New Territory

Against a backdrop of airport chaos throughout Europe, we took a flight in the second week of June from Gatwick to Porto, the starting point of this trip. Twelve months earlier, after already booking this holiday in Portugal, we had vowed to give the sunny areas of Europe a wide berth in future for June, July and August. The heat now feels at times a lot less of a friend than it used to.

A straightforward flight and zero airport-hassle worthy of mention, we were in Porto late afternoon. The same time zone as the UK felt strange but it’s the way it is.

Once through Passport Control and Baggage Reclaim, we were met by our Travel Director for the Riviera Cruise on the Douro. This trip comprised visits to towns and villages along the River Douro to the Spanish Border from where we would take a day trip to Salamanca in Spain before returning to the Ship for the return journey back to Porto. A few more places to see on route and then we would bus it down to Lisbon for 3 nights to see the capital city.

Firstly, we had a quick ride from Porto Airport to the docking area on the river where the MS Riviera Rose was waiting for us to board. This was our second river cruise and for us it is a lovely way to travel and so it was nice to be reunited with the comfort and luxury of one of their ships. Today being ‘Travel Day’ it was an easy afternoon and evening with unpacking, afternoon tea, a few drinks, a good meal, meeting one or two people and simply getting the feel of the ship. The following day we would still be in Porto and leave the ship to see some of the city before setting off on the cruise.

Starting each day with a breakfast of anything you can think of is always a high-risk hobby on holiday but it’s there so ‘what else can you do?’. Sometimes a diet has to wait.

The weather for the entire 11-days was forecast to be faultless, and it was. The ship had a very comfortable 106 people on board so there was never any fighting for space or position in the restaurants or on the top deck.

Porto is a good city with a nice coastal area to complement its city centre and main square. Ribeira is a prime area for sightseeing with its narrow streets close to the waterside area and numerous sherry houses representing well-known brands around Europe including Sandeman, Taylors and Cockburns.

We spent around three hours seeing some of the main sights in Porto including a brief stop on the coast. It left a good impression and probably deserved a little longer. The port was busy with a mixture of private boats, tourist boats and the traditional Portuguese boats that used to carry the barrels of port to their destinations before they started being employed for visiting sightseers.

Back on board, the MS Riviera Rose was all prepped and ready to depart from Lamego Pier. The appeal of the Douro and the valley is immediate. The colours of the older houses and buildings along the waterside slowly gives way to the approaching Green of the hillsides and vineyards. This becomes increasingly evident after passing through the first of the five locks on our stretch of the Douro River. The Crestuma Lock is a mere 14 metre step compared to the second which we passed three hours later. The Carrapatelo Lock is the deepest in Europe at 35 metres or 115 feet. It’s interesting to see the engineering involved in the lock systems and also watch the hydraulics on the ship in operation, lowering the ships bridge and the rear restaurant area to ensure the vessel navigates safely under bridges.

This was Day 2 and, in the evening, we went off the ship again for dinner and port tasting at Quinta da Pacheca, a well-known port wine estate in Cambres. Pacheca is one of the most prestigious and recognized properties in the Douro Demarcated Region. The history of the vineyard in this property dates to the 16th century, is set in lovely countryside and was well worth a visit.

Breakfast time on Day 3 coincided with passing through the third of the five locks. The Bagauste Lock is another deep one at 84 feet followed quickly by Valeira Lock (109 feet) and Pocinho Lock (72 feet), thus completing all five that we pass through on route.

The top deck was definitely the place to be to enjoy the scenery on the Douro although the heat of the day was at times challenging despite the continuous supply of drinks from the excellent staff on board.

After lunch, at approximately mid-afternoon, we arrived at Pocinho Pier where we disembarked for the drive to Castelo Rodrigo. This was a coach journey of just over an hour but the climb up the valley gave us some wonderful scenery to pass the time. The entire area feels heavily populated with vineyards dominating the landscape for as far as you can see.

Castelo Rodrigo is a tiny Portuguese hillside village that is believed to date back to the 6th century. Another warm day and little shade but there was somewhere to sit and drink if or when required.

All of the excursions are included and optional and last-minute decisions to go or stay onboard are not a problem. On this occasion the ship continued the cruise a short distance with those that didn’t visit Castelo Rodrigo and our coach met it at Vega de Terron in time for dinner in the ship’s restaurant.

Different things happen onboard during the day and evenings. The entertainment isn’t extensive but there were a few moments in the evening - and during the daytime there are occasional meetings usually related to the next destination or, where applicable, next excursion. Salamanca in Spain was our next trip on the following day (Day 4) and this would include a walking tour with a local guide followed by free time. Our Tour Manager on the ship gave us all a briefing on the day ahead with all the arrangements and timings for the visit.

It is worth noting that this is the furthest navigable point on the Douro River and therefore the point at which we turn around and begin the homeward journey back to Porto; but not until we have seen Salamanca.

We had an early start with breakfast available from 06:30 to enable us to be ready to depart on the bus from Vega de Terron to Salamanca at 07:30. Weather-wise, we were now talking 33 degrees Celsius which was more than warm enough and the early start gave us time in Salamanca before the heat reached its peak at 3 pm.

On arrival in the university city, we met our local guide for the walking tour. The cathedral was unfortunately closed to the public as there was an event taking place, but the university is impressive as is the Plaza Mayor and much of the architecture in-between. There is also the Casa Lis, a museum in the art deco design which is worth seeing but we ran out of free time to do it.

Lunch was taken at the Casino Restaurant with Flamenco providing the entertainment. Keeping one eye on the time (Spain is one hour ahead of Portugal!) we had until 2:15 pm before making our way back to the pickup point for our trip back to the ship.

Back on board the MS Riviera Rose and we were soon on our way up the river to Ferradosa. Back through the Pocinho Lock just before dinner and then arriving at Ferradosa Pier at 9 pm where the ship would remain until morning.

First thing on Day 5 and we were on our way again, cruising at breakfast towards Pinhao. We will pass again through Valeira Lock but before then we travel under a bridge with a warning. Please be seated if you are on the sundeck! The Deck Crew are busy again, lowering the bridge and rear restaurant and keeping passengers well out of the way.

The ship docked at Pinhao at 10 am. Some people stayed onboard; some joined an orientation walk while others (including us) just strolled and did their own thing. The main attraction here was the historic Railway Station dating back to the 19th Century and decorated with ornate Portuguese Blue tiles. A few photos, a cold drink at a local café and a slow stroll back to the ship would set us up for lunch.

In the afternoon we had a choice. Stay on the ship, visit Lamego or visit Mateus Palace and Gardens. We elected to get on the bus for Mateus Palace and Gardens, and the journey took approximately 50 minutes. Once again, the views from the bus were very easy on the eye with long distance landscapes on both sides.

Mateus Rose’ is a name long remembered and it turns out that the name Mateus comes from the town from which the wine originated rather than it being a family name (as was believed by many). The Palace, Chapel and Gardens were a worthwhile visit and kept the camera well exercised. The fact that there was plenty of shade available was a bonus with it being so hot (34 degrees Celsius).

Back on the ship; another ‘welcome back’ drink before dinner and Artur, the ships resident musician, playing in the background as usual. All very nice.

River Cruises are a lovely way to see different places. Good quality accommodation, good quality food, excellent crew and surroundings and not too many people so no shortage of personal space. The other thing we like is that everything is paid for. It’s not cheap but flights, transfers, the cruise, all the food and drinks, all the excursions and entry fees; all covered. The cabins are excellent and will be serviced as often as you wish.
This Douro Cruise was our second, following the Mediaeval Germany Cruise that we took two years previously. I’m sure there will be a third.
Having said that, this one isn’t finished yet. Tomorrow (Day 6) we cruise to Peso da Regua where we will visit another wine estate; Quinta da Avessada for lunch and a tour of the wine cellars.

