Kieran Foley The coastal towns of Andalucía are familiar to many Irish tourists but on a recent visit to southern Spain, I ventured off the beaten track to explore other areas of Andalucía. One of the undisputed cultural highlights of this region is Granada’s Alhambra. On arrival into the scenically located city of...
Travel
Coventry – UK City of Culture 2022
Coventry – UK City of Culture 2022
The year 2021/2022 saw the UK City of Culture go to Coventry. Derry got it a number of years ago. This major industrial centre has had much change like Waterford but is endeavouring to bounce back. We can recall some Coventry links with Waterford, mainly soccer when some great football stars back in the 60s came to...
Exploring rural Portugal
Exploring rural Portugal
Kieran Walsh Portugal is loved by the Irish. It is an alternative to Spain, lower in costs generally, but a fresher climate, perhaps more suitable to Irish. We did get rain, but found a new area to discover. Most visitors from Ireland pick the Algarve, been there twice, and for those on city breaks, Lisbon. However,...
Breda, Holland
Breda, Holland
A city with a military past but modern and progressive today Kieran Walsh This city just over the Belgian border north of Antwerp and Brussels is not on any holiday hit list but we found so many intriguing things to see from local trading zone of shops and workshops doing recycling to learning about the trading days...
Captivating Catalan coast
Captivating Catalan coast
We found the Catalan equivalent of the Copper Coast.There is a national park out to the Cap de Crues, which is the most easterly point of the Spanish lands, next stop the Balearic islands, also populated by the Catalans.The road from Roses is quite narrow and up a mountain and not easy, as tour buses also use...
Algarve appeals to all
Algarve appeals to all
The Algarve is really popular among Irish tourists and with fewer British travellers due to Brexit, the Irish are even more welcome this year.The town of Armacao de Pera, where the Holiday Inn is located is a former fishing village now a resort, not far from Albufeira and just one hour from Faro Airport or three...
Holiday World Show 2020 at the RDS
Holiday World Show 2020 at the RDS
Holiday World Show Dublin returned for its thirtieth year at the RDS, Simmonscourt Dublin. Minister for Tourism Shane Ross made a flying visit there on Friday last for the official opening, in support of home tourism and noted the great attendance at the show. He did not get to the Waterford stand, despite a special...
Sizzling Seville
Sizzling Seville
Seville was selected by Lonely Planet as the top city to travel to in 2018. During a recent visit to the Spanish city, it was clear to see why the capital of the Andalusia region attained such an honour. The city is the sun-soaked cultural capital of southern Spain and, impressively, is home to three different UNESCO...
The grandeur of Granada
The grandeur of Granada
Granada is a charming city situated at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in southern Spain. The Alhambra is by far the city’s most famous attraction and, on a visit to the city last October, it was abundantly clear to see why. This sprawling hilltop fortress complex encompasses royal palaces,...
Perpignan, well worth a visit
Perpignan, well worth a visit
Perpignan, a city with a population of just over 122,000 is a southern French city near the Mediterranean coast and the border with Spain. Though settlement in the area goes back to Roman times, the medieval town of Perpignan seems to have been founded around the beginning of the 10th century. Historically, it was...
Catalan France
Catalan France
Hilly scenery, quaint historic villages and wine country Mid September last, we paid a visit to French Catalonia.It has much to offer from the splendid coastline to dramatic hills that surround large areas of vineyards and vegetable production. Further inland you have the mighty Pyrenees that reach well over 2,000...
Zip around Zagreb
Zip around Zagreb
This year we paid a very brief visit to Zagreb. They must be in the European champions league for Christmas.They won the award for best in Europe three times and no longer enter. The city of 800 000 people, a million with the surrounding area was described as dull over a decade ago and that shook them up and now is a...
