Matera, Basilicata in southern Italy is a town built on the side of a steep ravine where people lived in warren of natural caves – let me tell you about the secrets of the sassi…

What to see and do in Bruges at Christmas for that warm festive feeling. From horse and carriage rides and Christmas markets to medieval towers, chocolates shops and breweries full of Belgian beer.

With a backdrop of dramatic mountains, colourful harbour and a fortified Stari Grad (old town) Budva is the prettiest of towns and one of the most popular on Montenegro’s coast.

A visit toThe Bay of Kotor, Njegus and Cetinje during our Celebrity Cruises trip to Montenegro

A cruise stop at the honey-coloured city of Valletta and a morning’s photo tour of Malta’s capital city, the harbour and waterside

Venice from the water – the best way to see the sights of Venice is from the water. We took a boat tour with Walks of Italy to see the best Venice sights.

San Marino might be the smallest Republic in the world but it punches well above its weight when it comes to cool views, castles and quirk. Read on for things to do on a day trip to San Marino.

While in Modena this September we thought we’d make a pit-stop at Modena’s Museo Casa Enzo Ferrari – and boy am I glad we did. As well as beautiful cars; Maseratis Ferraris and F1s displayed inside, the building itself is incredible too.  The …

It was back to school for me this September and not just any old school – I went to the coolest school ever – the Carpigiani Gelato University, Bologna to learn the art of making artisan gelato.

A visit to Istanbul’s Blue Mosque one of the ‘must-see’ stops on a trip to Istanbul – including photography of the mosque, tips on when to go, dress code and opening times.

How to spend a day at Seven Sisters Country Park taking in the iconic coastguard cottages, Cuckmere Haven, and Birling Gap.

The Red Light District area of De Wallen is actually one of the oldest and prettiest areas of Amsterdam but along with the city’s coffee shops, it has an altogether different side.

A guide to Amsterdam sightseeing on a budget – a list of free or low-cost sightseeing highlights in the city with a handy map to guide you around.

Turkish sweets and confectionery from Turkish Delight to Baklava – Turkey didn’t disappoint when it came to sweet treats and confectionery, some of it too sweet even for me, and that’s a first… The Spice Bazaar in Istanbul had stalls piled high with endless varieties of Turkish sweets and sugary scrumptiousness.

A stroll along Amsterdam’s canals taking in the pretty gabled merchant houses, their history and why so many are tilted to extraordinary degrees.

Amsterdam is a city of history, architecture, art and, of course, an infamous edgy side, but what I enjoyed most were the pretty leaf-lined canals crisscrossed with curvy little bridges, edged with cobblestone streets and leaning gabled houses.

How to spend a few days in Bodrum, Turkey. Explore the town’s history, take to the water on a gulet, enjoy some fabulous food and shop in the local market.

Positano is a little fishing village teetering on the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast between Sorrento and Praiano. Discover the best things to do in Positano a picture postcard pretty town.

Resting on a plateau above Pamukkale’s Cotton Castle are the remnants of the ancient town of Hierapolis. With views over the dazzling white travertine terraces and 17 thermal springs, this town has to be home of the original spa break. If you visit Pamukkale I recommend you take a wander through Hierapolis – your trip won’t be complete without it.

While in Agadir, and inspired by International Women’s Day, I visited the Tighanimine Women’s Fairtrade Argan Oil Cooperative to find out how the cooperative got started and how it’s improving the lives of the women and their families.

Pamukkale means ‘Cotton Castle’ in Turkish and perfectly describes the white terraces, known as travertines, which tread their way down the Turkish hillside. Each pool is created from startling white limestone deposits filled with water from 17 of the natural hot water springs in the area.

A visit to Agadir and Taroudant in Morocco – what to see and do there and a little bit about those incredible flying goats…

A hike through Love Valley in Goreme, a visit to the evil eye tree and a sting in the tail. Read about our misadventures here…

Ponte di Tiberio Bridge in Rimini is one of the Italian town’s most historical attractions. At nearly 2000 years old it’s also one of the oldest.

The Meeting Place is a 30ft statue, by artist Paul Day, which stands under the station clock at St Pancras railway station in the International Eurostar terminal. The piece is intended to reflect the romanticism of train travel and is reminiscent of a scene from the film Brief Encounter.

A guide to Paris chocolate, maceron, confectionery shops and patisseries in Saint-Germain-de-Prés with handy map to guide you on your sweet way…

London’s skyscraper, The Shard, designed by architect Renzo Piano is an amazing visitor attraction. Here’s what to expect from a visit to The Shard.

There’s something about eating outdoors under blue sky on a balmy day that makes the food seem twice as tasty but it was the surprise location of this breakfast that made it so special.

Hot Air Ballooning in Cappadocia Hot air ballooning in Cappadocia is still high up on my list of top travel memories. Cappadocia in central Turkey, is known for its valleys, …

A visit to the mysterious Derinkuyu underground city near Goreme, Cappadocia, the deepest of Turkey’s ancient subterranean cities going down eighteen levels

Goreme, town of troglodytes, cave hotels and fairy chimneys was the first stop on our mini tour of Turkey. Located in Cappadocia, Central Anatolia.

A mini-tour of Turkey. Caves stays and ballooning in Cappadocia, Hierapolis and the travertines at Pamukkale, Bodrum and Turkey’s vibrant capital of Istanbul.

The eerily fascinating Basilica Cistern in Istanbul has kept the city supplied with water since the sixth century. Read about my visit to the ‘sunken palace’.

Tucked up in the hills above Positano is a wonderful, family-run, restaurant with one of the best views in the whole of Italy. The food’s pretty fabulous too…

Do you send postcards?  I always try to send one to my parents when I travel – they love receiving them and it’s great going through the stash of cards …

A drive along the beautiful Costiera Amalfitana (Amalfi Coast) in Italy and how to drive it even if you don’t have a car.

Sorrento is a pretty Italian town with enough to see to keep visitors happy for a day or two. Its also perfectly located for visiting some of Italy’s top sights.

Of the three epithets bestowed upon Bologna; La Dotta – The Learned, La Rossa – The Red and La Grassa – The Fat, it was the latter, fatter moniker that caused me concern. Let me share the foodie delights that Bologna brought to the table.

One of the things that captivated me about Bologna in Italy was its beautiful porticoes. Over 53 kilometres of pillars and collonades protect the Bolognesi from the elements. Here I take a look at the history and architecture of the city’s porticoes.

Collective Spirit is a wooden boat created for the London Olympics. The boat is inlaid with treasured wooden objects donated by the public.

The city of Pompeii was buried under 6 metres of ash when Mount Vesuvius furiously erupted on 24th August 79AD. We visited to discover what secrets have been uncovered from the ash…

A 2 day Hanoi itinerary. Tips on how to make the most of Vietnam’s capital city in two days. All the best bits to see and do plus a few extras.