A Perfect New Year in the Seaside Town of Southwold

My family and I were introduced to the traditional seaside town of Southwold by our close friends and have been lucky enough to spend a week there with them every New Year for the past six years.

Southwold is on the East coast of England in Suffolk and almost feels like the town that time forgot. There's an ancient high street, a pier built in 1900 and the 300 year Adnams brewery... it's an 'Olde Worlde' English seaside town with a lot of charm and class.

There's so much to see in Southwold but these are my must-dos...

The Lord Nelson - the Best Pub in Southwold!

The Lord Nelson or the 'Nellie' really is the best pub in Southwold and believe me, we have tried them all! It stands just setback from the promenade so is lovely to sit outside (on the front or in the beer garden) and hear the waves. The staff are great and the drinks and food amazing, even for vegetarians; I had a delicious Quorn Chilli (twice!) topped with cheese nachos and soured cream.

Inside, it's a traditional pub with lots of wood, huddled up tables and comfy chairs, a fire and lots of history in the momentos and photographs on the walls. It's an old place; The Nellie was called Noah's Ark until 1805 and the earliest record of it was during the reign of Charles II in 1672!

A Visit to the Pier

The traditional pier was built 114 years ago but was weakened in World War II and a gale in 1955 destroyed a large part of it. It was restored in 2001 and is now a very popular part of the town. It has a pier pavillion, restaurant (with amazing hot chocolates!) and a amusement arcade. The most interesting parts of the pier are the novelty machines made by cartoon artist and engineer Tim Hunkin and the famous clock tower which, every hour, jumps into action to surprise visitors!

Adnams Brewery

Adnams was established in 1872 and is best-known as a brewer of beer although they now have a fleet of hotels and shops - all of which are amazing. Adnams was established in Southwold in 1872 with the brewery being built in the centre of town in 1890. Interestingly, the earliest record of beer being brewed on the Adnams site was in 1345 by Johanna de Corby and 17 other 'ale wives'!

The award-winning brewery is the town's largest employer and has beer, wine and now spirits on offer in most of Southwold's pubs, bars and restaurants. A few favourites of our group was Adnams Spindrift (a flavoursome, refreshing beer), Pink Fizz (a delicious sparkling wine) and Adnams Absinthe Rouge (inspired by an old French recipe with hibiscus flowers for a ruby-red colour).

Southwold's High Street

There are some outstanding shops on the ancient high street with something for everyone from boutiques and craft shops to florists and bakers. My favourite fashion shop is Collen & Clare just up the road from The Lord Nelson which has a great mix of designer clothing, accessories, home fragrances and beauty products.

Two Magpie's Bakery is amazing stocked with homemade cakes, biscuits and speciality bread and perfect coffee, so I'd encourage a visit there!

Sutherland House restaurant located in the centre of the high street is my favourite place to have dinner. Although other members of our group had been before, I had never experienced it but I'm now so glad I did. The food is Michelin-star worthy (but with substance), the staff welcoming and the surroundings relaxed and packed with history (wonky floors and walls add to the charm).

An Invigorating Walk from Southwold to Walberswick

We take the dogs out for a walk along the beach every day and my favourite walk is from Southwold to the next village along, Walberswick. The walk heads across the beach, through the working harbour (I love seeing all the fishing boats and we occasionally buy fresh fish from there) then across the nature reserve near the River Blyth. Once we reach Walberswick, of course, we need to re-fuel so have lunch and Adnams beer at a great pub, The Anchor. A must-have dish there is beer-battered cod with freshly cut chips and jalapeno tartare sauce - lovely!

The Beach and Famous Beach Huts

If you don't do anything but this in Southwold you need to walk along the promenade, dipping onto the sandy beach here and there and be amazed by the fun, colourful beach huts. This year we rented a beach hut; the blue and cream Blyth Spirit, and enjoyed cooking breakfast in there and eating it outside on the beach in the sun and we even celebrated New Year's Eve in there with fireworks on the beach, champagne and dancing! Although the beach huts look very small, inside they fit eight people relatively comfortably and ours had everything we needed including chairs, games, books and cooking essentials.

