Travel Lightbulb

Wishing everyone who has been kind enough to pop over to my little travel blog this year all the best for a fabulous Christmas, and a wonderful 2020! Lots of love, Mandy xx

This cleverly titled giant sculpture is called 'Waste of a Dolphin', and is on display at marinas throughout the Portuguese Algarve this summer, and for the next five weeks it's on display in the outdoor space at the Portimão Museum by the riverside. The dolphin is about eight feet long, and is by Algarve artist BJ Boulter, and is completely made out of discarded plastic.  It's safe to say we're all becoming more and more aware that the oceans desperately need our help, and the idea for this project came from a voyage into South Africa by boat years ago. BJ sailed into the harbour in Durban, and the water was glittering like diamonds - but it was actually a sea of plastic bottles. So sad, and very shocking.  The work is part of a show entitled 'Listen to the Ocean', and is part of a winder initiative powered by Marlagos and CIMA, the centre for marine investigation at the University of the Algarve. We can all do our bit to make the world a be...

Sorrento is known as the gateway to the Amalfi coast, but it's also a great place to visit even if you don't plan to travel around too much. It has a real buzz about it, and I've found a beautiful place to retreat to after a busy day exploring the sights. La Rupe Relais is a B&B with 6 rooms on the ground floor of a 16th century villa situated just five minutes walk from the old town. The building is a real landmark in Sorrento. It sits on a gorge which houses the remains of an ancient mill, and has beautiful gardens to relax in.  The rooms are furnished in an old Italian style, with antique furniture and elegant tapestries. They all have a private bathroom; mini fridge; safe; wi-fi and TV. The best thing is that even though you're in the centre of town, they're lovely and peaceful! There is also a pool in the gardens - a real relief to return here in the afternoon to cool off in the summer. As for the breakfast there are lots of choices...

Those of you who know me well will be well aware of just how much I love Portugal. I've been holidaying in the country since I was a little girl, and am now lucky enough to have a little hideaway there. It came as no surprise to me that Portugal has been named Best European Destination for the third consecutive year at the World Travel Awards Europe - the travel equivalent of the Oscars.  All in all, Portugal won an incredible 26 awards, with Lisbon being named the best city break destination, and the Algarve as Europe's Leading Beach Destination. So many people I meet have yet to visit the country and I have to say they're missing out! It's easy to get off the beaten track; avoid the tourist hotspots and find your own piece of paradise - even in the busier summer months. If it's not on your list, it should be.

Hello everyone. I'm pleased to say that after a busy few months, I'm back! Travel Lightbulb was always set up as a hobby, and sadly sometimes life (well....work to be honest!) gets in the way of that. I'm sorry I had to take a little pause in proceedings, but the good news is that I've been on my travels again and have a few amazing tips for you all.  This time, Italy was the destination of choice and I'll be sharing some of the brilliant places I've found over the next few months. I have a summer of travelling planned, so I'll be doing plenty of rambling on here in the coming weeks! It's nice to be back....and thanks as always for following x

Wondering where I've gone? Well that's nice because that means you care! I've had a really busy time of it with my "day job", so have struggled to keep up with the blogging. I'm currently taking some time to write up all the wonderful places I've been finding for you, and am hoping to have things up and running again soon.  Bear with me - I promise the wait will be worth it, I've got some cracking places to share with you in the coming months, and have already started planning this year's travel destinations. More on that very soon. Happy travelling to you all, and for those of you who are also busy with the day job....happy travel dreaming!