enjoyed the views of the mountains and being able to see Ravello with its stunning villas and gardens from the sea. When we got to Maiori it was a short stroll around the harbour to the beach where we decided to relax for an hour or two with a nice bottle of Prosecco. There are numerous restaurants, bars and shops along the seafront. After a stroll around the town we ventured back to the harbour to pick up the ferry back to Amalfi. We got the bus back up to Ravello, we did notice that a few of the seats on the bus were coming away from their fixings, but it was all fine and we would definitely recommend taking the bus rather than a taxi as it is a fraction of the cost.

Summary

Ravello is a lovely place to visit with stunning views over the Amalfi coast. It is a bit more expensive than other places but is definitely worth a visit. We felt that 3 nights in Ravello was enough but would have liked to have had more time to explore the Amalfi coast more.

Images

View of Amalfi Coast
Amalfi Coast
Amalfi coast
Amalfi
Amalfi
View from sun terrace
Maiori
Steps heading towards Centre
Beautiful flowers linning the whole of the steps
View from Palazzo Avino
View from Palazzo Avino
View from Palazzo Avino at night
Meal at the Palazzo Avino
Meal at Mimi Restaurant
Piazza Duomo
Piazza Duomo

Things to do

Have lunch in the main square outside Ravello cathedral and hopefully witness a wedding.
Visit Villa Cimbrone Garden’s and admire the spectacular views.
Catch a ferry to see other destinations on the Amalfi Coast.
Mimi’s is a nice family run restaurant which serves lovely food at a very reasonable price.
If you budget is a lot higher than ours was then the Palazzo Avino is a place to eat. This was fine dinning at its best.
Take a trip to Pompeii (Bus takes around 1 hour and 40 mins)

Top tips

Airbnb is much cheaper than the hotels.
If you have any difficulty in walking ensure that you find somewhere near the main square.
The main square is a lovely place to sit and have a drink and a bite to eat and reasonably priced for Revello.
If going in the summer months the weather is very hot. Water from bars and restaurants can be quite expensive. Buy from the little mini markets on the side streets.
Get the bus down to the ferry’s where you can catch a ferry to many destinations at a very reasonable cost.
Food and drink is much cheaper at other destinations on the Amalfi coast.
Although Revello is more expensive it is worth a visit as it is such a beautiful place.
Check out the weather below for best time to visit
Check out other destinations in Italy we have visited Rome , Pisa , Florence , Venice
Check out government safety advice when travelling to Ravello https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy

Temp – Celsius Rain – mm	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High Temp	13	13	16	19	22	26	28	30	27	23	19	14
Low Temp	7	8	10	14	17	21	24	24	20	16	13	8
Rainfall	105	100	90	80	50	30	20	40	80	130	160	120
Number of days	9	8	8	8	8	5	2	3	5	8	10	11

Average daily temperatures and rainfall