The city of Southampton is in Hampshire on England’s south coast and has been an important sea port for centuries. Today Southampton is the UK’s leading cruise port. The Mayflower initially sailed from here for America in 1620, before stopping off at Plymouth. The Titanic sailed from Southampton in 1912, and author Jane Austen lived in the […]
Things to do in London with kids – December
If you’re planning a family day out in London in December, there’s a wealth of fab things to see and do there, many of which are free of charge. Each month I publish a round-up of some of the most interesting, unusual, quirky and fun things to do in the city with kids – here’s […]
5-night itinerary for Northern Tunisia
Until this year, I’d never been to Tunisia. Now that I’ve been to this vibrant, fascinating country twice within the space of a few months*, I’d definitely like to explore it further. Tunisia is the northernmost point of Africa, and is known for its fantastic Mediterranean beaches. But if you look beyond the beaches you’ll […]
How to shop in the souks of Tunis medina, Tunisia
One of the things that I was most looking forward to on my trip to Tunis was exploring the souks in the medieval medina, the old part of the city. I’d really enjoyed visiting the souks of Mahdia and Monastir on a previous trip to Tunisia, and when I saw how many beautiful things there […]
Free Halloween things to do in London for families
Halloween is on October 31st, and around this time there are Halloween-themed activities and events across London, many of which are free. Here are some of the best family-friendly Halloween experiences in the city which won’t cost you a thing. Covent Garden – giant pumpkin Head to Covent Garden for a perfect Halloween selfie spot. […]
Radisson Blu Hotel Birmingham review
Birmingham is Britain’s second largest city, and is currently going through a multi-million pound programme of renovation. The success of the BBC’s BAFTA-winning Peaky Blinders series (which is watched avidly in our house) is boosting visitor numbers to both Birmingham and to the West Midlands area. If you’re looking for a stylish, modern hotel in […]
2-week Itinerary: Uluru & Ningaloo Reef with a teenager
The second half of my month-long trip to Australia with my 16-year old son Max was wonderful. Having spent a week in Sydney and then a week in Queensland exploring the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest (you can read about the first half of our trip in this post), we headed into the heart of […]
2-week itinerary: Sydney & Great Barrier Reef with a teenager
I used to live in Sydney in the 1990s and absolutely loved my time there. My children have grown up hearing stories of big skies, wonderful scenery, sea and sunshine. It was hardly a surprise when my 16 year-old son Max declared his burning desire to go to Australia when we were deciding on a […]
The best thermal baths in Budapest
Budapest sits on more than 120 thermal springs, so the city is home to many different bath houses. Thanks to this, the Hungarian capital has been called the spa centre of Europe – the springs and their ‘healing properties’ have been used for centuries. The first summer I went to Budapest, we’d planned to visit […]
Free things to do in New York City with teenagers
New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the world for travellers – and it’s also one of the most popular to visit, especially for teens. If you’re exploring the Big Apple with teenagers, and you’d like to keep your costs down, I have some tips for you. There are plenty of […]