Over 4 days from 12th-15th April, visitors in London will have the chance to see some of Istanbul’s leading design, art galleries, and fashion designers.

Visitors to the show will also have the chance to sample a specially designed menu of Luxury Street Food and pastries devised by leading chef Silvena Rowe, sample traditional Turkish Coffee and a chance to learn about the authentic way to drink Turkish Raki.

The event will run from 11am until 7pm each day. Tickets are now available for free courtesy of the Turkish Culture and Tourism Office in London via eventbrite http://www.innlondon.org/event/.

” …a refreshing and subtle play on a book, with expansive grounds providing ample space for guests to explore, each area representing a blank page on which to write their story.

A new two-story high glass box is for the new ‘Drink Gallery’ which encompasses bold art juxtaposed with pieces of natural wood and steel furniture providing the prefect surroundings to enjoy the simple menu and playful drinks created by an expert mixologist from Bangkok.

Serving mainly gourmet finger foods to be shared, expect delights such as the Samui Rangoon, made from local seafood and cream cheese, served with lemon-grass dip. The drinks are equally creative, with unexpected ingredients like rosemary and baked pear.

For entertainment, the hotel’s namesake in-house library has a collection of over 1,300 books for borrow or purchase. The signature vivid red pool is surrounded by a wooden deck, with direct views onto the beach and the sound of crashing waves in the background.

The entire minimalist structure is set in a lush environment on Thailand’s Chaweng Beach in Koh Samui, The Library helps preserve coastal heritage property, while impacting minimally on its ecology.

Divided into 26 suite/studio cabins, the complex avoids the monolithic hotel-complex look, scattering discreet buildings in lush vegetation. Each cabin consists of a suite space on the ground floor and a studio upstairs, complete with ocean view. All are within sight of old-growth trees that have been spared the developer’s bulldozer

Rates start at THB 16618

Design Hotels Best Rate Guarantee
For reservations the Design Hotels 00 800 37 46 83 57

SHOPPING

Clothes, costume jewellery and gifts are cheap to find in Bangkok. Cute dresses and the latest styles of Topshop are mimicked. Blouses and skirts can be picked up for £4 on the night markets and while the quality is about as throw-away fashion as it gets and probably won’t last too many washes walking around the streets of Siam Square and finding the little warren of stalls, markets and shopping centres is much more fun than walking through the doors of Primark for the same kind of items. Little design boutiques are all over the area with cool togs and leather bags aplenty.

For jewellery and gifts – or just for the experience – the city’s chinatown in a great place to explore. Oddly food (other than from street vendors) is hard to come by but if you are looking for shoes, stationery, trinkets or small furnishings then its a fun place to visit.

MARKETS

By far the biggest market in Bangkok (at 27 acres) and we suspect almost anywhere else, is Chatuchak. Taking place each weekend the market sells everything from second-hand clothes to pets (we kid you not – there’s Saint Bernard dogs to Persian cats). Split in to sections the tightly packed stalls offer little room to pass the other thousands of people that flock there. Our tip would be to check the website and plan a route of what you want to see. You can spend hours here and one visit is just never enough.

DRINKING

It might be a bit of a Bangkok cliche but the famous Backpacking area Koah San Road is a great place to sit and people watch. Get off the main drag of the market and navigate along to the adjacent street and you’ll be rewarded with the cheapest beer (60BHT for a large bottle of Chang which is about £1.25) and some varying quality live music. The free entertainment of watching gap year students with over-sized rucksacks trying to find their super-cheap hostel is good fun in a smug kind of way.

If the sleazy end of Bangkok is your draw then avoid the craziness of Patpong (especially after 10pm when the music gets turned up to maximum and the touts really want to fill their girly bars). The price of drinks doubles here, the market is full of knock-off Rolex’s and the atmosphere isn’t that great. Instead opt for the much friendlier, cheaper and smaller Soi Cowboy. Easy to reach on the Skytrain if your thing is boys or girls you can drink, eat and have fun in much less hassle.

SLEEPING

In the urban jungle of Bangkok with its overwhelming smoggy heat finding as oasis like Hansar (tucked behind the Four Seasons in the commercial heart of the city on Rajdamri Road) is a godsend. With an impressive indoor garden wall in your room as you enter you feel as if you are back outdoors.

