I adore pastry. It’s a thing of genius. Sweet, savoury, flaky, crumbly, all covered in butter. Pastry is basically the answer to any problem. I’ve solved many a dilemma with a bit of apple pie. So I need to know exactly where the best bakeries in London are (who knows when apple pie moments might [...]

 May is the perfect time to go to Vienna because the Vienna International Festival is on!  Called the Wiener Festwochen, it’s a month of arts grandeur and fun. The festival was established in 1951 as an effort to “demonstrate Austria’s will to survive” after the ravages of the Second World War.  Here are a few [...]

Venice and glass goes together like hands and gloves. And tourists visiting Venice often want to visit a glass factory. Out at Murano, the glass blowing island in the laguna, you can get that possibility. All through the day tourists are welcome to one of the many glass workshops to watch artists working. You don’t [...]

I had dinner in Sails Brasserie at St Aubin’s Harbour on the Channel Island of Jersey in May 2010,  accompanied by Jackie Gully of Jersey.com.  The Brasserie is on the first floor of The Boat House overlooking the harbour.  We selected from the £25 three course set menu (some dishes do carry a supplement) although [...]

One of the surprising things for the first-time visitor that separates Amsterdam from other European cities is the fact that the central areas see very little in the way of traffic congestion simply because cars are not very practical in a city that is criss crossed by numerous canals.  Because of this many visitors find [...]

I can never resist visiting a museum which sounds interesting and when I heard about the Folklore Museum on the Greek island of Samos I simply had to go and take a look. Samos is a European destination with many attractions and, as I was there only on a day trip from the Turkish port [...]

Looking for a Mediterranean summer resort with history? How about 2000 years of history? Ancient Roman Emperor Tiberius used to enjoy spending summers in this beautiful seaside retreat on the Tyrrhenian Sea and, millennia later, modern-day Romans still escape the city’s sweltering summers by relaxing on the beach of  beautiful Sperlonga. Sperlonga lies south of [...]

For many visitors to France from the UK Boulogne is just another ferry port. The Dover-Boulogne ferry route is popular choice, and while many holiday-makers arriving in France quickly drive off the ferry and head straight on to their destination, those same people on their return journey often arrive in Boulogne with time to kill [...]

Speaking to someone this week who was born in Warsaw, I was reminded of one of my favourite museums – the Historical Museum of Warsaw. I love how it’s built into several great historical buildings on Warsaw’s main square, as well as how well-prepared the exhibits are. They cover pretty much the whole history of [...]

The Channel Island of Jersey is perfect for walking as there are miles of green lanes and footpaths. When I was in Jersey in May 2010, I went on a Walking in Jersey guided walk with Remi Couriard, a Blue Badge guide.  Our five mile circular walk was “Spring Colour in St Lawrence”.  Our first [...]