Arrival at Peso da Regua followed the Bagauste Lock at around 12:30 and from there it was about one hour to Quinta da Avessada. It was another hot day. We were greeted by one of the staff at the Quinta with a welcome drink and he then explained a little about the history and the processes used.

The estate itself was lovely but then the entire region doesn’t disappoint aesthetically.

Having been literally ‘wined and dined’ we returned to the MS Riviera Rose at just after 5 pm. At 6:30 there was a Canape and Cocktail Hour prior to dinner and, additionally this evening, at 9:15 there was to be an hour of Fado, the traditional Portuguese folk music performed by a trio (comprising a female vocalist, classical guitar and Portuguese guitar).

Personally, I like almost all music, and I can now add Fado to that list. My expectations are deliberately low when I’m a captive audience to new, unknown music. I was more than pleasantly surprised. The female vocalist introduced each song via the microphone, but when it came to singing, she simply discarded the microphone and sang so naturally and powerfully which, with the accompaniment of the two guitars, worked well. The performance was very well received by those in attendance and Artur, our resident musician onboard, had a tough act to follow but it was a good evening.

The captain had us cruising again at 07:00 on Day 7; Leverinho our destination. From here, we had another choice to make. Stay onboard and simply enjoy the ship, visit Guimaraes or visit the Sandeman Port Wine Cellar in Gaia, Porto. We decided on Guimaraes, the birthplace of Portugal (apparently).

Mention Guimaraes to the Portuguese and certainly the few that we spoke to about the town claimed it to be their favourite place in Portugal. It was encouraging to hear, and it is certainly a neat and tidy town with a lovely feel to it. Dominated by the castle, perched high on a hill in the centre of town, the city (circa 200,000 inhabitants) has a history dating back to the 9th century and is now a World Heritage site. It was also European Capital of Culture in 2012 and received the European Green Capital Award this year (2026).

Missing out on the Sandeman Port Wine Cellar in Gaia was a shame – we would have liked to do both – but there were no regrets choosing Guimaraes as it genuinely is a nice town with plenty of places to see, eat and drink and it was easy to see why the Portuguese rate it highly.
We were back on the ship at 6 pm and one hour later there was a pre-dinner Farewell Cocktail with the captain and some of the crew/staff. The dinner was also ‘special’ insofar as the captain had a table and it was a set signature dinner for our final evening onboard. The quality was as high as always.

Our holiday coincided with the World Cup and Portugal were gearing up to watch their team play their first match in this year’s tournament. Lisbon would no doubt be rocking and tomorrow we will be on our way there. But for the moment we enjoyed our final evening on board the MS Riviera Rose. Immediately after breakfast in the morning, we will be sitting on the bus towards Coimbra and Obidos before we get to our hotel in Portugal’s capital city, Lisbon (or Lisboa to give it its proper name).

It’s sad to say goodbye to the ship and crew after breakfast on our 8th day but the 3-day extension to our holiday will at least delay a flight back to the UK. The journey to Lisbon is around four hours but we have two planned stops to enjoy which will break the travelling up nicely.
It took two hours to reach Coimbra, the original capital of Portugal. It was predictably hotter as we headed south and after a short walk from the bus to the centre of the city, we reached the University where we were to have another local guide take us around. Set in an elevated square overlooking the river and a part of the city, the white stone of the buildings produced an intense light and reflected heat to match. It was good to eventually get inside and it’s an interesting wander through the architecture. The University Library (the Biblioteca Joanina) is an amazing room with many protected historical books. Photographs were not permitted unfortunately.

Generally regarded as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world, the Joanina received its first books in 1750 and now has over 200,000 volumes including many first editions. The city itself is the fourth largest area in Portugal after Lisbon, Porto and Braga and Coimbra University has been classified as a World Heritage site.

The Mondego River runs through Coimbra, and the city makes full use of it with nice tree-lined areas to walk and places to eat and drink. It was also notable how in Portugal all their cities benefit from tram systems as a source of public transport.

Coimbra was a good visit and after getting a snack to eat and something to drink we were back on the road, this time to the picturesque town of Obidos, situated just outside Lisbon to the north.

Obidos has its origins in Roman times as a settlement and today it is home to just over 3000 people. Personally, I didn’t know what to expect. It was a late addition to the itinerary, and it turned out to be a really nice surprise – and not solely because it had the best value Pastel da Nata offering on the trip!

Being just a tiny place, some might call it a village, it really was just a case of wander up to the castle, pop into a few shops and maybe a church, choose somewhere to sit and have a drink and maybe also try one of those pastries I mentioned. And this was exactly what we did.

There is also an interesting Sardine Shop. That is literally all it sells – Tins of Sardines. The marketing trick is to put the Sardines in tins printed with a single year on each tin and they have every year since the 1940’s. Thankfully, the contents aren’t as old as the tin suggests but I’m sure the ploy of tempting visitors into buying gifts for souvenirs with an appropriate date on it works. And the interior of the shop is very attractive so worth a stop, even if you’re not tempted.

I wasn’t tempted to buy a fishy treat, but I did walk away with a box of 6 Pastel da Nata for 7 Euros. Absolute bargain!! Obidos was good fun and well worth stopping. Next stop Lisbon.

The capital city was a relatively short drive from Obidos but, of course, the heavy city traffic prevented it being particularly quick. However, we were soon at our hotel which would be home for the next three nights.

After Athens, Lisbon is the second oldest European capital city. In its greater area the population is circa 3.5 million and tourism in the city is huge as we were soon to discover. Our hotel, the Lumen, was largely a business hotel and ideally could have been more centrally located. Originally, we were set to stay at the Real Palacio but this was changed before travelling. Regardless, the Lumen gave us a bed for the night and a decent breakfast and there were restaurants and bars within easy reach at the end of each long, hot day.

After breakfast on our first morning, we set off on a city tour by bus, stopping at several places. Being a coastal city, Lisbon attracts many, many cruise ships and the passengers from these were soon evident when we arrived at the site of the Belem Tower and the Monument of the Discoveries. There were people everywhere and the coaches were battling for space to park and then pick-up. It was nice to be on the coast, and the sea breeze was welcome, but time was limited and we quickly moved on after a quick wander and time to take one or two photos.

We next visited the well-known Pasteis de Belem shop, believed to be the oldest in the city. Agafin, it was packed and getting a pastry and a coffee was a challenge. Finding the space in which to eat and drink it was another challenge, but we managed.

The World Cup was now upon us and with just 24 hours to go before Portugal had their first match in Texas, USA, the flag, rosette and scarf sellers were setting up with the Red and Green appearing extensively around the city.

We decided to stay in the city rather than return to the hotel with the bus. It looked a straightforward walk back to the hotel or a taxi if required. It was nice to see more on foot and have lunch and a drink or two to make the most of the day. Lisbon has a tree-lined avenue which conveniently formed a part of our route as we walked in the general direction of the hotel. This provided welcome shade after spending enough time in the sun, stopping for a drink, seeing the San Juste Elevator and many other buildings and monuments.

I don’t quite feel we did Lisbon justice with one full day in the city. As a city break, three full days would allow a visit to Downtown Lisbon and one or two other areas of interest that we didn’t get to see. Having said that, we do have a second full day and would be spending that in Sintra – a must see on any visit to the Portuguese capital.

