The bear, unadulterated truth!

It appears to be a symptom of this multi-connected, always on-world we now inhabit that people are craving more and more 'experiences'. One upon a time, people traveled to various destinations in order to see what those destinations had to offer and in the main, those offerings were usually centred around the old stalwarts of scenery, history, architecture, culture, food, people etc. In more recent times, an additional component has been added to this list

Turkey is in the news of late — but for all the wrong reasons!

Having said that — don't always take as gospel, what you hear on the news as everything is 'spun' these days. Not from a propaganda point of view you understand. It's just TV's way of competing with the sensational headlines mentality that you often see demonstrated by certain tabloid press. Even the 'serious' news channels get caught up in this behavior. The reality(and consequence) of such spin/selective editing, was graphically demonstrated to me about 10

Cappadocia — the undiscovered Turkey!

Turkey is so much more than just sun, sea and sand! Although most Irish holidaymakers tend to see Turkey through the prism of popular resorts such as Bodrum, Kusadasi or Altinkum, this amazing country has so much more to offer — from the mega city that is Istanbul to the surreal landscape that is Cappadocia. I just recently returned from an action-packed few days in the region and I have to say that it far
Santiago de Compostela

The way of the Pilgrim

Hi everyone, Apologies for the recent absence but unfortunately our website was hacked however, we’re back up and running and ready to bring you up to date on all that’s happened over the past weeks. Introducing Santiago de Compostela I recently spent a pleasurable few days in Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain which has been gaining in popularity over recent years as people from across the globe and of all persuasions are beating the

Driving on the left is not the minority sport that you think it is!

Irish holidaymakers are used to the fact that they have to negotiate the strange phenomenon of driving on the wrong side of the road when they usually go abroad since most of the near continent are right-hand drive, as is north and most of Central and South America. Like all things in life, it's an experience that you get used to in time with the result that one easily switches mode when the need arises and you need

Day 4 in Puglia

Is there anyone out there who doesn't love Italian food? I don't think so. It is justifiably regarded as one of the worlds' great cuisines and not a lot of people know that French cuisine — often regarded as representing the pinnacle of gastronomic excellence — actually derives from Italian influences which were introduced into the French Royal Court around the time of the Medici's. See — you learn something new every time you read this blog!

Day 3 in Puglia

Everyone knows that Italy is rich in its antiquities but many assume that most of these are concentrated in locations such as Rome, Florence, Venice and so on — legacies of the vast wealth of these former city states. It may surprise you to know therefore that Southern Italy (and Puglia in particular) enjoys its own superabundance of exquisite buildings and sublime architecture and nowhere is that more apparent than in the gem that is
Typical Trullis in Alberobello

Day 2 in Puglia

There are so many places to go and things to do in Puglia but two good places to start are the city of Ostuni and the town of Alberobello. You may never have heard of either but believe me, you don't know what you're missing! Ostuni sits perched atop a hill that overlooks the surrounding Puglian countryside and is known locally as the white city on account of its preponderance of white-washed walls and buildings. Although it has

Puglia — and the Santa Claus connection!

I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t love Italy. It just seems to tick all the boxes — history, culture, architecture, landscapes, its people and above all — its glorious food. It’s also hard to believe that prior to 1861 Italy didn’t exist! Prior to that date, it was little more than a collection of city states and principalities in effect. The problem with Italy nowadays is that a few ‘jewels in the crown’

Summer has arrived!

I'm not talking literally of course — just figuratively — and wearing my travel agent hat! Easter has always traditionally represented the start of the summer season as this is when tour operator summer charter programmes begin and winter charter series end. It is also then an appropriate time to remind people of the kinds of things that they need to think of/prepare for, before setting out on their overseas travels. What follows is a

When’s the best time to rent a car — before you travel or after you arrive at your destination?

Any travel agent worth his or her salt will always recommend that you book your car hire before you travel, rather than doing it locally — and with good reason! Take price for example: it is a little known fact that car rental prices work along similar principles to published air fares. That is to say that the nearer you get to your pick-up date the more expensive the rental is going to be. It's

Move out of your comfort zone

The world is a big place. We know that we're stating the obvious here but it's worth mentioning if only because we find that most people tend to return to the same places year after year. Nothing wrong with that at all, particularly if those places are ticking all the boxes in terms of cost, convenience, friendliness, value for money, accessibility etc. It's a shame though that more people don't push the proverbial boat out

The art of getting a quote that is both competitive in price and relevant to your needs starts with gathering all the right information about what you want to do (or think you want to do!).