Why we love vanlife On our travels around the world, we’ve often hired campervans to live in while we explore a destination and bought a couple of vans at home in Ireland. For some people, going camping or living in a van by choice sounds like utter madness but for us, it’s the ultimate freedom. A home on wheels where you get to be outside as often as possible yet feel safe and cosy inside if the weather turns, or moving your home to another beautiful location, is heaven to us.  Over two decades we’ve experienced vanlife on the west coast of Australia, all over New Zealand and all around ..read more

Why Milan is absolutely worth visiting on your Italy trip An unforgettable trip to Italy Travel restrictions are slowly lifting across Europe, although it’s difficult not to be fearful of another variant of Covid-19. On our first Italy trip, the summer before the world stopped, all of our expectations were exceeded and every person we met was nothing short of generous, warm, kind and welcoming. When we saw those headlines from Milan and the rest of Italy, where countless families were suffering the devastating loss of loved ones to this awful virus, our hearts broke. To say we feel incredibly ..read more

One of Dublin's best day trips: Glendalough Day trips from Dublin As we’ve said before, in previous posts, we really love Ireland and we’re very lucky to have such beauty on our doorstep.  No matter where you live in this country, you can enjoy gorgeous scenery, perhaps on a canal-side towpath, challenging mountain hikes and coastal cliff walks or woodland trails and you’re never too far from a stone-age burial tomb, a medieval castle or an ancient monastic settlement!  From Dublin, there are brilliant day trips you can do and we’ve been capturing places, stories and images so we ca ..read more

Why stunning Cork, Ireland needs to be on every bucket list The County of Cork, in the South West of Ireland, is fast becoming our favourite place in the whole world! Historic Cork City has oodles of charm with plenty of hidden gems to discover and a foodie scene that holds its own against Ireland’s capital, Dublin. Cork is full of small farms and gourmet producers that are filling plates, coffee cups and beer glasses with the finest ingredients and tastes that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. Out to the coast, the scenery takes your breath away and it’s a great place to start an epi ..read more

Why Autumn is the best time of year to visit Ireland's ancient sites Autumn - The Season of Transition Being from Ireland and living in Dublin, we count ourselves lucky to be able to frequently revisit Ireland’s ancient sites throughout the whole year. We’ve seen every season in every part of the country and lately, we’ve found ourselves concluding that Autumn is our favourite time to get out and explore our ancient sites. In Autumn, it’s harvest time and we have two very important dates in the ancient Gaelic calendar - the Autumn Equinox and Samhain (Halloween). The celebrations around Autumn ..read more

Visit Sintra on an easy day trip from Lisbon How to get to Sintra from Lisbon It is well worth taking the time to visit Sintra even if only on a day trip from Lisbon.  It is a true escape for the heart and soul from bustling, noisy city streets. Approaching Sintra by train from Lisbon is the best way to appreciate why it has such a reputation for romance and jaw-dropping scenery. You could drive but it’s really a lovely train journey. At first, the apartment buildings and urban sprawl of Sintra pass by the window just like any other major town or ci ..read more

Amazing castle ruins you can visit on a day trip from Dublin The Normans in Ireland Ireland has an amazing amount of castle ruins that are not on the tourist radar at all. Dotted all over the country in farmers’ fields, some not accessible without permission, you might see the high walls and battlements of a 12th Century Norman Castle in the distance and yet no signpost will guide you to it! It is very frustrating to feel like you’re missing out on some epic sites that could be properly signed and advertised in tourist brochures but then again, they wouldn’t hold that same sense of mystery an ..read more

Why Milan is absolutely worth visiting on your Italy trip An unforgettable trip to Italy Travel restrictions are slowly lifting across Europe, although it’s difficult not to be fearful of another variant of Covid-19. On our first Italy trip, the summer before the world stopped, all of our expectations were exceeded and every person we met was nothing short of generous, warm, kind and welcoming. When we saw those headlines from Milan and the rest of Italy, where countless families were suffering the devastating loss of loved ones to this awful virus, our hearts broke. To say we feel incredibly ..read more

Versatile Travel Clothes for Women From rucksack to hand luggage When it comes to style, comfort and packing light, it took me years of travel to finally learn the importance of multiway clothing. From backpacking across Asia to European city breaks  or even campervan road trips, my bags have become increasingly smaller and lighter over the years and it’s only through experience that I got to understand the meaning of “less is more”. Breaking free from the bulk and weight of a massive rucksack to a small carry-on even for a month-long trip makes all the difference when you’re on the road ..read more

How to get off the beaten path in beautiful Bologna Bologna has had to compete for tourist attention over the years with the more popular Italian cities of Venice, Florence and Milan. Yet, more and more people are discovering why it’s one of Italy’s most authentic and interesting cities. Bologna’s growing popularity is not just for its historic attractions, winding medieval streets and piazzas. Bologna is renowned for being the culinary capital of Italy and it absolutely lives up to its reputation. Although it fills up midday with day-trippers from Venice, Florence and Milan, it really deserv ..read more