Sintra is basically a suburb of Lisbon that sits at the foot of the Serra Mountains, which explains some of the steep walking around the towns winding, cobble-stoned streets, steps and paths. It has understandably become quite commercialised, but its appeal remains. The Palacio Nacional de Sintra was originally a Moorish Palace but became the official residence of the Portuguese Royal Family from the 12th century. The palace contains a collection of Hispanic and Moorish tiles and decorative arts and while we were there you could clearly see some of the restoration and renovation work being undertaken.

In the time that we had we enjoyed the palace, visited some of Sintra’s shops and had a lovely lunch on one of the terraces overlooking the town. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to get to Pena Palace which would have been firmly on the list had we had another half-day. There are buses that you can take to save the challenging walk, but time was against us.

On reflection it would have been preferable to have an extra day in Lisbon and see the capital city before travelling up to Porto to then enjoy the Douro River cruise. In other words, do everything we did in reverse but with a bit more time in Lisbon. Not to worry, it was a lovely holiday and a nice way to see what Portugal has to offer.

Fly North for three hours from London and you arrive in Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland. In a country of just over 300,000 people, around 125,000 Icelanders live in the city.

We landed late afternoon at what felt like an empty Keflavik Airport. Quickly through Passport Control and then Baggage Reclaim we were soon on the bus that would transfer us to the Reykjavik Centrum Hotel in the middle of Reykjavik.
Snow had fallen during the previous week but the relative warmth of April had cleared the majority of it by the time we arrived. However, it was still cold, especially so as a result of the almost constant breeze that whipped around the country from various directions. It was Easter Saturday and for the rest of the day plus Easter Sunday the time was our own. Everything we planned to do during our stay had been arranged prior to arrival and this certainly took a lot of the hassle away and also saved us time.

A quick look around the centre, close to the hotel, plus something to eat and drink in the hotel bar effectively took care of what remained of Saturday although we were booked for the Northern Lights Tour that first night but due to weather conditions this had been cancelled so was re-booked for the following night. Then on Sunday there was plenty of time to explore further and find out what the city had to offer. A mental note was taken of any bars and restaurants that could be useful during the week.

For a small city (medium sized town maybe) the locals do like a bit of public art;…..urban art;…. graffiti;…… call it what you like. There is a lot about and like anywhere else, some of it is good and some it is quite simply untidy and far removed from art. Personally, I quite like a lot of it.
The reviews that we had read beforehand stressed how well located the hotel was and this soon became apparent. It took very little effort or time to reach The Old Harbour, The Harpa Concert Hall, The Cathedral or the shops, bars and restaurants. We also quickly realised how expensive Iceland is. It wasn’t exactly a surprise but it’s only when you start paying the bills for teas, coffees, lunches, dinners and alcohol that it really hits home.

The weather in Iceland is definitely challenging, even in the relatively calm season that, for us in the UK, is Spring. The often strong winds around the North Atlantic mean that the weather can change quite frequently and quite dramatically. Without exaggeration we could be in bland dry greyness one minute and then twenty minutes later it could be clear blue skies and sunshine followed twenty minutes after that by a snow storm and then the same period later we would be battling with hail and/or rain. The locals claimed that it had been the toughest Winter in 20 years. It had started snowing on and off from the November and was still snowing on and off while we were there in April. And when it snows it really snows!

So, back to the hotel after a day strolling around Reykjavik and generally getting our bearings, it was time to take advantage of the happy hour (two hours actually) which on a 2 for 1 basis at least brought the price of drinks back to something like UK prices. And to be honest, the bar at the hotel was such a nice environment to spend time in that it was something that we made a point of doing on every day except one while we were there.
For dinner that night we ventured out (having eaten at the hotel on our first night) but we didn’t have to go far as Restaurant Uno looked good and was probably only 200 yards away from the hotel. The food was always good, wherever we ate, and fish (Including Whale!), lamb, chicken and even Puffin were easy to find on a menu. Back at the hotel we discovered that the Northern Lights Tour had again been cancelled so was re-booked (again) for the following night, the Monday.

Our first proper day out seeing what there was to see was on the Monday when we were touring the Golden Circle. It’s a 7 to 8 hour tour and takes in Pingvellir National Park, Gulfoss, Geyser and a Geo-Thermal Power Plant. The weather played its part, as expected. At Pingvellir, the site of the first ever Parliament – The Althing – you can also see the tectonic plates and the North Atlantic Ridge. It’s a great area for scenery with waterfalls and a river running through the valley, surrounded by snowy mountains.

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The weather changed by the time we reached Gulfoss but cleared again before we left the area. Gulfoss is Iceland’s largest waterfall and has at its peak more water rushing over it than Niagara Falls. Much of it was frozen when we saw it which made the landscape and resulting photographs a little bit different to anything we had seen before. By the time we had had lunch at the site the weather had changed yet again and we had transitioned from driving hail to relatively clear and back to driving hail.

Onward to Geysir, the only Icelandic word that has made its name in an international sense. Geysir is the name of the town where there are a predominance of Hot Springs that have, in turn, become known and referred to as ‘Geysers’. There were outlets everywhere with funnels of steam plus the strong smell of sulphur drifting into the air all across the landscape. They spout quite irregularly although Geysir has its own fairly reliable Hot Spring that manages to satisfy the tourists at reasonably consistent intervals of 4 to 5 minutes. But remember, what goes up also comes down, and the water is hot! Photographically the eruption is fairly easy to capture as there is a noticeable build-up of pressure before the water rises slowly before being fired into the air and then ultimately soaking those below that haven’t bothered checking the wind direction before taking up their place around the edge of the Hot Spring.

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From Geysir we continued around the circle to the Hellisheidi Geo-Thermal Power Plant where we stopped briefly for a video presentation and a quick look around the plant. 95% of the heating in Iceland is now provided free to the people and geo-thermal activity also contributes to subsidised electricity for the country.

It had been a long day by the time we were back in Reykjavik but a really good one and we were in the hotel to take advantage of Happy Hour! In a way it was also good news that after the day we had just had the Northern Lights Tour had again been cancelled. You know the routine by now; rebooked for Tuesday night!

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The following day was a free day for us so we had a chance to plan what we wanted to do. This included visits to the Old Harbour, the Viking Museum (why you might ask!!), the Whales Iceland Exhibition, shopping and lunch in the centre of town plus a proper look at both the Cathedral and the Harpa Concert Hall. And it was cold with a mixture of that bland dry greyness, clear blue skies and sunshine and a snow storm that I referred to previously. The timing of the snow storm coincided with us being at the midpoint of walking from the hotel to our furthest destination, the Viking Museum, just past the Old Harbour. We got battered for a while and were grateful to be able to seek refuge at the first available opportunity which happened to be the Viking Museum. Around half an hour spent in the museum was followed by a short but cold walk (it was clear and sunny by now by the way!) to the Whales Iceland Exhibition which was worth a visit (although quite pricey!). From there we walked back through the Old Harbour past all the Whale Watching Boat companies and then back towards the centre for lunch. The afternoon was spent down by the Harpa Centre where we took advantage of the clearer skies for photos of the mountains across the bay and then back among the shops and cafes before heading back to the hotel. The Northern Lights Tour had already again been cancelled so maybe tomorrow (Wednesday) night??
Wednesday was a big, long day.

