Travel Lightbulb

Today's photo was inspired by a television series I watched recently, with British actor Julie Walters travelling round the UK by train, and it got me thinking about rail holidays. 'As seen on screen' travel is a growing trend, with film and television locations becoming holiday hotspots.  In Scotland you can follow in the footsteps of Harry Potter on The Jacobite steam train, which crosses the 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct made famous by the film. The 84 mile round trip from Fort William to Mallaig has been described as the greatest railway journey in the world. Who could resist that stunning scenery? Not me....it's now on my ever-growing list of destinations I'm determined to travel to!

A new year, and a time for new ideas. Boise Idaho has been named as one of the 50 best cities to travel to in 2018. Idaho's capital used to be a popular destination for conventions, but they're now shaking off that tag. Photo courtesy of Idaho Tourism Boise is a perfect place to explore the great outdoors. The Boise river winds through the city; the Rocky Mountains are the backdrop to the city; and if you're there in the winter, skiing is just a short drive away.  Photo courtesy of Idaho Tourism If you're a beer lover, Idaho is number 10 when it comes to beer breweries per capita in the United States, with more than 50 breweries here! If wine is more your thing, Boise is a major hub, with over 50 vineyards in Idaho. Photo courtesy of Idaho Tourism There are boutique hotels and great restaurants opening up - why not go, and be one of the first to discover this exciting destination!

As this is my first 'lightbulb' post of 2018, where I try to give you some travel inspiration, I had to think long and hard about where to feature as a travel destination that you might want to visit this year. I decided to do a bit of research to find out where the European Capital of Culture is in 2018, and then knew exactly where to suggest to you. Valletta is a stunning little city on the beautiful island of Malta. It is also the island's capital, and is known as 'a city built by gentlemen for gentleman' - but I can confirm that ladies will love it too! This fortress city rises steeply from two harbours, Marsamxett and Grand Harbour. Started in 1566, it it was completed in the astonishingly short time of just 15 years - quite remarkable given the whole city, with it's impressive forts and cathedral was built entirely by hand. There is a packed calendar of events throughout 2018 to celebrate their Capital of Culture status, but there i...

Many people find travelling a stressful experience, and one way to chill out when flying off somewhere is to check in to an airport lounge. Well at Heathrow, Virgin Atlantic have unveiled an airport lounge with a difference.  The Coppa Club igloo is on the roof of the Heathrow Clubhouse, and seats up to 8 people. It's decorated in Nordic style, and you're able to enjoy food and drinks before your flight with spectacular views of the runway - a plane spotters delight! The pop-up lounge is only at Heathrow until the 14th of January, but I love the idea of making the airport experience more fun - just what travel should be all about!

As the sun sets on another year, let's start 2018 on a positive note. I don't know about you, but I can't quite believe how quickly this year has flown. I will remember 2017 as the year I travelled to many special places, making the most of celebrating a big birthday! It's been full of highs and lows, as every year seems to be but I have wonderful memories to look back on, and am very excited about the year ahead. Have a wonderful Hogmanay when it comes, and I hope you have plenty of travel plans to look forward to in 2018. If you haven't quite got round to that yet, then watch this space for more travel inspiration in the weeks and months to come!  Happy New Year, and all the best to you and yours for 2018 xx

Well as this is my last blog post before Christmas, I thought today's photo should be a wonderful wintery scene. You can almost imagine the snow crunching underneath your feet! I want to wish everyone who has taken the time to read my travel blog this year a wonderful festive season, and I hope you have a fantastic Christmas when it comes.  Spend it with your loved ones; spoil the kids, and most importantly....have lots and lots of fun!  Merry Christmas everyone xx

As this is my last travel photo before the end of the year, I thought it was fitting to feature a snowy scene that Santa would be very happy with! Many of my friends and family have visited Lapland this year, and I don't blame them - it's a stunning place, and the perfect way to build up to Christmas! It's not long now until Santa and his reindeer will be getting the sleigh ready to deliver all the presents, so I hope you've all been good boys and girls this year! Stay cosy everyone.

Bologna has a reputation of being the cultural capital of Italy, but the city has a lot more to offer alongside its wonderful food. It also has three interesting nicknames - la dotta - the educated; la grassa - the fat, and la rossa - the red. Founded in 1088, it's Europe's oldest university town - hence the first nickname - and thousands of students are drawn to the city for their student exchange programme. The university is famed for its medical school and the anatomical theatre can still be visited today! The fat nickname is probably easier for you to work out! Some of the traditional recipes from this region include the famous ragu tagliatelle, and mortadella - a large pork sausage which is typical of the city. There is even a theme park (Fico Eataly World) dedicated to food, and with so many wonderful restaurants, it's no surprise that it's hard not to put on weight when visiting Bologna! One thing you must visit are the food markets - they're ...