Having enjoyed a great night’s sleep and superb breakfast at the NH Collection Hotel on Friedrichstrasse, our first port of call during our city break in Berlin was to visit the Berlin Wall. There’s no shortage of things to do in Germany’s capital, whether visiting as a group or a family, but the wall is an absolute must.
There have been some superb trips to Germany in the past, living south of Frankfurt in Heidelberg for a month probably the most memorable. Berlin is not somewhere I’d visited until recently and there is so much to see in Germany’s capital city. From the Fernsehturm, with its magnificent views, to the iconic Brandenburg Gate and of course the Berlin Wall with it’s open air gallery. Plus there’s an abundance of family attractions such as the planetarium, zoo and aquarium to be discovered too.
Our family accommodation was a 200 year old cottage situated in the small, quiet village of Trillayo with magnificent views of the Picos de Europa. Ten minutes away was the charming town of Potes with its pretty streets and disjointed houses with their own coat of arms. We thought Potes in Northern Spain would be somewhere we visit when we needed the supermarket. Little did we know we’d fall in love with this quaint little town. Stopping off regularly after a day exploring to wander the cobbled alleyways, sample the Spanish tapas and watch five year old POD swim in the river with the locals.
Having lived in London for many years, it’s the best hearing Big Ben strike midnight on New Year’s Eve. Although the days of lining the River Thames with 250,000 others are long gone, the atmosphere must be incredible. There are plenty of other things to do in the capital however if you missed nabbing a ticket. You could take a boat trip along the Thames, enjoy dinner at the Ritz or attend a Vegas-style evening of glamour at The Roof Gardens. Alternatively, there are cocktails and jazz at Oriole, Hogmanay Hootenanny at Balham’s Ceilidh Night Events and the Searcys human snow globe at the gherkin. You could also take in the Sky Bar at Millbank Tower, the View from the Shard or SushiSamba at the peak of the Heron Tower – all offer 360 degree views of London.
Germany is widely recognised for its historic Christmas markets and festive fairs with Berlin, Cologne and Munich among the largest. Although we’re a little biased (my father-in-law was stationed in Germany and I also lived there), their markets are like no other. They have that traditionally festive feel, an abundance of charm and truly captivate the magic of Christmas. You can expect to see hand-made gifts aplenty coupled with smells like deliciously warming Glühwein and mouth watering bratwurst.
When we won a ferry competition with Discover Ferries, we were more than a bit excited. The home of ferry travel consists of 12 operators spanning 55 routes to destinations across Belgium, the British Isles, France, Ireland, The Netherlands, Scottish Isles and Spain. We had no idea there was so much choice available and with our many childhood ferry trips a distant memory, we set our sights on Northern Spain.
We’re really excited we’ll be heading to Germany’s capital with Jet2Holidays in a few weeks time. Berlin is just one of many breaks and holidays they have on offer and I for one cannot wait. This week however, Jet2.com is giving away an incredible 20,000 flights as part of its #NameIt campaign.
The POD Father, as he’s known on POD Travels and our parent blog, and I have travelled much of our lives. From Africa, Asia, Australasia and the Pacific to the Caribbean, North and South America. Not forgetting of course sun, ski and city breaks across Europe. We relish the kind of holidays that enable you to immerse yourself in a country’s culture and lose yourself a bit. Adventure holidays are certainly the most favoured and they often lead to the most spectacular experiences. That’s what we relish and to us it’s what makes a holiday truly memorable.
In November there are some absolute gems to visit including the likes of Bali, Hawaii and New Zealand as it’s spring. We loved our time in the Southern Hemisphere and hope to return again one day, there’s much more exploring to be done.
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The Doves travelled far and wide before POD came along, some 35 countries at the last count. We told ourselves nothing would change when she arrived – well not as far as travel was concerned anyway! Some five years on, it really is the best travelling as a family and seeing more of the world through POD’s eyes. Her excitement is so infectious and I just love that. Looking back, there’s so much more flexibility when children are smaller. Picking a family holiday is easy enough but it can be a challenge finding baby friendly accommodation that really does tick all the boxes.