We had booked a day (approx. ten hours) in a Superjeep. This would take us further afield and to places not easily (if at all) accessible by ‘normal’ road transport. Sitting high off the ground with huge wheels and large clearances we were plunged down into and across rivers, over lava beds, up snowy hills, through breaking waves on the beaches and occasionally on normal roads. The seat belts would occasionally tighten fiercely as you were thrown left, right, backwards, forwards and upwards as your body reacted to the stresses being placed on the Jeep. Our first stop was the site of the lava flow from E15, the volcano that erupted violently in 2010 and disrupted so much air traffic (including almost diverting us to Paris as we returned from Cuba into London Heathrow). The lava flow melted a huge glacier and initially flooded the valley that we had just driven through before coming to rest as high up the freshly snowed mountain as we could reach. The mountain had also suffered fresh cracking in the 2010 eruption and these were clearly visible. And despite the stillness of the landscape, the constantly changing light and cloud cover altered the view sufficiently enough to overwork the camera before we made our way back through the snow in the jeep. Bouncing through the rivers provided a free car wash (including the roof!) on several occasions as we not so slowly worked our way back to genuine tarmac.

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It was a day of contrasts and from the stark whiteness of fresh snow we moved on to the somehow clean and pure blackness of the sand on Iceland’s beaches. The Superjeep was in its element, throwing itself into and over the dunes, flirting with the waves as they crashed onto the sand and creating patterns with its oversized but absolutely invaluable tyres. In slightly surreal fashion we drove past the unexpected sight of the wreck of an old United States aircraft that was slowly deteriorating on the highest part of the beach. But the real interest lay in the remains of a Whale, beached and at one time buried under the sands but since uncovered during the recent Winter by the storms that had hit the country.

Our next stop was at a series of waterfalls in the valley, the first of which was only properly visible through a small opening in the rock, creating an open-topped cavern that, with a bit of care, you could access via stepping stones in the stream leading from the fall. This took you right up to the waterfall where getting wet was an inevitability but it was still worth a look. From here you could walk alongside the side of the rock past several other falls to the next big one and there follow a path behind the fall and out the other side.

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Back on the road and the weather changed again. From blue skies at the falls we were suddenly back in the grips of another blizzard and by the time we stopped again there was a fresh dusting of snow covering the surrounding countryside. We pulled in alongside a shallow river that was being fed by another fall about 350 metres from where we had parked. There were routes to walk up to the top or alternatively you could get as close to the bottom of the fall as possible; and this was the option we took. Initially, with the snow falling and visibility being less than ideal, I settled for a few quick photographs before we ventured inside the café for a drink in the hope that the weather would again change as quickly as it just had. Fifteen minutes later and sure enough we had blue skies again. What a difference that made to what we were now able to see. The photos taken previously would have been good enough as memories but now, with the contrast of the blue skies, the fresh snow, the clear water from the fall, the sunshine and now also a rainbow the scenery was even more impressive. We took our time walking to the waterfall and then back again before climbing back into the jeep to begin our journey back to Reykjavik. It had been a really good day.

On the road back our driver was in contact with his boss who confirmed that he would be running the Northern Lights tour that evening and so, although we were booked with a different company, it appeared that we could be in for a very late night. On arrival back at the Centrum Hotel, confirmation that our Northern Lights tour was indeed ON could be found on the main desk in reception. So, for the one and only time we missed out on Happy Hour and headed out for something to eat. The closest restaurant was The Fish Market, literally a few yards walk, and it was somewhere we thought we might try one evening although looked like it would be slightly more expensive than the average, And it was!! Lovely place, nice menu and great food but we did pay for it.

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The Northern Lights tours start with a pickup at the hotel at 9 o’clock and then the object is to head out of the city and ‘hunt’ for the lights. It has to be clear (no clouds) and very dark and there also has to be the required level of activity. It was certainly clear, albeit a little patchy, darkness (even at 9 pm) wasn’t quite what it needed to be yet and as for activity, that would also hopefully come later. We drove for over an hour towards The Althing (the site of the first Parliament and the North Atlantic Ridge) that we had visited two days previously. We were one of several coaches arriving at this particular venue but it had the real advantage of the café/restaurant staying open for the time we were there and this at least gave us somewhere to occasionally warm up in-between standing in almost pitch-black on the snow trying to spot the slightest movement or hint of Green, Red or Purple in the night sky. The clock ticked by as we all diligently stared skywards in complete silence (almost as if too much noise may frighten the lights away!). 11 o’clock arrived – nothing; Midnight arrived – still nothing. Time to get inside for a while and warm up a bit; it was around two degrees below freezing and just standing around doing nothing was taking its toll on everybody. We certainly weren’t in the minority when we got into the room and there was no sitting room and to be honest little standing room but at least it was warm. Then, a knock on the window resulted in everybody stirring into action with a rush for the doors similar to that when the New Year sales open on Oxford Street! So, out we went again and found somewhere reasonable to stand where a view in a northerly direction would be largely unobstructed by others. The faintest hint of Green light was visible over the top of the facing mountain and this moved and altered slightly before disappearing. And that was pretty much it. Half an hour later the coaches were starting their engines and on the snow covered road back towards Reykjavik. We had all received the “can’t control nature’ and ‘no guarantees’ speech on the way out from the city and the fact that this was at the back end of the season for seeing the Northern Lights meant that nobody was too surprised at the weak display of lights on this particular occasion. But we were soon to receive an unexpected bonus. No more than twenty minutes into our drive back to the city and the coach was pulling over alongside two or three others in a parking area on the top of a hill. The driver had noticed some activity and before allowing everybody off the coach had stopped to check if it was something worth stopping for. And it was. Suddenly, a rush of passengers squeezed towards the coach door and we made our way out into the cold air again and took up a position from where we could say a strong line of Green colouring the outline edge of the mountain in front of us. This was a much stronger light than the one previously and it then changed, displaying upward streams of light from the arc of green created by the shadow outline of the mountain. It fluttered and faded for a while before totally disappearing but generally we all felt a lot better about justifiably claiming to have now seen the Northern Lights. It certainly wasn’t the most spectacular display you would ever see but at least we saw something.

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It was 2 o’clock by the time we reached our hotel but we had nothing planned for the following morning (Thursday) so we could at least get what had been a very long day out of our system before starting again tomorrow.

To hell with the expense, we had breakfast at the hotel next morning. It was a slow start to the day following the ‘big day’ yesterday. We had the morning free until 11 o’clock when we were heading off to the Blue Lagoon for a few hours so we spent a bit more time around the centre. It was snowing (again)!

Swimming gear organised, we made our way to the bus that would take us to the Blue Lagoon. The lagoon was a natural hot spa on a lava field and had become a very popular destination for both locals and tourists. It was close to the airport and Keflavik and took about an hour to reach it - you could see the steam from the facility in the distance as we approached. The smell of sulphur was again strong as we walked to the entrance and showed our tickets at the reception area. We hired robes and towels and found our way towards the changing areas where the benefits of a very clever and secure locker system made life easier when you want to take a few photos and then put your camera away for a while. It’s a natural lagoon so don’t anticipate it being kind to your feet. The bottom is invisible as the water is a milky blue colour and it’s also very uneven; smooth in some areas, sharp in others and consistently undulating. But it’s a lot warmer in the water than it is out and the water temperature varies as you move around as some areas are much hotter than others. As with most things in Iceland, it’s an expensive experience but fairly unique and not something you have the chance to do every day. We used the café while we were there (more money!!) and suddenly it started snowing again, this time heavily. Visibility diminished dramatically and all but a few remained in the water. Jan decided she wanted to be one of them, which was fine. Then, showered and changed we paid our bill (Ouch!) and walked through the snow back to the bus that would be leaving for Reykjavik at 3 o’clock.
Back in the city around 4 o’clock we wandered from the bus station to the hotel via the Café Paris which we had found and liked a few days before, getting back in time for Happy Hour. Later we decided to return to Restaurant Uno for our evening meal and made plans for the following morning which we again had free to do as we wanted.