My perfect day in Southwold would start off with an espresso from Two Magpie's Bakery followed by a spot of shopping in Collen and Clare, before having breakfast in the beach hut with the whole crowd. I'd then pick up the dog and walk to Walberswick for lunch before taking a leisurely stroll back. To top off the day I'd go to The Lord Nelson for a glass of Adnams Pink Fizz and then on to Sutherland House for a three-course meal. Perfect!

Finally, a bit of celeb spotting... last New Year I was pleased to bump into (literally) the lovely actor Bill Nighy and this year there was rumours that Johnny Depp was in town for New Year!

I couldn't think of a better place to see in a new year in the UK!

Jane x

Merry in Malvern: Stoking the Fire, Herding the Sheep and Sleeping Among Shepherds Huts!

Each year my closest group of friends and I make sure we get together a couple of weeks at Christmas before our lives get too busy. This year we decided to head to my friend Rowena’s home town of Great Malvern for a cosy Christmas getaway, and we weren’t disappointed!

We arrived late on Friday night, with just enough time for a catch up by the open fire at Rowena’s childhood home and have a little look outside at the gorgeous Shepherds Huts that have been lovingly restored by Rollin, Rowena’s Dad. Rollin has dedicated so much time and commitment to renovating them and it hasn’t gone unnoticed... only last week he was featured on George Clarke’s Amazing Spaces and you can catch it on 4oD here.

On Saturday we were woken up early by the sound of Rowena shouting outside, it was hard to tear myself away from the beautiful morning view as I opened the curtains, but (after taking an obligatory picture) we rushed downstairs to find that a herd of sheep had broken through the back fence and were having a great time running around the garden!

After gently herding the sheep back into their field and a good full English breakfast with Rowena’s old school friend, we put on our winter woollies and headed out for a trek up the Malvern Hills. We parked at the foot of the hills next to a lovely new cafe called Cafe H2O at the Malvern Hills GeoCentre where we indulged in a cup of tea and a delicious teacake and studied the interactive maps available of all the potential routes. We decided to take on the highest point of the hills, and walk the Worcestershire Beacon.

This isn’t the first time we’ve walked the hills, we also did this back when were at University, which as we walked at pace, brought back some wonderful memories. Emma told us about her Three Peaks challenge for charity, and we all decided that in 2014 we need to embark on a challenge as a group. So, there is nothing like making something happen than to write it down for the world to see – in 2014 we aim to climb Mount Kilimanjaro!

We finally reached the highest point after a few stops to take pictures of the breath-taking view which looks out over Worcestershire and Herefordshire before we made our way back down again. All that walking and talking left us a little frazzled but nothing a little Christmas Market couldn’t sort out! We made our way into Malvern Town Centre where we browsed the many independent stalls and paid a visit to the Great Malvern Priory to find carol singers and Christmas storytellers!

Great Malvern is a gorgeous getaway from city life and I’d thoroughly recommend it to anyone looking for a countryside retreat. If you get chance while you are there, pay a visit to the gorgeous Grange Farm Nursery, an award-winning garden centre located in Guarlford where you can buy a whole host of trees, shrubs and beautiful plants. As I drove down the long & windy roads of Hanley Swan on my way back home, I left Malvern feeling totally relaxed and ready for a Christmas full of friends, family and fun!

Have a lovely Christmas,

Katie x

A Walking Weekend in the Cotswolds

Every Winter we pack the car (and the dog!) and head to the Cotswolds to stay in a gorgeous little traditional cottage. Our favourite place is the small town of Winchcombe in Gloucestershire so, if it's available, we book Windsor Cottage from Owner's Direct and drive there for a few nights stopping to stock up the kitchen at Daylesford Organic near Kingham along the way! I especially love Daylesford at Christmas.

Winchcombe is a picture-perfect Cotswold town with sandy Cotswold stone buildings, beautiful countryside and cobbled streets. The weekend consists of relaxing in front of the cottage's real log fire (a luxury I unfortunately don't have at home), pottering around Winchcombe's independent shops and enjoying delicious local food, but the main reason is to spend time walking along the picturesque Cotswold Way with the dog!

