In Love With Lisbon

Direct flights with TAP mean that Lisbon is just under a 3 hour flight from our home in the UK. From the airport, we jumped on the regular aerobus into the city centre, costing around 4 Euro per person.

Where to Stay:
Hostel accommodation is often the cheapest form of accommodation if you prefer to stay in the centre of a city. We found Good Morning Hostel and booked their apartment which was just behind the main hostel building, surrounded by restaurants and theatres, and was a fantastic self-catering option at just 50 Euro per night. This also included breakfast each morning over in the main building - freshly made waffles!

Things to do:

Lisbon is one of those extremely walk-able cities, with gorgeous buildings and cobbled streets that are perfect to just ambling around. Alternatively, a network of trams connect the various areas of the city and allow you to reach all the main attractions.

Castelo de Sao Jorge offers spectacular views over Lisbon, magnificent statues, and even Peacocks roaming around in the ground. 

Santa Justa Lift for another fantastic viewpoint, head to Santa Just a Lift in the very centre of Lisbon (buy tickets at the lift).

Lisbon Zoo is a short bus ride from the city centre and has a wide range of animals as well as a cute cable car over the enclosures

Lisbon Aquarium a huge aquarium with a large number of exhibits and conservations projects.

Waterfront a lovely to walk along and view the numerous monuments commemorating Portugal's history with cafes and restaurants dotted along the way. There are also great views of the Ponte 25 de Abril - a suspension bridge that could easily be mistaken for San Francisco's Golden gate Bridge.

Belem can be reached by tram or on foot along the waterfront and is a lovely suburb of Lisbon best known for its tower which is open to visit.

Cascais is a lovely day-trip from the city, with gorgeous sandy beaches and lovely streets to wander around - just a 30 minute train journey from Lisbon station.

Enjoy Pastels de Nata from Fabrica de Nata. There are many bakeries serving these freshly made vanilla custard tarts, but the nata from Fabrica de Nata were our absolute favourite - enjoy with a sprinkling of cinnamon, icing sugar, and a small glass of port.

A Week in Rome

We travelled to Rome the long-way round - flying with Lufthansa to Frankfurt, and then on to Rome. The main reason for this that the flight actually worked out cheaper than a 'budget' airline, plus, with Lufthansa being a national airline, we received full baggage allowance at no extra cost.

From Rome, we then jumped on the train from the airport to a small town just outside Rome where our campsite was located.

Where to Stay:

I Pini Camping is around a 40 minute drive out from the centre of Rome with a daily shuttle bus operating from the campsite. There is a range of 'cabin' style self-catering accommodation and superb facilities, including a pool for those 'days off' from exploring, a shop and restaurant.

Things to do:

There is so much to see & do in Rome that it is worth purchasing a city pass which can be purchased in advance. We opted for the Omnia multi pass which gives two cards -  the Omnia card gives access to Vatican Museums (including fast-track entry) and also covers 72-hours on the hop-on - hop-off bus city bus tour. The second card is the Rome Card which gives free entry to two of the seven main top Rome attractions, plus discounted entry into others and acts as a 72-hour travel card for public transport around Rome.

Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus - this is a great way to see the main sights of Rome and to get an idea of where attractions are located and which you would like to visit. Rome is an extremely walkable city, but some of the sights are quite far apart and it gets extremely hot during the Spring and Summer months!

Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill are all located within the same area, so it may be worth planning to visit these all on the same day. Fast-Track passes are available through Omnia pass. 

Trevi Fountain is tucked away on a side street in central Rome and takes a bit of finding, but there are small signs pointing in the general direction. 

Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica can all be seen in one day and are included i the Omnia pass - just remember to wear suitable clothing.

October in Barcelona

Our first trip to Spain was a 4-day stay in Barcelona during October, when the weather was still fine and warm enough to even poke a toe into the sea.
We flew to Barcelona direct from the UK with Jet2.com and, from Barcelona Airport, jumped on the train that travels into the city centre. Our stop was Passeig de Gràcia which was then just a 10 minute walk to our accommodation.

Where To Stay?
Casa Gracia - the gorgeous Casa Gracia has a wide range of rooms, from private, twin/family en-suites, to shared dorms. It is centrally located, with a restaurant attached, and the most fabulous rustic lift shaft taking you up to the reception and various floors.

Things to do:

Quite often, when we visit a city for the first time, our first day is spent on a hop-on, hop-off tour (although we tend not to hop off!) in order to get a better idea of the layout of the city, and see what we would like to see and do during our trip. 

Sagrada Familia remains under construction 138-years after building first began. This means the constant presence of cranes, scaffold and other construction equipment, but the detail on the basilica is just extraordinary.

Parc Montjuic overlooks Barcelona and is a great escape from the city. Public buses leave from the city centre and drop off in the parc, although don't do what we did and take the bus in the wrong direction (we eventually made it!). Parc Montjuic is home to several museums, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and is also where you can jump on the cable car which takes you down to the port.

The Water Front Area includes a series of sandy beaches which stretch right down the coastline. The weather was fine enough to enjoy a sit on the beach and, if you are like Anya and go in the sea no matter the weather, the water was a bearable temperature (for a short dip!). Beach cafes can be found actually on the beach - we popped in to enjoy the best hot chocolate we've ever had!

The Marina area is a lovely place to stroll around looking at the boats, especially in the evening, and is also where will can find Barcelona Aquarium

Exploring Paris

Being based in the UK and with the convenience of the Eurostar, we have been lucky enough to visit Paris several times over the past few years.
No matter the time of year, Paris is always magical and has plenty to offer for children as well as adults. It's become on of our favourite cities, not least for the amazing bakeries we have managed to track down.

Where To Stay:
With the excellent public transport links in place, we have tended to stay outside of the central Paris area where accommodation is a little more affordable. We have stayed at both of the following and would recommend both options:
Camping Maisons Lafitte is located on the Ile de France and is on the direct RER into the centre of Paris. Open from the beginning of April to the end of October, this is a great option for those with children.
Meininger Hotel is somewhere between a hostel and a hotel, with excellent facilities and ensuite rooms. Located in Porte de Vincennes to the east, central Paris is a short Metro journey away.

Things to do:
Exploring the various districts of Paris on foot, especially along the Seine, is one of our favourite things to do in Paris, along with visiting the following places:

Jardin du Luxembourg is located between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter, and is the perfect spot to enjoy a quiet stroll, sail a toy boat on the pond, take a pony trek, let the kids loose in the play park, or just relax at one of the many cafes dotted throughout the park.

Laduree is the ultimate French Bakery, with several sites throughout Paris. If you are a fan of patisserie, particularly macarons, then this is the place to seek out.

Notre Dame has, unfortunately, been closed to the public since the fire that destroyed a large part of the Cathedral in the spring of 2019. But it is still possible to get reasonably close to this magnificent building and see the front of the building which was largely untouched.

Sacre Coeur is the place to head to for magnificent views over Paris. If you don't feel like walking the steps up to the cathedral, there is a funicular which takes you up the short ascent to the entrance andlook out area. This is also a popular area for street artists/entertainers.

Montparnasse Tower may not be the prettiest building to look at, but for panoramic views overlooking the Eiffel Tower, then this is the place to go.

Other highlights of course include climbing the steps of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Centre Pompidou, the Louvre, and the many museums of Paris.