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Plans for our last full day, such as they were, included shopping and a visit to the Cathedral to go up the tower for views and photos over the city.
We woke to a lovely day; still some snow around but the sky was clear and the sun was shining; perfect for the tower so that would now have to be our priority – just in case the weather changed! Everything in Reykjavik was easily walkable and once you’d got your bearings it took very little time to get anywhere so we aimed for the Cathedral as soon as we were up and ready. We timed it well as a queue seemed to build just after we bought our tickets and waited to go up in the elevator. At the top you have to climb a few steps to get to the highest point but the views from there are great. Iceland, in general, is a fairly Black and White country with the dark lava fighting with the ice and snow for dominance. To add colour, the Icelanders make their homes and other buildings as colourful as possible and, from the top of the Cathedral Tower, the view looks like a model village made from Lego bricks with all the various coloured roofs taking centre stage. In the distance the bay and harbour and behind that the mountains looked in immaculate condition on what for us was the clearest day we had seen in the capital city.

Back down the hill from the Cathedral we shopped for one or two items and generally took our time before a coffee break at The Laundromat Café, close to the hotel. Time was pushing on and we had a pickup at 1 o’clock from the hotel to get us down to the Old Harbour to get the boat and go out Whale Watching. It was a three hour excursion around the bay and would be the last real event of our trip to Iceland. It was cold but still clear and after getting our tickets and boarding the boat we were all offered thick overalls as protection against the wind. We accepted!! We sat outside on the middle deck and one of the crew sat on the top deck looking for whatever he could see and then pointing it out to us. Unfortunately, on the day there was very little activity in the water around Reykjavik other than a small pod of Porpoises which from our side of the boat we didn’t really see in any case. Being April, we were at the very end of the Northern Lights season and the very beginning of the Whale Watching season so we came with low expectations of seeing either. I suppose one out of two isn’t bad. So, out of the overalls and back on Terra Firma we walked around the Old Harbour and headed back towards the centre where we had promised ourselves one of the local Hot Dogs available from the kiosk in the Main Square. It was just after 4:30 so was closing in on that time again ……….. Happy Hour! A couple of hours and drinks in the hotel bar and we got ready and ventured out to Bistro Geysir for our final meal in Iceland.

The morning call for transfer to the airport was an early one – 0300, so a late night was off the agenda. A bleary eyed ride to Keflavik Airport came around all too quickly but it had been a good week. It had snowed again through the night and Iceland was White once again. Our flight was the first one out that morning and we arrived back in the UK before 11 o’clock (Local Time) with lighter wallets but a few photos and memories to make up for it.

Where can we go to where we have never been before, not too far away, not too expensive, with decent weather and which is at least a bit different culturally to places we have already seen. Honestly, it was a bit of a challenge but eventually we received a big ‘leg up’ from friends who said “we fancy going to Croatia, how about you?”.

Minutes later we were planning the trip and before long we realised that, for good measure, we could add a visit into Montenegro and another into Bosnia Herzegovina; both within easy reach, especially if we based ourselves close to Dubrovnik, Croatia’s old walled town on the coast.
The outcome was a 10-day stay at the beginning of May, a time of the year we felt confident of temperatures circa 22/23 degrees.

We flew from Gatwick on the early flight which landed us in Dubrovnik at around 11 am local time – and one hour later we arrived at our hotel in Lapad, the peninsula close to Dubrovnik, clearly visible from the upper cable car station and also the location of the main marina and any visiting cruise ships which berthed on the other side of the inlet from the hotel.

This being our first day, we decided to keep things simple. i.e. settle in, unpack cases, get organised, have a drink, go for a walk nearby. We opted for turning left out of the hotel, crossing the road and following the waterside path. This route was soon interrupted when we found ourselves in a residential area but knowing that the houses now separated us from the Adriatic we persevered until we found some steps between the houses that took us back to the path running alongside the water.

The novelty of being in a new country plus the usual curiosity of what was (a) living in the water and (b) around the next corner, kept us going until we reached a bar (Beach Bar Ponat) set on the hillside within an area of woodland and still just a matter of a few steps from the water’s edge. This turned out to be a really nice surprise and a great place to stop, have a drink and take in the first of numerous views that we would enjoy during the trip.

After wandering back to the hotel it was almost time to get ready for dinner and drinks afterwards which was also time to reflect on how much we had done since arriving just a few hours earlier.

The food at the hotel was proving to be very good with plenty to choose from, including for those with Gluten-Free requirements. Our first breakfast on Day 2 also failed to disappoint so it was easy to ‘fuel-up’ for going into Dubrovnik for the first time. The buses are regular and very good without being too expensive but the rep at the hotel suggested we looked at using Uber as and when it suited us. This turned out to be very good advice as not only did it work out cheaper when split between the four of us but also the response times are very good and little time gets wasted. Consequently, we opted to visit the small seaside village of Cavtat.

Cavtat is about halfway between Dubrovnik in Croatia and the border with Montenegro. It’s a lovely place to spend a few hours and make sure you explore because what we thought to be a short little promenade area with a few boats in a Marina and the backdrop of a church and some surrounding buildings transpired to be a sideshow to the main event which was tucked around a corner where the bay on the opposite side opened up to an even more attractive and much longer promenade with shops, cafes, restaurants, boat tours and ultimately a church on the peninsula from where you can climb to the very neat and tidy cemetery from where the views of Cavtat prove to be well worth the effort.
From here, we took a bus back ‘home’ to Lapad, dinner at the hotel and drinks afterwards with a game of cards. Plans were made for the following day and our first proper day in the old town Dubrovnik where would start to take advantage of our 3-Day Passes.

After breakfast we booked an Uber which we took to the Pile Gate entrance of the Old Town at Dubrovnik. Dubrovnik is busy with visitors even in early May but our driver assured us that in comparison to July and August that this was quiet. Between the four of us we decided that we would each buy a 3-Day Pass for the old town and walk the walls today. The Passes are 50 Euros for 3 consecutive days and the entrance to the Walls is 40 Euros each so all but 10 Euros of the cost of the Pass was covered immediately. It’s therefore something that can save you some money with certain things being free of charge when you have the Pass (but not everything – e.g. the cable car is not included).

It was a lovely day and we were happy that the weather forecast was generally proving to be incorrect; and this continued to be so for most of our 10 days. Walking the walls can be challenging with many steps to navigate and, as the day warmed up, we were grateful for a convenient bar stop at one of the high points on the walls, overlooking the Adriatic Sea. We were only about one quarter of the way round at this point but, with one of the higher climbs being close to where we started, it proved to be enough to sustain us for the rest of the walk which is really worth doing with many views and places of interest including some for any ‘Game of Thrones’ fans.

For the rest of the day we strolled around the streets and lanes of the old town occasionally tempted by a restaurant for lunch and later, at what ended up as a daily ritual, an ice cream parlour. We also made plans for how to spend the days either side of three pre-booked excursions that we had paid for before travelling. These excursions covered a trip to Mostar in Bosnia Herzegovina (on Day 4), a 3-Islands Tour (on Day 6) and a visit to Kotor and Perast in Montenegro (on Day 8). We also had to consider a birthday that one of us had during the holiday and where to go for a ‘special’ meal on that evening.

The excursions unfortunately interrupted our 3-Day Pass which basically covered our days 3 to 5 with Day 4 being spent in Mostar. We were unanimously keen to take in the Salvador Dali Exhibition that was in Dubrovnik but this wasn’t included so decided to do that later in the trip. The same could be said for the Cable Car but, for now, we focused on getting the benefits that we could from the Pass during the two days available and there were plenty. Various museums and/or galleries plus the obligatory churches, cathedral and monastery.

So, back to Dubrovnik.