Winchcombe is perfect for exploring as it sits on six long-distance footpaths, including the famous Cotswold Way; a 102-mile trail up and down hills with beautiful views for miles and miles around. The town is a member of the Walkers are Welcome network of towns and even holds a walking festival every May. Winchcombe's 'Welcomes Walkers' website is a fantastic place to get further information and download self-guided walks. We used three of the walks ranging from 4 to 10 miles and despite a few turnarounds (we're great at getting lost on foot or in the car!), found them very useful.

Another reason we love Winchcombe is that although it's got a 'small-town' feel it's got everything you could wish for from independent shops to small supermarkets and a number of lovely pubs and restaurants. It is also close to Sudeley Castle and the remains of Hailes Abbey so there's lots of history to take in. Whilst on one of our walks we stumbled upon artist Damien Hurst's restoration project, the 300-room Toddington Manor where he plans on displaying his artwork.

After all that walking, the perfect place to retreat to was the Wine and Sausage at the White Hart Inn in the centre of Winchcombe. We had a well-deserved drink in the window of this lovely, traditional pub every day and enjoyed a meal of sausage and mash one evening. They only use ingredients sourced seasonally and regionally to the Cotswolds (and it's not just sausages!) and also have a 'wine shop' within the bar for reasonably priced, carefully selected takeout wines.

Despite quite a bit of whinging from my other-half about the number of miles we walked, we all had another lovely stay, enjoying the fresh air whilst recharging our batteries in probably my favourite place in the UK. I'm already looking forward to next year!

Jane x

Highlights

• Winchcombe itself is really a highlight - we've stayed in many other places in the Cotswolds and Winchcombe has to be the best
• Lovely walks and scenery - with the range of walks available there's something for everyone from a quick jaunt to a six hour trip!
• Lighting a real fire - I love the smell of real fires and the cottage provides all the wood (and firelighters!) needed

Must-Dos

• Explore the Cotswold Way taking in the views over the Welsh and Malvern Hills and local towns
• White Hart Inn - a must-visit when in Winchcombe

York - A Flying Visit Filled with Frights, Food and Fun!

I have just got back from a night's stay in the beautiful city of York where we were celebrating a friend's birthday which always involves some Halloween fun with it being so close to All Hallows' Eve!

We ventured to York early Sunday morning so we could enjoy a full day and prepare ourselves for the activities we'd booked. We arrived at the Hotel du Vin York in time for a glass of celebratory champagne and a delicious lunch of Welsh Rarebit enjoyed in the lovely, comfy yet modern bar area. The hotel is situated just a ten minute walk from the centre of York with ample parking (we were told parking in York is pretty horrific) and the hotel itself is beautiful living up to the Hotel du Vin standard.

Our room was a great size with a little lounge area and a big bathroom with twin sinks, a freestanding bath and waterfall shower (I have a thing for bathrooms!). The room had lots of storage and a Nespresso coffee machine alongside a mini-bar full of drinks and local snacks. My only gripe with our room was as it was on the front of the building opposite the main road it was a little loud overnight so, if possible, I'd ask to be placed towards the back of the building next time.

After dumping the bags and filling our bellies we ventured into the centre of York. As the weather wasn't great we got a taxi (only £5) but passed by the pretty railway station and the overpowering walls of the city which are the most complete example of medieval city walls still standing in England today, to our first stop, the York Dungeons! As it was near Halloween and the birthday girl likes scaring her friends we found this activity appropriate!

We quickly moved up the queue (pre-booking is advised) and was greeted by the friendly staff who took a great group picture before we entered into the darkness! I won't give too much away about the dungeons but if you like history as I do, it was interesting to hear about York's background through the ages and the whole experience awakens all of your senses (including smell!). It was lots of fun, however the scariest part for me was when we were locked in a pitch-black room hearing about Dick Turpin, the murderer who was tried and executed in York, when my friend jumped out and grabbed me - it took me a while to calm down!

On leaving the dungeons we were all in need of a drink so we walked towards the famous cobbled streets - The Shambles in search of a pub. The Shambles are gorgeous with lovely boutique shops on either side of the cobbles. We were offered tea tasters from out of the window of one of the shops which was delicious and of course, we had to go inside a traditional sweet shop where we all came out with bags of goodies! The girls carried on shopping while the boys found a traditional pub serving real ale and exotic beers - both groups were happy!

