As long ago as 56 BC, the Tuscan city of Lucca was being used for important conferences, such as the time when Julius Caesar, Pompey and Crassus, reaffirmed their political alliance towards each other. Today as you walk around the perfectly preserved old city walls, you are left in no doubt whatsoever that the great
The rather special little town of Lourdes has been widely cited as being a ‘sanctuary’ village and the gateway to 12 Pyrenees resorts. This delightful Pyrenees’ village tastefully combines a rich cultural heritage with a tourist development that has been designed to respect the environment. Lourdes has an everyday population of about 15,000. The town’s
Where is the best place to catfish in Spain? Easy, River Ebro! The Cat-fish is the fresh water monster of Europe and it has to be said that the River Ebro in Catalonia is one of the best rivers in which to try and catch one of these super-large fighting fish. Ever since the Cat-fish
The Costa Brava’s Palamos – A traditional Spanish working fishing port Part of the beauty of Palamos is that although you find tourists here in the summer, the amount is nowhere near the levels of other places on the Costa Brava. The Catalans get on with the daily lives in this bustling fishing port as
Historical sites, rapturous views and a periphery of golden sand – Why Rhodes remains a popular tourist destination! There was once a huge statue that stood in the port of Rhodes known as the Colossus. It was a representation of the Sun God, Helios and today is remembered as one of the seven wonders of
Where is the best place to surf in Andalucia? Read on…! On the exhilarating wind-swept beach three distinct groups of sports men and women zip along the surface of the Atlantic Ocean in a cloud of spray, the rush of adrenalin clearly visible on their faces. Behind the ocean spray you can Tangiers, Morocco forming a
The City of Girona – A must-see cultural diversion when you land at Girona Airport! Lying at the confluence of four rivers, the refreshingly small yet sublimely interesting city of Girona is a city with a rich and complicated history. During its existence, Girona has withstood 25 sieges and has fallen into the hands of
Written by Debbie Bartlett If you happen to be in Andalucía at Easter, don’t miss the opportunity to see at least one of the Holy Week processions. These take place in almost every city, town and village – in larger places there will be processions nearly every evening during the week, and in villages there
Approximately an hour’s drive south of Toulouse you come across the Ariege Midi-Pyrenees. Within this region of scenic rapture, the mountains soar up to 10,000 feet in a pristine unspoilt environment that takes on the beauty of a most heavenly spectacle. There are many fabulous walks in the Pyrenees for all age groups and abilities, where
There are certain buildings in and around Barcelona that have a unique and wonderful style, which almost look as if they should be made out of sugar and devoured alongside the cake from where they came. These thoroughly distinct architectural marvels are the buildings of Antoni Gaudi, the maverick Catalan architect. In fact this legendary
