There are plenty of bars that claim Ernest Hemingway as a once-upon-a-time customer. But I’ll bet that the claim of El Floridita , the bar in Havana, has a pretty good reason. In fact, the Nobel Prize winner is still there drinking at the bar – in the form...
It must be one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. And if you’ve been there, I’m willing to bet that you remember that smell, that special aroma of sage, juniper and myrtle blending together in the sun. Marseille is the second largest cities in...
It’s very tricky to pronounce, it was used as a filming location for an episode of The Game of Thrones – and it’s totally amazing. For centuries, the sea of the Bay of Biscay has been pounding this Basque Country coastline and forming all manner of...
Incredible Irish designer Eileen Gray designed the house that I – and plenty of other people too I’m sure – would describe as a dream home. Completed in 1929, the house overlooks the sparkling blue sea. It was a labour of love – more about...
When you visit the island of Mustique you really are walking in the footsteps of the rich and famous. The island is a private one, these days owned by a company that is made up of the property owners. In the past, the island was a safe haven for Princess Margaret (the...
Some people think that they were built by aliens but the fact of the matter is that the Cape Romano Dome House, now abandoned, was built in 1980 by an American businessman named Bob Lee. (I’ll admit that the alien story is more romantic though). I imagine that...
The story I am going to tell you today is a legend. I don’t know whether it’s true – but I rather hope that it is. But before I get to that, I’m going to tell you several things that are absolutely true that all come together in the story of...
When I was a kid, we often spent our family holidays travelling around the area you see below on the map. Favourites were Monaco, Nice, Cannes and Northern Italy. So it’s quite likely that I’ve been to Villefranche-sur-Mer but I really want to go there now...
If you were to create your dream island, what would it be like? Mine would be exactly like Fernando de Noronha. Tropical weather, stunning views and, as you can see in the photograph above, the deepest blue and sparkling ocean. There are swaying palm trees, lovely...
I’ve written before about the northern seaside town of Blackpool in the UK and how it’s reinventing itself. And it’s doing a good job of reinventing what is probably its most famous feature, Blackpool Tower. Blackpool never really had much going for...
The Hebridean Islands are well-known because of their incredible scenery, wild seas and astonishing wildlife. The islands are largely unspoiled and the Isle of Lewis is no exception. And if you want to baffle a friend with a trivia question, who do these three...
Imagine relaxing under the stars in your own private cocoon watching a fabulous light show provided by Mother Nature. This is exactly what you can do at the Panorama Glass Lodge in Iceland. This private small lodge gives you privacy and spectacular views. As you can...
Royal scandals tend to be a thing of the past these days but in the UK in the 1930s there was plenty of royal scandal to keep everyone entertained. The British papers tried hard to rise above these matters but the foreign press had a field day with the new king,...
I love the Greek islands (and Corfu in particular) and I’m all in favour of staying in quirky hostels to experience great fun and also as a budget measure. Sunrock on Corfu is a great example of a backpackers’ hostel in a great location. Did you know that...
England abounds with eccentrics – people and buildings. And the Royal Pavillion at Brighton is so much a part of English culture that it’s only when I take a step back, and see it as a foreigner would, that I realise just how bizarre it is. Let’s...
Not all visitors to Fort Lauderdale make their way up Dixie Highway. Those who do are often paying homage to one of the greatest bass players ever – Jaco Pastorius. Before we go any further, let’s listen to him in action. This is from 1978. Jaco...
Imagine it … about a hundred feet below you, heavy waves are crashing onto jagged rocks. Seabirds swoop at you. The wind is high. The only way forward is to walk across a fragile rope bridge swaying in front of you. The walk won’t be a long one, less than...
If so, then you’ll find that Fort Lauderdale is hard to beat. And there’s so much more than the sea, sand and sun. Fort Lauderdale’s events calendar is always busy – from festivals to theatre, from art exhibitions to sporting events – and...
At the end of 2017, Airbnb published a list of destinations that were (and had been) trending. I was surprised to see the second on the list was the good old English seaside resort of Bournemouth. I lived near Bournemouth for several years – and worked there...
Many years ago, just after the Second World War in fact, an area of land that was due to become prime real estate in Fort Lauderdale was nothing more than a garbage dump. Anyone travelling along the prestigious Las Olas Boulevard down to the beach would pass this area...
If you can imagine Hercule Poirot investigating a mysterious murder in the Art Deco interior of the Burgh Island Hotel, then it’s no surprise. For one of its illustrious guests in days gone by was Poirot’s creator, Agatha Christie, and several of her...
Lying off the north-west coast of Africa, about 250 miles north of the Canary Islands, the Portuguese island of Madeira is a veritable oasis in the Atlantic ocean and is regarded as one of Europe’s most beautiful all-year-round travel destinations with one...
VIKINGS! That cry would have sent shivers of terror through the occupants of many a village about to be attacked by those medieval marauders who were famed for their ferocity in battle and their seagoing skills. Fortunate indeed would be the farmer, villager or maiden...
Travel down a narrow lane from the village of Bantham in South Devon and you’ll find yourself at Bantham Beach – popular with surfers and families. This secluded beach is the home of the Gastrobus – and the food, music and events it offers. The...
I live in Florida so it’s no surprise that I highly recommend it as a wonderful destination. Great weather, the beaches, the ocean, plenty to see and do – what more could you want? Florida also has a fascinating history that’s well worth exploring....
Built in 1946 to replace another vessel of the same name which was sunk during WW2 the Paddle Steamer Waverley is the only seagoing, passenger-carrying paddle steamer in the world and now operates passenger excursions around the British coast with the ability to carry...
In the summer of 1979, Paramount Pictures and Walt Disney Productions came together to begin a project. They sent over 160 workers and huge amounts of construction materials to Anchor Bay – a small cove on the island of Malta. Within eight months the...
Just over 150 miles south west of London is Lyme Regis – a small coastal town with fascinating literary connections. People have been living there since ancient times and it’s a fascinating place to visit. One of its attractions is the number and variety...
It’s just a few steps from the beach. The building has been meticulously renovated to the highest quality. The luxuriously furnished apartments have expansive views of the ocean. It’s located on an island on one of the most beautiful coasts in Europe....
I’m on something of a mission to help foreign visitors to England to realise that there are some great places to visit other than London. One of them is Southampton in Hampshire. It’s only eighty miles from the centre of London and takes less than two...
