We’ve had some wonderful travel highlights this year. Of course discovery, exploration and adventure
Be blown away by the extraordinary. Voted the World’s Best Park, Puy du Fou must be seen to be believed. Located in the Vendée region of France, there are no rides but mind-boggling daytime and evening performances that take your breath away. These remarkable spectacles provide a fully immersive experience designed to excite, enthral and delight.
Set in 55 hectares of ancient woodland, Puy du Fou has period hotels to stay in, authentic villages to explore and other brilliant experiences to enjoy in-between the spectacular performances. Puy du Fou is magical, driven by innovation and like nothing I’ve ever experienced. I’d go back in a heartbeat.
Embrace Tuscan culture, cuisine and history. Whether it’s the gastronomic delights, the lush rolling hills or the deep-rooted heritage, it’s impossible not to love Tuscany. Just imagine a magnificent villa in the Tuscan countryside, exquisite cuisine and exceptional hospitality spent with friends. I can’t remember a time when I laughed as much as I did during this long weekend.
It was a superb trip which saw us visit Siena and Florence where we attended a private food tour and gelato making class). We didn’t get to Pisa (although I’ve been before) but did explore ancient Volterra. Famed for its association with Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight novels, it’s also home to Dolceria del Corso – one of the oldest pastry shops in Italy owned by the Giovannini family (who also renovated and own Villa Le Capanne).
Take a child-free weekend in Verona. We love travelling as a family of three so we never go away as a couple. There was one occasion in 2018 however when we were child free and decided to make an impromptu visit to Verona. It was strange not having the small one with us but we made the most of our time there and walked almost 20 miles!
Verona is of course known for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and many people head to Casa di Giulietta in the hope of finding everlasting love. But this beautiful city has so much more to offer from the Arena di Verona, Piazza Brà and Piazza Delle Erbe to Torre
Make every moment matter in Corsica. Much as seven-year-old POD enjoys being an adventurer, activity holidays are always a winner for us. Being tennis fans, we even embarked on a couple of Mark Warner holidays before POD arrived. She loves them as she gets to participate in activities she might not get to try otherwise and play with friends her own age. POD and two other girls were inseparable for much of the week we were in Corsica. She was at the waterfront every morning for sailing, windsurfing or kayaking with beach volleyball, tennis and badminton in the mix.
Explore the Venetian lagoon islands. We’ve visited the capital of the Veneto region several times in the past but this was our first trip there as a family. On this occasion, we factored in exploring a few of the lagoon’s islands – all of which were very different. Murano has been recognised since the 13th century for its glassmaking so it was fascinating to see a glassmaker at work and admire their enormous gallery.
Burano is around 40 minutes from Venice. It was known for lace making but the brightly coloured fisherman houses are recognised the world over. Neighbouring Torcello used to be a small town with a cathedral before the basilica in Piazza San Marco was built. It was the perfect place to relax before heading back to mainland Venice.
Relax as hard as you like in Sardinia. We holidayed in Sardinia as a couple several years ago. This time we headed back as a family to a Neilson Holidays resort in Budoni. It was our first holiday with Neilson and we had an absolute blast! We got to enjoy a raft of activities, explore the local area and even squeezed in a cruise to the beautiful Archipelago de la Maddelena. Situated in the Mediterranean Sea, Sardinia is known for its turquoise waters, sandy beaches and rugged mountains. Neilson is all about doing as little or as much as you like with activities including cycling, tennis and watersports like sailing, stand up paddle boarding and windsurfing. There are also two pools and a spa on offer.
Seek out the spectacular in Southern Italy. The Puglia (Apulia) region is in the heel of Italy’s boot, has much to offer. We stayed in a fabulous Bookings For You
These are just a few of our favourite places from 2018. What about you, where were your favourite places to travel to this year?