After a quick refresh in our rooms, we met for drinks in the bar of our hotel which is renowned in the area for amazing cocktails. The menu was extensive and we particularly loved the custom Hotel du Vin blends which the bar staff created. We decided on dinner in the hotel as we're all big fans of the food Hotel du Vin serves - we weren’t disappointed as both the food and service was fantastic.

Day two of our little break in York and our first stop was brunch in one of the many independent cafes in the city. Staff at the Hotel du Vin recommended Mannion & Co so we made that our first stop. The bistro specialises in artisan baking and the bread served with our brunch was simply delicious. After Eggs Benedict, Welsh Rarebit (again!?) and Chorizo Sandwiches we went on to explore.

We walked alongside the pretty River Ouse keeping an eye out for Judi Dench as Katie informed me that the dame herself has an apartment overlooking the river. It's a shame we didn't spot her!

Next, we walked around admiring the architecture and stopped in to look around a few unique shops on our way  to the York Minster. I've never seen shops like those in York before - one of my favourites was a stunning soap store The Yorkshire Soap Company which, on entering, it felt like you'd walked into Disneyland! The music was perfectly matched to the environment and the delicate sweet smells instantly made your smile. We had to pick up the cupcake designed soaps to believe that they weren't actually the real thing they were so well-made.

The York Minster is the largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe. The craftsmanship and detail is amazing. I didn't quite imagine that the cathedral would be so large, it's one of the biggest I've ever seen and it was lovely to be able to walk around the whole of it amongst the Autumn leaves and peering into the cute teashops along the way.

Our final stop in York before heading back home had to be Betty's Tea Rooms, opened in 1919, it takes you back to Victorian days... even the servers dressed the part. As Katie recommended we went to the big tearoom in St Helen's Square as opposed to the smaller Betty's to get the full experience. The queue was out of the door but the 20 minute wait didn't feel long as we had hundreds of intricate cakes to feast our eyes upon! Although it's not as cute as some of the modern cake shops, it was a wonderful and scrumptious experience. We all had cream tea with our scones and tea served on silver platters and old-fashioned cups which made it taste even more delicious.

Although we only had two days in York, we left feeling we had got to know the beautiful city and the lovely people. It's somewhere I'd definitely like to return to.

Jane x

Highlights

• Cocktails in the Hotel du Vin York - especially one of the staff's own creation 'Lipstick on His Collar'
• The beautiful shop The Yorkshire Soap Company to make you feel instantly happy!

Must-Dos

• Cream Tea at Betty's - Victorian elegance at its finest! 
• A walk around (and inside!) York Minster

Jamaica Me Crazy - A Travel Review

I've just returned from Jamaica and what better way to remember my time out there than write a blog post to go into our ever-mounting travel section! With its chilled-out vibe, happy people and clear blue waters, Jamaica is textbook Caribbean.

Having been lucky enough to go to Australia in March we wanted a 'bomb-out' summer holiday where we literally lay on a sun bed and relaxed – Jamaica is certainly the perfect place to do that! We decided to book with Thomson Holidays for ease and chose the Grand Palladium Resort and Spa in a lesser-known part of the island, Lucea. Lucea is a small unspoilt town on the island's northwest coast away from the usual tourist spots of Negril and Montego Bay.

After the nine hour flight (with Thomson long-haul not feeling that much different to short-haul!), we were luckily upgraded to an ocean view room as we had two special occasions to celebrate during our two-week stay. The ocean view made all the difference with a private balcony and views stretching out over the Caribbean Sea. Lucea was quite a way from the island's main attractions, for example climbing the Dunn's River Waterfalls was on our list of things to do but we didn't fancy the six-hour round-trip! We wanted a quiet holiday though and Lucea met our needs as well as having lots of facilities in the resort such as a spa, watersports, tennis and four pools to keep us entertained.

One really memorable thing was just how friendly and happy the Jamaican people in our resort were. We would walk to breakfast with the sounds of the gardeners singing their very own reggae tunes and people would stop to say hello or offer us a freshly fallen coconut. The most common phrase was 'no problem mon' and it did seem like everyone was on beach time... maybe it was the 'special tobacco' we could smell occasionally or the rum punch which was on tap - we'll never know!