With it being coastal, there are areas along the waterfront (at what is effectively the port) that are set up nicely with bars and restaurants that are only accessible by entering the old town interior from one of the gates (such as Pile Gate). And it is from the Port that you can also take a boat to the nearby island of Lokrum. It’s well worth the 20-minute ride each way and two or three hours of your time to wander around among the Peacocks, old buildings and forest walks. But that’s for another day.

The Maritime Museum is also in the Port area and is covered by the 3-Day Pass.

Like many places, Dubrovnik looks very different at night. Very well lit with a different but still very welcoming atmosphere. We were looking forward to sampling it when we return to eat at The Dubravka Restaurant on Friday evening (Day 5 for us).

Back at the Hotel Lapad we enjoyed another evening meal and relaxed a bit before the early start and long day to Mostar the following morning. The fact that we would miss breakfast was well catered for by the hotel with individual bags provided for us to take on our journey which began at 06:30. Despite the early start it wasn’t a particularly long journey but there is a delay at the border as every passport is checked, copied and stamped.

Bosnia Herzegovina immediately felt less affluent and that was certainly reflected in the prices of food and drink when compared to what we had found in Croatia (which was almost the same as the UK).

There was also a change in the weather, but Mostar remains an interesting place to visit for its history and the cultural difference that is apparent. The bridge is the star attraction of the town, famous for its role in the Balkan War. Following its destruction, which literally divided the town, the bridge has now been rebuilt in the original style and both sides of the river are now once again joined.

Because it is a small and compact town with one main area of tourist focus it was understandably busy all around the area of the bridge but there were enough cafes, bars and restaurants to be able to find a table for lunch and a drink at very reasonable prices.

After Mostar, today’s journey incorporated a stop at the Kravice Waterfalls and these were a nice surprise. There are a few steps and some walking down to the base of the falls but there are many photo opportunities from top to bottom. And on cue, the sun came back out for us.
The bus back to Dubrovnik, slowed by the Border Control again, just about made it back to our hotel in time for dinner. It had been a long, full and very enjoyable day.

Obviously, we had now just wasted the second day of our 3-Day Pass so we would be back to the old town tomorrow to make the most of the Pass but value for money was already not an issue. And so it was. Uber booked and soon after breakfast on Day 5 and we were back at Pile Gate to fill in a few more gaps on our Dubrovnik experience. We strolled through to the Port and found the kiosk selling tickets for the boat over to Lokrum and a short while later we were disembarking on Dubrovnik’s nearest neighbouring island.

It was a warm day and getting warmer but it’s nice that Lokrum has so many trees to provide shade almost everywhere if and when needed. There is plenty to see and do although it is not inhabited. However, it does have a history including once being owned by Archduke Maximillian I and being one of the locations used to film Game of Thrones, something that Dubrovnik and Lokrum attempt to take full advantage of. There is also a Botanical Gardens, a Monastery, a Fort and a salt water pool cheekily named The Dead Sea. Make sure you’ve got your trainers on but it’s time well spent on the island and only 20 minutes to get back to the old town. Boats run every half an hour. Beware the fighting Peacocks!!

In the evening we had a birthday to celebrate so we forfeited the very good food at the hotel for a pre-booked table at the Dubravka Restaurant, just outside the old town walls near the Pile Gate, between the walls and the Fort. Food excellent, service excellent, location excellent; enough said. We ended the day with a lovely walk around the old town at night and of course a drink before heading back to Lapad.

Our 3-Day Pass was now fully exhausted and our Sixth day was back on the road or rather back on the water because today we did the Three Islands Cruise to the Elephite Islands; namely Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan. The cruise included lunch and unlimited drinks and was remarkably inexpensive. All three islands are a little different and, quite simply, on a sunny day it was a lovely way to spend a day in Croatia. The staff on board were very attentive and the free time on each island never felt rushed but we still made it back for dinner in plenty of time.

It was now Sunday (Day 7) and we had absolutely nothing planned. Fill in the gaps we thought - an Uber to the top Srd Hill (the upper station of the Cable Car) was the outcome. Rather than take what we felt was an expensive return ride on the cable car we saved a little cash by taking an Uber to the top (still not cheap and many taxis refuse to do this journey due to the lack of a return fare) and just buy a single ticket for getting back down. There is also the option of a pathway to walk back down (or up) should you choose to do so.

When at the top the view is obviously outstanding but there is more to Srd Hill than just the view. The outdoor café-restaurant is related to the Dubravka Restaurant and offers good quality food and drink options while the indoor facilities provide a less expensive option. In addition, there is also a very good Museum telling the story of the Balkan War in the early to mid 1990’s. Unexpected, this was a nice surprise and explained a lot about something we knew little about.

Back at the bottom of Srd Hill the walls of Dubrovnik are right in front of you and we entered once again but for the first time not through Pile Gate. This alternative entrance gave us a higher access which placed us at the top of the long staired alleyways that we viewed on numerous occasions from ground level inside the old town. The parallel lanes along the hillside that cut across the alleyways contained more bars and eateries as well as shops so while the two women browsed, the two men sat and enjoyed a beer. No excuse required but, despite the forecast (again), it was another warm and dry day!

Reunited, the four of us stayed at the restaurant and had lunch before doing some old town wandering, exploring a few shops and taking the usual afternoon ice cream from one of the vendors. We had gradually ticked off the Cathedral, Monastery and various churches and museums during our times in Dubrovnik so by the time we fly home we should be able to say we have properly seen it.

Reflecting over dinner back at the hotel we remembered that the following day was our trip to Montenegro and therefore another early start and another packed breakfast in a bag to collect at the Hotel Reception before we made our way to the coach.

The Croatia-Montenegro border was less than an hour away but with Border Control plus a few miles the other side we were expecting a couple of hours travel time to get to Kotor but with some nice scenery along the way as much of the journey was coastal. The programme for the day was a visit to Kotor for a few hours and then a boat ride to one of the small islands and the village of Perast where our coach will meet up with us again for the journey back to Croatia and Dubrovnik.

And Remove Dubrovnik from what we had so far seen in Croatia and the scenery in Montenegro had, in my opinion, a bit of an edge over Croatia. The landscape was more mountainous than hilly, and the Adriatic Sea seemed trapped, looking more like a Fjord and the feeling of being by an open sea in any normal sense was simply non-existent.

On arrival in Kotor, we were met by a local guide who gave us a 30-minute talk about the town and its history. Thereafter, we had a few hours of free time before meeting up for the boat. Kotor itself was compact, neat and tidy with much of its history centred around the walls and defences on the hillside high above the town. Tourism, similar to Herzegovina (Mostar), is more than welcome in Montenegro, to invigorate what is a sleepy economy. The countries certainly have something to offer.

We left Kotor by boat and headed for the island called ‘Our Lady of the Rocks’, a very brief stop for a few photos before the hop to nearby Perast. I really liked Perast; much more a village than the small town of Kotor and it felt a little upmarket too. We needed a bit more time in Perast but unfortunately it wasn’t possible on this occasion.

The journey home is picturesque and felt slightly quicker – maybe Border Control didn’t take quite as long as it did in the morning. The weather had turned and now it was more in tune with the recent forecast; cloudy with showers but by the time we arrived back in Lapad the sun was out again. The immediate thought was hopefully it would remain that way for our final full day tomorrow!

The last full day was going to be a relaxed one. Again, no plans (apart from Dali!), just the effort of getting back to the Old Town to see what we could find that we had so far missed. A tough day interrupted only by food and drink. And we did happen upon another museum dedicated to the fallen in the Balkan War back in the 90’s. Very nicely done and we were pleased to see it.