This all-suite boutique hotel opened just over a year ago and looks sparklingly new. Tasteful artwork is scattered throughout from the moment you enter the hotel you are greeted by a large colourful fabric piece on one wall and black and white nature images on another. The touches of art appear throughout in subtle spaces.

Winner of a 2011 Best Boutique City Hotel award Hansar is packed with cool but understated touches from the suite’s silk-paneled lounge, mirrored sliding doors, large bathroom and walk in shower to the hotel facilities.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Wireless internet is free, there are great dining areas and a spa; ideal for the business traveler as much as the holidaymaker thanks to its central location. However the deal breaker has to be the rooftop infinity pool which makes you feel as though you are swimming on top of the city.

Known amongst Florentines as the event that they really don’t want you to know about, the event isn’t well publicised, with dates changing each year, so no need for concerns over long queues and waiting around hours for admittance.  Florence has the most state museums and the most savings on offer.

Florence’s streets are packed with local exchanging news, drinking coffee and going about their daily lives, welcoming to the British, always happy to strike up conversation and help out where they can.  No matter what time of day or night you will always discover activity at a table outside a café at a piazza, the locals love to be outside on their beautiful streets.

Florence’s winding streets and piazzas are packed with Renaissance architecture and art.  This small city has a wealth of artistic delights and has more things to see per square metre than any other city in the world.  Whether Michelangelo’s David, the Duomo, gold battering on the old bridge, galleries, palaces, espresso or delicious steak Florence doesn’t disappoint.

The Uffizi gallery houses the greatest collection of Renaissance art in the world.  Statues of Florence’s finest men tower over you at the approach to the museum, but this sight of staggering beauty combined with the lively, almost chaotic atmosphere outside can’t compare to the artwork hidden behind the walls of the Uffizi.  It is home to two of Italy’s most famous paintings, Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’ and ‘Primavera’ by the same painter.

The queue for the Academy Museum can be overwhelming on a Saturday and don’t be fooled into thinking that the mob is waiting to see the outstanding sculptures inside.  They are waiting for one in particular the great statue Michelangelo’s ‘David,’ his immense size and masculinity carved from a five metre piece of gleaming marble.

The Pitti Palace is home to several museums including the Modern Arts and Costume museums, but its greatest and most pleasing surprise is the gigantic Boboli Gardens round the back of the palace, one of Florence’s finestparks and a good location to stop, sit and relax.

The Medici Chapel is the mausoleum of the Medici Dukes. Up the stairwell at the back of the entrance room will take you to the grand ‘Chapel of the Princes,’ the breath taking statues carved from ancient Roman marble of the six Medici Dukes, making this place a must see.

Don’t let the imposing structure of the Bargello Museum put you off, the building has served many over the years and features a fine collection of prestigious sculptures, the most famous Michelangelo’s ‘Drunken Bacchus.’

Florence is an outstanding city which has something to offer to all.  With all these savings on offer ‘Settimana dei Bene Culturale’ is the time to go.

For further information:  www.beniculturali.it | www.firenzeturismo.it

Words: James Clark

The line-up is huge and although Snoop Dogg has pulled out there are plenty of other artists and DJ’s to keep you entertained. The list includes DJ Shadow, Example, Groove Armada, Fatboy Slim, Labrinth, The Vaccines, Chase & Status, The Whip and loads more.

As one of the largest and most highly regarded resorts in the world Mayrhofen is completely taken over for a week long party of hedonistic adventure and extreme sport. The resort also boasts some of Europe’s most lavish spas so you can relax and enjoy the amazing spring sunshine and snowy mountains of one of Europe’s most snow-sure, late season winter resorts. The nearby Tux glacier (Austria’s highest lifted point) is also only a short (free) bus ride away, and although open all-year round, it’s at its best in spring.

Snowbombing is an entertainment and accommodation package, where you can choose a variety of accommodation options to suit your preferences and budget; from 5 star luxury Spa hotels, to pocket friendly pensions.

You can add a variety of extras to build a package to suit you including a variety of lift passes, bespoke parties, including the infamous Arctic Disco and the bonkers Backcountry Party plus ski & snowboard lessons, equipment hire and airport transfers.

Prices start from £289 for accommodation and all the entertainment.