We were slightly concerned about the weather when booking our holiday for the end of August into September but we actually looked forward to the daily 2pm rain showers giving us the chance to play a game of tennis or relax in the indoor spa and have a much-needed break from the sun. The sun was so powerful, it definitely seemed hotter there than in any other country I've visited so P20 and lots of it was needed for my skin. I saw many people burn despite them loading up on sunscreen. Another product which helped my tan to develop was Cowshed's Spearmint Exfoliating Sea Salt Scrub - I used it twice a week so stop peeling and to nourish and protect my skin. Gorgeous!

Jamaica was just how I'd pictured it... luscious green plants everywhere dotted with the most colourful flowers I've ever seen alongside a backdrop of the ocean as clear as a swimming pool. You appreciate the daily rain as it clearly keeps the island vibrant and full of life.

I've not travelled all-inclusive before because, as I've said in previous posts, I really enjoy getting to know a country and the culture of the place. Let's just say my first all-inclusive experience (the food and organised entertainment in particular!) was memorable, it's not for me but I'm happy I got to travel to the stunning island of Jamaica all the same!

Highlights

• A daily non-alcoholic ice blended Piña Colada drink by the pool to kickstart my day!
• Gaining total relaxation with days slowly drifting into nights and the inability to work out what day it was!

 Must-dos

• Devour a plate of Jerk Chicken on the beach with a side of Scotch Bonnet spicy sauce... or if you're a veggie like me try the traditional dish of Gumbo
• Visit Montego Bay - I could see the twinkling lights of this vibrant place from the balcony and really wish I'd spent some time there

Peace mon, Jane x

The Best Things in Life (in August)...

We had such fun answering July's 'Best Things in Life' in our favourite Red magazine we're doing it again this month!

These questions (with an added extra of our own) were taken from the August issue of Red. August's pages are filled with inspiring adventures through Asia and Australia, the summer-soundtrack - Love Songs, from Vanessa Paradis and a great interview with 'The Body' Elle Macpherson...

Katie

The best things in life are...

Festivals with great friends! There is nothing better than watching live music surrounded by some of your favourite friends, and in the sunshine too! I recently went to Gentlemen of the Road Stopover in Lewes, near Brighton created by Mumford and Sons, read my review here

My local park… Last month saw the UK celebrate their local green areas for Love Parks Week and it made me realise how lucky I am to have a clean well-kept park only a few minutes walk away. It’s so nice to be able to run through the park instead of being inside at a gym, or play tennis at the weekend (inspired by Andy Murray of course!) and it has also been the inspirational setting for outlining our next steps in business too! 

Finding new brands to love! This month we have been choosing our top picks from inspirational home interior brands. I just love the clean and stylish accessories you can find at Bodie and Fou, I can’t wait to kit out the apartment with a few of the products we love!

The life lesson I've learnt from travelling is...

Do more! I spent 6 months travelling the world back in 2010, and although I love home and the UK, this trip inspired me to make sure my life is filled with travel in the future. Meeting people from all over the world and living their lives for a while is an incredible learning experience. When I look at the time here I try to remember what the people around the word I have previously met would be doing…there are amazing women in Fiji that spend all day helping travellers move from one boat to another (backpacks and all!) to make sure they can safely get to the shore of Bounty Island. There are just too many places, too many people to meet and too little time!

 I wish I'd known at the start of Katie & Jane six months ago...

The tremendous support I would receive from my friends and family, one of my favourite quotes is “The greatest gift you can give someone is to believe in them”. Focusing on their belief in me helps me turn those business worries into positive actions!

My 'top pick' for August is...

I just love anything that takes me back to my travels and this gorgeous map of America from Bold and Noble does just that. Using typography to create the country, there are also maps of the British Isles, Ireland, Australia, Italy, France and London, all available from Bodie and Fou.

Jane

The best things in life are...

Sunny days spent with friends... either lounging at home in the garden or enjoying a lovely meal outside at Cote Brasserie in the Mailbox in Birmingham - my current favourite dish is Linguine with Seafood with Garlic and Chilli.

Pilates at my local studio, Equilibrium. I love working on the reformer (a weird-looking machine with weights!), it leaves me feeling calm and toned.

My dog Beau! His little face and wagging tail is the best thing to come home to! 

The life lesson I've learnt from travelling is...