I had seen a Salvador Dali Exhibition in Bruges many years previously and was quite happy to see it all over again if it turned out to be the same. Regardless, this was a completely different set of works by Dali and, for me, always interesting and ticked another box.

Dali’s interpretations of Alice in Wonderland were great and brought our day (and almost the holiday) to a close and we headed for the Bus Stop just across the road from Pile Gate. Dinner was waiting back at the hotel.

Our final act was to wander along the marina path before stopping on our way back at a small wine bar, a matter of yards from the hotel. They showed us the workroom at the back where they made and bottled the wine themselves. Racks of bottles lined the walls; the place was like a Tardis. Grateful for the spontaneous tour we sat and had a drink and listened to the ‘old school rock’ music playing. It was a lovely little place with good people running it and a relatable collection of vinyl records that all added to a good last chapter of our stay in Croatia.

This was certainly a busy ten days but it all worked perfectly and a future trip to the Northern half of Croatia is highly likely with cities such as Split and Zadar being the potential bases.

Mainly to satisfy the enjoyment I get from Photography, places such as Marrakesh have always been appealing.

The earthquake in 2023 put a halt to our original plans to visit Morocco as a part of a three-centre holiday consisting of Marrakesh, the Atlas Mountains and somewhere on the coast. So it was February 2025 when we eventually made the trip with 3 nights in Marrakesh, 2 nights in Tahanaout and 3 by the sea in Essaouira.

Our flights were from Gatwick, very early in the morning. As far as the weather was concerned the forecast was for dry, warm during the day, and colder at night and first thing. Whatever, it could only be better than February in the UK.

Upon landing we were met with overcast but warm weather and it was around 11 am. Marrakesh Airport was straightforward albeit with strict security which is difficult to find fault with these days. Greeted by a Rep from the Agency and then our driver, the journey to our Riad was around 30 minutes. The driver tried calling the Riad to alert them of our arrival with the plan being that they meet us at the roadside where we would be dropped off. Our Riad wasn’t on the main road but down a few lanes which were inaccessible for vehicles. After failing to make contact with the Riad Reception our driver felt he had little option (and little English) but to drop us close as he could and point us in the direction. This he did but after walking as far as he had directed we drew a blank. No Riad!

We noticed a restaurant close by and a very helpful manager took us to a point from where we could see the Riad in front of us. We thanked him and went on our way. But this wasn’t the end of the story. When we reached the entrance the wrought-iron outer door was locked and nobody was responding to the bell. What do we do now? Fortune fell our way with a friendly young local saw that we were in a predicament and asked if he could help. I explained the situation (and his English was good) and I showed him the contact details that we had. He kindly made the call and explained how he felt about us being abandoned in this way. His assertiveness certainly worked. He found a stool for my wife to sit down on – it was now warming up – and within five minutes a moped arrived with a member of Reception from the ‘Angsana’ Riad chain to explain.

What had happened was that the original Riad we had booked was running on very low occupancy and they felt it was better to leave that closed and instead upgrade us to a suite in another in the chain just ten minutes away and, in fact, in a better location for what we wanted to do. The problem had been a breakdown in communication between the Riad and the Agency; the result being that it had also not been passed on to our Travel Agent in the UK. Anyway, a taxi was swiftly arranged to take us to the new Riad and we were successfully checked in about 40 minutes later than planned.

The Riad, regardless of our welcome upgrade, was a treasure. One of Marrakesh’s old traditional properties now serving as a very nice hotel.
With half a day still available to us, we settled in and then went for a walk to try and get our bearings for the stay whilst retaining the ability to find the Riad again later.

Leaving the quite side street behind, Marrakesh is organised chaos. It feels slightly bonkers but it works, especially for the locals. In truth, we didn’t venture too far but found a café/restaurant for a drink and the promise to return for an evening meal on one of our days.
One of the first decisions we made in Marrakesh and probably the best was to book a Walking Tour for the following morning. It was money well spent and the 3-hour guided wander around and through the maze of the Souk gave us the confidence for time on our own feeling we could find everything we wanted to see and wouldn’t get lost.

Location is everything with trips such as these and our Riad was perfectly placed to be able to walk everywhere we wanted to go.
The Souk is extensive and a major attraction in Marrakesh. It’s great fun wandering through the maze of traders and pays to explore deep into the Souk, taking some of the side alleys. And unlike some similar places we felt no pressure to buy but if you show an interest in anything be prepared to at least have a chat. And if that turns to a serious intention to buy on your part then negotiation is almost expected.

Outside the Souk it is possible to still see some restoration work being undertaken following the September 2023 earthquake but very little that currently impacts on daily lives and routines.

Other highlights for us in Marrakesh were the Main Square and Souk at night, the Bahia Palace, Koutoubia Mosque, the Secret Garden, Medersa Ben Youssef (a World Heritage site), and the people. The people in Marrakesh - and Morocco generally - were very friendly, helpful and hospitable.

After 3 days and nights in the city it was time to travel just forty minutes drive to Tahnaout in the Atlas Mountains.
It was noticeable on the journey that some of the desert was being developed with housing and roads were being improved. The properties looked far from basic and inexpensive and, when asked, our driver explained that the houses and villas were all a part of the preparation for Morocco’s part in holding the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal. He also said that many are already earmarked as second homes for foreign visitors.

Within an hour of leaving Marrakesh we were checked in and settled. This part of the trip couldn’t have been more relaxing for the 2 days and nights we were there. It’s possible to visit the mountain village of Imlin from Tahnaout but we decided to just enjoy the tranquillity of the Kasbah Angour where it became apparent that we were one of only three couples at the complex which consisted of 20 rooms with lovely gardens and an outside pool.

The views from the Kasbah Angour are lovely with snow-capped mountains on one side and hilly countryside on the other with several small hamlets dotting the landscape. Very easy to recommend.

Sad to leave but excited for the last leg of our Morocco holiday. Our final destination was Essaouira, approximately 3 hours drive from Tahnaout. Visitors to Morocco’s coast tend to end up either at Agadir or Essaouira (or occasionally Casablanca). Agadir was totally destroyed in an earthquake some years ago and has been rebuilt, completely losing the vast majority of its historic architecture whereas Essaouira escaped unscathed and the old fishing port and the walled Le Medina of Essaouira is intact; a little tired and in some places distressed but still charming and intact.

Our 8 days in Morocco had been consistently warm during the day at around 21/22 degrees which, for February, we were more than happy with. Finishing on the coast felt good and again everything was within easy walking distance from the Spa Hotel we were booked into on the front, opposite the Promenade. We had a nice room with a balcony facing the sea with breakfast included (as it had been in all three places). The lunch and dinner, if required, could be taken at the associated but separate restaurant across the road, located on the Prom where the beach, specifically for the hotel residents, was also located along with beach beds, loungers and chairs - and waiter service. Nice!

Our first stroll out of the hotel took us to the Fishing Port where the boats were all in, catch unloaded and the fish already displayed on the numerous stalls all around the harbour. It was 4 pm and the distinctive Blue boats were now tethered until late at night or early morning when they would once again venture out into the Atlantic to bring back whatever they could for local consumption.

It’s a predictably aromatic market that takes place daily at the harbour side where nets are being repaired, boats are both maintained and newly built while cats and seagulls exist side by side eager for any scraps that may be cast aside on the floor.
I decided to return early morning during our stay to see the boats come in. A different scene amid different light which should allow me to take a few different photos.

In the evening we ate at the Hotel restaurant which we found to be excellent and became the ‘go to’ for lunch and or dinner while we were in Essaouira.

