When I was in my 20s Ios was known as the party capital of the Greek Islands. The island still attracts a young crowd in the summer but it now also attracts a more affluent crowd with fantastic restaurants, gorgeous boutique hotels and fantastic beaches. The most common way to visit the island is to …

The 1km long Mylopotas Beach is the biggest and most famous of the Ios beaches on Ios Island Greece. It is just 2km south of the capital Hora and is a long sandy beach. I often associate the biggest and best beaches with poor sand quality and far too many people. But this wasn’t the …

Ios Island used to be known as the Greek island for partying – I remember hearing about it when I was backpacking a long time ago (thank god those days are over). Ios Greece still attracts a young crowd in the old town at the height of summer but it also now has some great …

Austria is often underrated. It can be so closely associated with Germany that it often gets left behind as a must-see European country. This is such a shame as when it comes to what to do in Austria there are so many fantastic options. I have now visited Austria 6 times and am always finding …

Who needs Vienna? Lovely Graz is the second biggest city in Austria and for me much cuter than its older sibling. It is easy to see why Graz Austria was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999. Add to that its 2011 nomination as a City of Design and you can see why it …

Montepulciano is quite frankly heaven for wine lovers. This stunning hilltop Tuscan town is ridiculously beautiful and it is just filled with wine. Wineries, red wine, white wine, wine cellars, oak casks, wine shops, wine bars – it really is just wine-tastic. There are so many wineries in Montepulciano. But I have to say I …

The Cotswolds England is known for lots of lovely accommodation options. It can often be overwhelming to figure out not just which places to visit in the Cotswolds but also which hotels Cotswolds within those places. There are many Cotswolds hotels and B&Bs. So I have curated them down to two fantastic places to stay …

Do you ever read those travel articles or sections in guide books about the local food items? I always find they seem to be what people ate 30 years ago and are probably only found on the menu in the most touristy restaurants. I love to learn about what is unique and interesting to a …

I absolutely loved Latvia. Such a cool and interesting country with so much going on. I first visited Riga and the surrounding areas 10 years ago. I enjoyed my time there but I wouldn’t have raved about it. However, I was blown away on my recent visit. Great food, lots of interesting things to do …

Cardiff was a surprise. Even on a rather bleary day in late March, there is a lot on offer. The city centre of Cardiff is completely pedestrianized and it is an easy city to explore on foot. Cardiff South Wales has a great mix of classic and quirky attractions. Here are 12 quirky and fun …