Windstar‘s Star Legend threads her way through the Mediterranean, sailing through time itself. Millennia of Phoenician legends, Roman roads, Moorish courtyards and Spanish crowns as we cruise from Malaga to Barcelona. Windstar deliver warm and intimate luxury. A small ship journey that begins amongst Málaga’s palms and Picassos, pauses at Gibraltar’s improbable outcrop of red postboxes and […]

As a small ship, with a maximum of 312 guests, the all-suite Windstar‘s Star Legend, has slipped right into the heart of Malaga. We are in pole position for exploring the sun-blessed city.  Windstar offers luxurious small-ship cruises, taking us into harbours beyond the mega-cruisers on our seven day exploration of Southern Spain.. Sometimes we […]

The Palacete Severo has thrice been inspired by love. Ricardo Severo, Portuguese polymath – architect, engineer, political Republican and writer — designed the Palacete Severo in 1902, as a home for his Brazilian wife Francisca. In the library’s wood panels their initials are intertwined. Returning to Portugal from political exile in Brazil, the design of […]

Wherever Crystal Serenity sails it is a beautifully curated voyage of refined luxury: spacious interiors, impeccable service, exceptional culinary experiences and, obviously, as it says on the hull, serenity. On Crystal Serenity every day is a memorable occasion. Whether you are seeking sun-drenched decks, elegant lounges, cultural enrichment or simply the perfect vantage point to […]

“Et voila!” Announces our taxi driver, with justification, as we pull into the magnificent Kasbah d’Eau. A beach castle perched high above Morocco’s Atlantic coastline booked for our winter escape by Fleewinter. Fleewinter has put together our personalised programme of flight, transfer and hotel. Recommending an itinerary that will show us an authentic Morocco, far […]

We’re half-way through Riviera Travel‘s epic Rhône River cruise. A journey from Avignon to Lyon, through vine-clad hills and the ghosts of Roman civilisation. Countless stories of history and art, accompanied by superb cuisine and excellent wines, continue as we join the Saône after Lyon. History is being ticked off; we’ve seen the majesty of […]

Sailing upstream on the Rhône from Avignon to Lyon, on Riviera Travel‘s MS Thomas Hardy, is one of the world’s epic river cruises.  It is an eight day voyage from Avignon that concludes in Lyon. Cruising through time from caveman’s woolly rhino drawings, past crumbling relics of Roman conquests to Second World War destruction, this […]

Crystal Serenity, from Crystal Cruises, is a 740 berth uber-luxurious cruise ship. Featuring bars, casino, cinema, gym, library, nightclub, shops, swimming pool, spa, theatre, computer university at sea and much, much more. A floating paradise of education, fun, leisure and wellness.  Serenity’s first-class facilities put many a city to shame. Guests look forward to a […]

Wherever Crystal Serenity sails in the world, from Alaska to Zanzibar, whether it is a world cruise, an Asian odyssey or a voyage through the Mediterranean, dinner is a very special event. Every evening, guests face a dilemma. Where should they eat? What should they eat? As soon as Crystal veterans set foot on board they […]

So, why the name – voco Hotel and Spa Winchester? voco loosely translates from the Latin for an invitation and a coming together. And no, that isn’t a typo. voco, doesn’t want a capital letter. It’s as as much a state of mind as a hotel.  A unique contemporary name, free of grammar protocols and […]

Cruising north, back towards the Scandinavian lands of the midnight sun, we’re sailing from Tallinn towards the Swedish island of Gotland. Half-way through our Crystal Cruises‘ Baltic exploration of medieval cobbled alleys and contemporary eco-architecture, on seas once sailed by Vikings and then Czars, the Serenity has become more than our palatial retreat, it has […]

Stockholm, stretching across 14 islands and 56 bridges, is known as the Venice of the North, part of an archipelago of around 30,000 islands and islets. Long ago, logs, known as stocks in Swedish, were used on a holm, an islet, to protect the fresh water of Lake Mälaren from raiders approaching across the Baltic Sea. And […]