Don't be arrogant or small-minded, instead understand the culture of the place you are visiting and you're guaranteed to have loads of fun and create many memories. Learn a few phrases, enjoy authentic dishes and do what I love doing the most... pretend you are one of the locals! I did recently in Burgau, Portugal below!

 I wish I'd known at the start of Katie & Jane six months ago...

That, with our go-getting attitude, we really can do anything we set our mind to - even if it is a bit 'out-there'! With a little research, planning and organisation along with our motto 'what's the worst that can happen?' we've discovered if we want to do something, we do!

My 'top pick' for August is...

My Moleskine Wellness Journal - Summer for me means feeling a little healthier and I love using this journal to keep me on track!

It's filled with food diaries, facts and nutritional values but also has sections such as Personal Goals and Inspirations to enable your mind to feel balanced as well as your body. 

Gentlemen of the Road Stopover...A festival full of fun!

I have a lovely group of girls that I always do festivals with and every year we like to choose a new festival to try. This year was one with a difference…Gentlemen of the Road Stopover  in Lewes, near Brighton.

Hosted by the epic Mumford & Sons, the global series of events began in 2012 and toured small cities and towns around the world, creating a unique experience for everyone involved, and this year was no exception. Staying true to the spirit outlined by the band…it was a music festival that celebrates local people, food and culture, where everyone pitches in and everybody gets something back.

Lewes is a gorgeous town steeped in folklore and history, famed for its huge celebrations each bonfire night, it was chosen by the band for its 2013 UK stopover because they’d heard that “The people of Lewes love a good hoedown” and how right they were, the atmosphere from start to finish was infectious, exploding into the sleepy town after the festivities, where the few local pubs, including The Lansdown Arms welcomed revellers to carry on the fun.

Music highlights include the soulful tunes of Bear's Den, playing ‘Isaac’, an uplifting rendition of ‘Home’ by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, a throwback to my younger years with Vampire Weekend’s ‘One (Blake’s Got a New Face)' and of course the headliners of the weekend Mumford & Sons with a rousing performance of Babel.

The site of The Convent Field was relatively small, but included all you could need in terms of food stalls, with the biggest queues forming for the hog roast. You may have struggled to find options if you were vegetarian as there was a lack of veggie stalls, however the main attraction was the popular Higgidy Pies stall which was a lovely addition to the feel of the festival.

On the second day we decided to bring our own picnic food (read Jane's recent blog post for picnic inspiration!) and laid our picnic blanket out right in front of the centre stage and enjoyed the gorgeous music of Bear's Den. This not only allowed us to save money but summed up the laid-back feel of the festival which is hard to find at other festivals I have been to in previous years where the crowds are claustrophobic and you are more worried about losing your friends forever because you need to queue for the portaloo! This was the most relaxing festival experience I have ever had.

We decided to use a new app to document the fun of the festival called Time Lapse, an app you can use to take photos that can be later rendered as a video with a backing track of your choice. You can choose to manually snap your images or program the app to take a snap every so many hours, minutes or seconds. For our first efforts, we ended up with a funny memory of the weekend set to the backing track of Mumford & Sons of course!  A full Katie & Jane review will be available soon.

When booking the tickets we were told the on-site camping had sold out and after a lot of calling round the local area, we booked to stay in the pretty coastal town of Eastborne in The Guesthouse East, which was £30 a night between 4 of us, we stayed in a fully-equipped suite with shower facilities and most importantly a comfy bed to rest our weary dancing legs! We pre-booked taxis to pick us up from Lewes after the festival which we had no trouble in picking up, and we travelled to Lewes every morning by train.

Overall Mumford & Sons seem to have packed a festival with everything they love and shared it with the world, I can’t wait to see where the next UK stopover for 2014 will be, but I would love to visit one of the US stopovers next year. It was such a unique experience, and really inspired me to look out for new, smaller festivals because they might be smaller in terms of its line-up but it packed a punch where it needed to, the music, the atmosphere and the friendly town of Lewes!

Stopovers in Simcoe, Troy, Guthrie and St. Augustine still to come this year so make sure you head to the main site to check the line-ups for each festival here. 

After each festival I love to purchase a little memento to put up in the apartment, and this One Must Dash print from Bodie & Fou is just perfect to remind me of the Gentleman of the Road printed onto the flags welcoming us to the friendliest festival on the planet!  Click the image to find out more...

