Hever Castle was the childhood home of Mary, Anne and George Boleyn. It was an easy and short trip from the Gatwick Airport. The castle holds several paintings, some of the love letters that Henry VIII wrote to Anne Boleyn and a letter that she wrote to him. Hever Castle felt like a grand home, that I wished I grew up in.
On my last full day in Russia with Amawaterways we went to Peterhof. Peter the Great was inspired by Versailles when he visited in 1717, which influenced the design of Peterhof. I remember being told that some people preferred Peterhof but that “you would have to see for yourself.” I found Tsarskoye Selo more beautiful, but I remember Peterhof as the fun palace. At Peterhof a set of sprinklers would go off if you stepped on the wrong spot while trying to sit on a grand bench outside. The inside was beautiful and the outdoors was magical.
On a train I passed the border which separated The Netherlands and Belgium. After the train ride I took a taxi, which was a shorter ride in a quainter space.
I arrived in Brugge in almost no time at all. Brugge looked like the setting in a fairytale and I happily got lost in it.
Hotel Dukes Palace
…and into Brugge
Touring Pompeii with Viator
Early morning in Rome, I met with the group and travelled to Pompeii. There was one stop along the way, which I used as time to buy chocolate. The day was guided with amazing storytellers.
After exploring Pompeii, it was time for pizza in Naples; the essential for climbing up Mount Vesuvius. How far you climbed up Mount Vesuvius was your choice, which made the tour suitable for all age groups.
Snow cones and then it was back to my temporary home in Rome.
One day in London goes in this sort of direction
Big Ben
Trafalgar Square
In the day and the night lit up
Caffe Concerto
desserts and pretty interior
The Shard
floral cocktails and a city view
along the water
Tsarskoye Selo with Amawaterways
Travelling to Pushkin from Saint Petersburg, we were early enough to beat the lines at Tsarskoye Selo. Amawaterways gave us a tour of the palace, taking our group through the history of the different rooms, including a romantic spot for Catherine the Great. There was a great amount of destruction there from World War II, as some parts were still being restored. Once the tour of the rooms which we were able to see was over, it was time to explore the gardens freely.
Saint Paul de Vence is one of the oldest villages on the French Riviera. beginning as a bustling town in the Middle Ages, it also became a protective force for Provence run by Francois I. Later in the 20th century the Saint Paul de Vence was a home to French actors and artists, such as Marc Chagall.
The village…
and views
Travellerella 