Europe Archives | POD TravelsPOD Travels

Sailing boats at Le Jardin de Luxembourg

September 16, 2017

Quintessentially Parisian, Le Jardin de Luxembourg is a must see when visiting the French capital. Originally created for Queen Marie de Medici, the widow of King Henry the IV, Le Jardin de Luxembourg is in the 6th arrondissement – a chic district situated on the border between Saint-Germain-des-Prés and the Latin Quarter. The gardens span over 60 acres and are split into both French and English gardens with a large pond between the two.

Wild swimming in Northern Spain

September 14, 2017

Six year old POD was back in a river again recently, this time in the picturesque town of Cangas de Onis, Asturias. You may remember she went wild swimming last summer in Potes, Cantabria. Initially we’d thought this medieval town would be somewhere we visited when we wanted the supermarket. In actual fact, it surprised us all and we regularly found time to stop by even if we’d been exploring much of the day.

The historic Santillana del Mar, Cantabria

September 6, 2017

Situated in Cantabria, equidistant between Arriondas and Bilbao, is the pretty town of Santillana del Mar. Unbeknown at the time, we’d driven through it last year en route from Potes to Santander. We hadn’t stopped as POD ended up having a pony ride in a field nearby (random but fun) and we were on the lookout for a beach off the beaten track.

The spectacular Monasterio de Piedra

August 8, 2017

Our trip to the Aragon region in north easterly Spain saw us explore three diverse provinces. In Huesca we got to experience breathtaking scenery in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Teruel gave us wonderful Mudéjar architecture and gothic-style buildings. In the Zaragoza province, also home to Aragon’s capital city, we got to discover the spectacular Monasterio de Piedra and its remarkable gardens.

Making the most of a city break with kids

July 25, 2017

We’ve always believed we can travel to most cities with six year old POD providing we’ve researched what we’re doing and there’s enough to keep the three of us occupied. When we booked a long weekend in Paris with Eurostar, we did consider spending part of it at Disneyland but opted to explore the historical city instead. Although we’ve visited Paris many times before as a couple, the city has a lot on offer for kids too. We had a feeling POD would love the French capital just as much as we did. These are just a few of our top tips when thinking about a city break and how you can make the most of your time away.

Top places to visit with kids in Berlin

July 14, 2017

You might think Berlin is off limits when it comes to a European city break with kids but in actual fact there are sights, attractions and parks aplenty. One of the things I love about this city is its diversity and how it really does appeal to all ages. From the well known sights you’d automatically associate it with to attractions specifically geared towards children.

10 things to do with kids in Aragon, Spain

July 6, 2017

With an intriguing history that dates back to Roman times, spectacular landscapes and exceptional architecture, you can’t help but fall in love with Aragon. Situated off the beaten track in the heavenly north east of Spain, this region combines discovery, exploration and adventure – our perfect ingredients for a family holiday. There’s no shortage of things to do either. Whether it be visiting the most well preserved castle in Europe, observing staggering rock formations that overshadow the trees or exploring an extraordinary natural park that surprises you at every turn.

White water rafting on the River Gallego, Spain

July 2, 2017

It’s remarkable how diverse the Aragon region in the north east of Spain is. Our morning was spent exploring one of the most well preserved castles in Europe before admiring these staggering rock formations which tower above the trees. After we’d enjoyed a gastronomic feast at the magnificent Real Posada de Liena, it was time for white water rafting! Thankfully we had time to let our food go down as we got all the necessary gear on before heading to the Gállego river.

Surfing the waves in Playa de Tagle

June 8, 2017

More often than not the best discoveries are made off the beaten track. One of those was when we were in Cantabria travelling from the Picos de Europa to Santander. Suances in the Besaya region is said to have superb beaches as well as being a hotspot for those wanting to surf the waves. That said as we neared this marine town, it became apparent the beach we were heading for was a popular tourist destination. So instead we opted for the smaller Playa de Tagle where POD hoped to play on the beach with the locals.

Why we love Northern Spain

May 16, 2017

We’re of the opinion that you should never travel to the same destination more than once. Occasionally it doesn’t work out that way, like the time we got diverted to Tahiti while en route to New Zealand. We took our honeymoon in Tahiti and had the most incredible time in both Tikehau and Moorea. As such, we always said we wouldn’t go back. And yet there we were dancing with the locals at the airport adorned with flowers!

Last summer was the first time we’d visited Northern Spain having taken trips elsewhere in the country many times. We loved it so much we’re heading back there this summer albeit to a totally different region. If you’ve not been to Northern Spain before, here’s a little taste of what it’s like.