Katie x

Fun in the Algarve - Burgau, Portugal

I've been visiting the tiny fishing village of Burgau on the west coast of Portugal for the last ten years (makes me feel very old!) and despite a lot of development in the area, Burgau has still retained its traditional charm. There are great deals on flights from many UK airports (I flew for £130 return with Ryanair and Monarch) so I met my friend there for a few nights last week and thought I'd give you a little insight into my trip.

Burgau

Unspoilt Burgau is just an hour's drive from Faro's modern airport and only 10 minutes from the larger town of Lagos making it a great location to visit on the coast. I would say that Burgau caters for everyone from families or couples to those who like a little more action!

My days spent in Burgau revolved around the beach - a beautiful, long sandy one surrounded by parkland and cliffs. There's a beach bar with friendly staff, fresh seafood and amazing cocktails which has been open for as long as I've been visiting - it's definitely worth booking a table overlooking the sea. There are watersports for those who are more active (we hired a jetski and with my normally sensible friend going 66km/hour it was certainly an experience!) but they don't overpower the relaxing beach vibe.

After lazing on the beach until the sun hid behind the cliffs, usually 7pm, we'd get ready and head to one of Burgau's traditional restaurants for some Portuguese fish or peri-peri chicken alongside the mandatory Sangria! My favourite restaurant in the little village is 'Ancora' - the food is fresh and sourced locally and the service is exceptional from the Burgau born brother-sister team. Portion sizes are large so make sure you're hungry when you book your table here!

While there our timings 'went local', which suited me - it meant we would go for dinner later and then head to the popular bar 'Smugglers' for post-dinner drinks. Smugglers is again, a traditional place with lovely staff who are talented at making numerous cocktails and Portuguese drinks (Pasteis de Nata cocktail is amazing if you like sweet drinks!). This is the place where the locals go for a drink after work so it's great to sit and soak up the culture.

Along with unique drinks, Smugglers offer delicious tapas served on authentic wooden boards for the midnight munchies... you would normally find us in here until 4am so we certainly needed a snack! I've ordered these gorgeous wooden chopping boards from Bodie and Fou to re-create the tapas at home! See our Products We Love page.

As my time was unfortunately short we decided to focus spending time in our favourite place, Burgau, although we did head into Lagos for a day trip on the Bom Dia...

Bom Dia Boat Trips

Bom Dia (meaning good morning) Boat Trips have been sailing from Lagos harbour for over 30 years using old-fashioned sailing boats and offer a number of different trips. We decided on the four hour 'Baia de Lagos' cruise which sails along the Bay of Lagos and through the striking caves and rock formations. Despite going on it before, we were happy to do it again!

We made our way to the harbour and joined around 30 others onboard the Bom Dia. Firstly we sailed along the coast where we caught glimpses of the other pretty towns and villages along with some secluded beaches which would be great to visit. We then dropped the anchor and, in groups, were taken in a smaller boat through the famous caves of 'Ponte da Piedade' seeing the caves fisherman named as the 'kitchen' 'living room' and 'garage' for various reasons. This little boat trip takes around 15 minutes and is really interesting to hear the area's history from the crew.

Back onboard, we were invited to take a dip in the sea while the other groups visited the caves. Despite not being a massive fan of the sea, we jumped in to cool-down - the sea was 21 degrees but it felt much colder once we were in!

When everyone was back onboard, a delicious BBQ of grilled chicken (feta for veggies) was served with salad topped with their lovely 'secret' dressing and bread and wine. The crew came around for a chat and to give you second, and third helpings of the food before setting sail back to Lagos harbour. It was spacious on the boat so gave us an opportunity for comfortable sunbathing on the relaxing journey back.

The 'Baia de Lagos' trip is a must-do while you are in the Lagos area and for 50 Euros with lunch and drinks it's very reasonable.

If you're looking for a traditional, relaxing holiday in the sun with lovely people I'd wholehearted recommend going to Burgau. There's lots to do in the area but just being in tiny Burgau is enough, I only wish I could have stayed for longer... oh well, it just means I'll have to make another trip to my favourite Portuguese village soon!

Jane x