Travel Lightbulb

Watch this space...... Travel Lightbulb will be returning very soon with a whole host of new features and places for you to discover. Keep an eye on my  Facebook  &  Twitter  accounts and you won't miss a thing!

In another of my Top 3 features, here are a few ideas for some fantastic cities to visit. I'm slightly biased on the first one - my place of birth, but there are some great places in the UK and this post proves going on a city break doesn't mean you have to leave the UK. Edinburgh Despite travelling all over the world, I maintain Edinburgh is the best city in the world. The Scottish capital not only has an iconic castle and famous architecture, but it has wonderful festivals when more than 25,000 entertainers descend on the city and it comes to life even more. If you want to avoid the crowds, don't visit in August - try one of the quieter months and see what it has to offer. York The historic city of York is quite often voted as the place most Brits would like to live. It has a rich history, and a vibrant cafe culture, so whatever type of trip you're looking for, you'll find it in York. There are hundreds of attractions here from museums to historic...

Travel Lightbulb is taking a little winter break - don't despair....I'll be back soon bringing you more great travel suggestions! In the meantime, here's a little taster of things to come in the form of one of my travel photos! See you back here soon! 

 I'm starting the new year with something a little bit different. How does this sound....luxury accommodation; a fresh unique restaurant experience AND a shop in New Zealand. The Oyster Inn is in the heart of Waiheke Island, just 40 minutes from Auckland in the village of Oneroa. We'll start with the restaurant, which offers veranda dining under the shade of surrounding palms.  They pride themselves on using the best local produce and you can have everything from delicious fresh oysters (of course!) to pork belly, or fish pie. The vegetables are grown especially for the restaurant by local gardeners.   The bar is the perfect place to meet and mingle (and wash down an oyster or two!) whether it be soaking in the view i the sunner, or sitting by the wood-burning stove in winter. Whatever the weather, you can wander up from the beach and glug on a pitcher of homemade sangria, or lemonade - yum!  The three rooms have all the amenities you c...

Happy new year to you all! To everyone who has supported my blog throughout 2013 - thank you!  All the best for 2014 - let's hope it's a good one and that you all enjoy your travels! 

As this is my last blog post before Santa starts making his way around the world, I just wanted to wish you all a Merry Christmas. I hope you enjoy the festive season wherever you are spending the big day!  Merry Christmas to one and all! 

Today's photo was taken during the summer on a visit to The National Football Museum in Manchester. The unique building is in Cathedral Gardens, and opened in 2002 as part of a redevelopment of that area of the city. It has around 2200 glass panes, and looks absolutely stunning, especially on a sunny day! In 2010, the National Football Museum relocated from Preston, and is now housed here. It's well worth a visit, even if you're not a big fan of football, there's always plenty to see!  If you want more information about the museum, visit the official website  here , and if you'd like to contribute one of your own travel photos, then get in touch via the address on my contacts page.s

If you've been following my travel blog for a while, you may remember several features on the beautiful island of Sicily. Today, I'm focusing on a boutique hotel set in a 40 acre estate in a dramatic and beautiful part of the Italian island. Monaci delle Terre Nere is a stunning retreat on the slopes of Mount Etna. It is a Baroque house which has been transformed into a classy hotel which has beautiful rooms, and incredible views. The grounds are also breathtaking - full of fruit trees, grassy terraces, and there is an infinity pool with great views to the sea. There are just eight rooms set in and around the main house, and all have an eclectic style incorporating the original features of the building - think 18th century antiques mixed with modern design.  The hotel specialises in organic food and local wines, and there are also several wonderful restaurants which the owner will recommend if you want to venture out. That's certainly something you ...