The following day, day 7 of 8, we took the same route along the promenade but, instead of turning left to the harbour, we turned right into Le Medina, the old, walled version of Essaouira. There is a daily market along the main avenue with traders selling everything from food to clothing. Again, no hassle, just good fun and you basically see Moroccan life going through a daily routine which happens 7 days a week.
It’s worth trying to find each of the side streets within the Medina and there is also a small section of the old walls that can be walked. There is some wonderful old architecture and colour on the historic buildings that exist.

La Medina has many places for a coffee, a beer and/or something to eat and is also lovely at night with a nice number of people and a friendly atmosphere.

We did get back to the fishing port on our last morning and, while roaming around the nets and boats on the harbourside, taking photos of the rows of Blue fishing boats, we started talking to one of the fishermen who did his best in broken English to explain how the fishing was undertaken, showing us the lines and nets. He then beckoned us into a shed where one man was building a new boat from Eucalyptus wood; busily cutting and shaping the wood and fixing it to the basic frame. Another boat in mid-production, a slightly more advanced work-in-progress, stood outside for finishing, painting, and kitting out with equipment.

Essaouira also boasts a really wide beach; providing a nice foreground for the Moroccan sunsets which were a lovely way to finish our holiday.

ONE WEEK IN THE HEEL OF ITALY

The opening twenty minutes of No Time To Die (the last of Daniel Craig’s James Bond films) made me wonder, “Where is this place!?”

Trulli Houses alone had never been quite enough to tempt me into spending time in Puglia and the heel of Italy. That was mainly because I knew very little about the area aside from the distinctive little houses.

So, when I discovered firstly that the town in the James Bond film was a place called Matera in Italy and then found out that Matera was in Puglia, I became more curious.

The outcome of that curiosity was a seven day holiday, landing at Bari and staying at the Hotel Chiusa di Chietri just outside Alberobello.
The hotel would, for some, appear a little isolated but with a full itinerary it was ideal for many with its Spa facilities, comfortable rooms, pleasant grounds and an excellent chef. Additionally, one or two towns were a short taxi ride away for those with space to fill during their stay.

We didn’t have to worry about Breakfast or the Evening Meal as both were included and varied with a wide choice.

Day One felt quite local; starting with a visit to Locorotondo before moving to Martina Franca and ending the day with an opportunity for lunch and free-time at Alberobello with it’s concentration of Trulli houses. The conical-roofed houses are actually visible before you reach Alberobello with them randomly scattered in the countryside on the route from the hotel to Locorotondo.

Locorotondo is a nice enough town and attractively located on a hill with a nice photo opportunity as you get close. Personally, I preferred Martina Franca which felt more alive. It also has a lovely pedestrian approach with modern art and history emphasised by the architecture lining the small streets and alleyways. Of course, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants too.

Late morning we were on our way to Alberobello. The Trulli houses were already familiar to us, decorating the Puglia landscape as they do but Alberobello is on another level in terms of the sheer numbers of these properties. Certain parts of the area feel a little ‘touristy’, particularly around where the restaurants are located but the side streets are cute and very photogenic. Three or four hours including lunch is plenty of time to see this World Heritage Site.

And so back to the hotel for a much-needed evening meal which more than met the standard set on our first evening yesterday. After dinner the Bar is very convenient and also very comfortable and can be a nice way to finish the day before resting for tomorrow.

Breakfast can be a bit of a process but there is plenty there of whatever you wish to have, We didn’t hang around after breakfast as the journey to Matera is around 90 minutes’ drive with some new scenery along the way.

Once off the bus it’s a ten-minute walk to the historical centre. What a place Matera is! We had a local resident American of 25 years as our guide and she gave us about an hour and a half of her time before we were let loose on this extraordinary city. The history of how it became uninhabited before slowly being brought back to life is well worth listening to or reading about.

It would take many, many days to see it all but enjoy your day and take your time. You will learn there have been many films that include Matera as a filming location but don’t bother trying to find the bridge from the opening sequence in ‘No Time To Die’; this was cut into the film having been shot in a town approximately 30 minutes away from Matera. The town is called Gravina (di Puglia).

Matera can be a bit of a Workout, especially on a hot day, but the effort and exercise is worth it. Cave Churches punctuate the city around almost every corner and the views across the valley are memorable. The other side is accessible via a flexible bridge across a wetland at the base of the valley but it’s quite a trek and I can only imagine the views back across to the Sassi are fantastic.

We continued to walk around the main historical area of Matera and its Sassi and stumbled upon the square; the scene of James Bond’s Aston Martin doing ‘Donuts’ at the start of the movie.

As with everywhere in Italy, there are plenty of Cafes and Restaurants and, if you’re lucky, you may find one with an outside terrace and views over the city.

Another World Heritage Site by the way! It can get busy; something that is more noticeable in the centre but gets easily diluted by the myriad of sides streets and lanes.

Day Three started easily with a free morning. Our destination was to be a local Masseria, not too far from the hotel. A Masseria is defined as a stone country house with a long history of serving as a fortified farmhouse, a rest stop, or a villa in southern Italy, especially in Puglia. We spent a couple of hours learning how to make pasta, enjoying lunch, wine and Limoncello before walking around the estate to view the countryside and the animals on the Masseria.

Lecce, known in Italy as the Florence of the South, was on our agenda for the fourth day of the trip. Lecce is more of a city than the other places we had seen (except for Bari). Again, we had a local guide for an hour or so which was very informative and set us up for our free time which included lunch.

It’s hard not to compare this region with other areas of Italy and being long and narrow the country is very different from top to toe. The weather can be very different with less than a perfect climate in the North at certain parts of the year while Puglia and other regions in the South of Italy benefit from a more favourable climate, maintaining warmer temperatures for longer. We visited in October and enjoyed lots of sunshine and temperatures between 23 and 27 degrees.

One of Lecce’s attractions is its Roman Amphitheatre that was excavated around 100 years ago. The majority of the architecture is Baroque and the buildings are largely constructed from a local golden sandstone. All very nice to wander around, especially in good weather.

Back to base again. The hotel has both an indoor and an outdoor swimming pool if you can find the time. There is also some lovely outside space for sitting and having a drink as an alternative to sitting in the bar area.

Late nights aren’t such a great idea as the breakfast is too good to miss and there is a need to get on the road to make the most of each day. And tomorrow we head for the first of our optional trips; this one to the coastal village of Trani followed by a stop at Castel del Monte.

Trani was a great surprise. Another sunny day, White church on the edge of the Adriatic Sea, a couple of weddings during the morning, fishing boats unloading and selling their catches, bars, cafes and restaurants around the harbour, not too many people – a real highlight of the trip.

Castel del Monte wasn’t much more than half an hour from Trani. The golden sandstone gives it a new appearance which disguises its 13th century origins. It doesn’t take long to walk around the two floors and each room is interesting and worth the effort. The Castel is located in the middle of the countryside so some of the views are panoramic.

Our final day of sightseeing took us to Ostuni; the second of our optional trips. Perched on a hilltop, Ostuni is visible from the coastal road. Ostuni is a typical Italian White village in much the same way as Spain has its White villages.

To me, Spain and Italy are the same BUT different. They grow very similar crops but Italy, certainly in Puglia, appears to focus heavily on Olives. There are Olive groves everywhere you look (more than in Andalucia in Spain) and, more generally, there are many more trees than I was expecting.

The walk through the village of Ostuni is one not to miss. It is well looked after and feels quite prosperous. From the top you can see the ocean again and the town of Ostuni del Mare.

It was quite sad knowing that this was the final visit on our trip but Puglia and the surrounding area had been great. We felt very fortunate with the weather we had enjoyed (very different to the forecast seen just one week before!), the hotel was excellent and we met some nice people along the way. All we wanted now was for the flight the next day to be on time – and it was. Job done, and on to the next.