[6th-12th October 2023] After a chat with our very pleasant and friendly host, we leave our Granada apartment for the train station and the two-stage journey to Jerez de la Frontera. Pre-booked seats help make the 2.5-hour trip go smoothly. As we pull into the Santa Justa station in Sevilla, the heat hits us as soon as we alight onto the platform. It’s 35 degrees in the city at present, and the station feels at Read more…
[2nd-5th October 2023] The high-speed AVE train brings us southwest from Toledo to our second stop, Granada in the province of Andalucia. I have been here on my own with work in 2010, and we came here as a family with the kids back in 2003, on a day trip from Ronda. The AVE train is comfortable as well as fast, though our airline style seats seem to not be properly locked in place, as Read more…
[28th September – 1st October 2023] There are honestly times when I seriously wonder about our sanity! Where would you pick to go as a first destination if you’d not long come out of hospital, and your energy levels had just about reached 50% of normal. Yes, of of course, you’d come to a city built on the very steep sides of a series of commanding and defensively highly effective hills, which has barely a Read more…
[20-30 October] It’s a 05:00am start from Bonifacio, as we are picked up from our hotel by a driver to take us to the very basic airport at Figari. The driver covers the distance at breakneck speed, naturally, reassuringly indicating that whilst there are few cars on the road at this hour, the main problem is presented by encountering wild boar or wild cows wandering on the road in the dark. We spend the trip Read more…
[15-20 October] As we traverse the sea between Sardinia and Corsica, on the somewhat beat-up looking Moby ferry, Bonifacio makes its presence felt from some way out. First the chalky white limestone cliffs of the south coast of Corsica come into focus, then the huddle of buildings teetering improbably on those clifftops, with a dramatic mountain backdrop. The closer the ferry approaches, the more dramatic and impressive the city of Bonifacio becomes, until we are Read more…
Palau, Sardinia [10-15 October] After a short flight from Verona to Olbia in Sardinia, we are picked up by a driver who takes us up the long and winding road from Olbia airport to Palau, on Sardinia’s famed Costa Smerelda. First impressions are very positive – contrary to the weather forecast it’s a beautiful day. Sardinia offers a wide, expansive vista of green hills, small bare mountains, sea and islands, with the odd intriguing fortification Read more…
Verona, Italy [6-10 October] Another comfortable train ride, complete with a minute complimentary coffee each, takes us to Verona Puerto Nuova railway station, then a taxi drops us at our apartment. Our room in the Lady Verona residence is like a large hotel room, with a small commmunal kitchen outside, which no-one else seems to use. We also have a small stone balcony which affords a great view of the river and of the Castelveccio Read more…