1 WEEK / 14 UNIQUE VENUES / 5 MOUNTAIN STAGES / 4 IGLOO RAVES / 5,000 STRONG STREET PARTY / 1 AWARD WINNING BOARD PARK / 18 SPAS AND POOLS / 639KM OF PISTE

Snowbombing 2012
April 9-14
Mayrhofen, Austria

Eating in Little India

It was getting late (around 10pm) when we headed down Serangoon Road. There was plenty of activity with the bright lights of Deepavali celebrations but it seemed that most cafes had closed up for the Saturday night.

Stumbling upon an outdoor square with people eating we headed for a much-needed refreshment of a beer in the sticky, humid night air. Befriending an elderly gent (who didn’t actually work there as we later found out) he lead us to a stall whose lager offer didn’t stretch below 8% (when Special Brew is the lowest alcohol content on offer in the fridge you know you should probably turn around). So of course we bought a bottle of Premium Strength Kingfisher – it looked and sounded the least harmful of the choice (Haywards 5000, Godfather, and the aforementioned Special Brew).

With bemused glances from our fellow drinkers our elderly friend informed us the area was for ‘local workers’ unbeknown to us we were sitting in the middle of a potential staff canteen.

After the delightfully tasting lager-syrup concoction we went on the search for food. At 10.30pm this appeared a tall-order for Little India. We had walked through a pungent smelling Hawker Centre (indoor food hall) and a few non-beer serving indian veggie restaurants.

After dodging the traffic and doing as the locals seem to – close your eyes, run across a busy road and hope you don’t get knocked over – we found Jungle Tandoor.  This weirdly themed north indian restaurant is full of odd animal paraphernalia. While we’re not sure where squirrels and rabbits sit happily with Lions, White Tigers and Polar Bears – with a few red indians thrown in along Bhuddist Monk – thank goodness the food was more authentic than the decor.

The BBQ Tandoori Chicken was just on the right side of hot and full of flavour. The mains included Fish Biriani and Chicken Methi Malay which were nice twists on our usual balti houses back home.

Shopping on Haji Lane

Hang out with Singapore’s cool kids on Haji Lane where independent boutiques line the entire stretch of this skinny road in the Arab Quarter.

From beautifully made bikes in grass green, sky blue and orange with brown leather trims and, most importantly, shiny white tyres at Tokyo Bike to reasonably priced bags, accessories and uber-cute clothes from the lovely Blog Shop there is a multitude of great things to choose from.

There’s vintage-inspired handmade items and designer wear but be warned – these items are made for the smaller Asian frame.

If you fancy a spot to eat there are plenty of cute and inexpensive cafes and sheesha bars to choose from. It is pretty cheap to eat in the area (SGD $5.50/£2.75 for a bowl of noodles with prawns and pork). You’ll get basic but tasty and nourishing food to keep you going for the rest of your shopping trip.

Where to go for Culture

Armenian Street is the heart of the ‘Culture Quarter‘ and has several good spaces to check out. PEEK! sells cult photography items from Lomography and Superheadz and is an analogue phorographer lovers dream. It nt only looks great and is full of lovely items but there is also a gallery space to give you inspiration on what to do with your newly purchased kit.

Meanwhile local artists take up residency in The Substation where a gallery space showcases work in Singapore’s first independent contemporary arts centre. You can see a mix of critically acclaimed artists with new up-and-coming talent depending on the day you visit.

Set over 4-floors Art Plural inhabits an impressive art deco building and presents solo and group exhibitions along with public art projects, conferences and installations. You’ll need to press the buzzer to get in but don’t be intimidated; the staff are friendly and helpful and willing to walk you around the space and tell you about the work if you wish.

Where to Stay

Set within the tranquil surroundings of Fort Canning Park (which hosts the occasional concert – on the night we arrived it was ‘retro night’ with Human League) Hotel Fort Canning opened in November 2010 after an extensive two and a half year refurbishment (costing SGD$70m) from its former use as a club house.

The hotel was originally built in 1926 and used for the British Far East Command Centre as a military base for personnel. With a vantage point on the hill of Singapore’s River (since hidden by buildings and skyscrapers)  the park and area is steeped in history. So much so that the hotel has remnants from an archaeological find with pieces on display integrated in to the lobby floor under glass. The displays showcase pottery pieces from the 14th century and contrasting them with the finds of the 19th century and early British occupation.

The sympathetic refurb has discovered many of the period pieces of the building and the design has taken the surroundings of the park and planted them firmly in the rooms. With the use of wood, soft furnishings in golds and greens there are no photo’s or art on the walls rather mirrors, lighting and feature fabric headrests to the ceiling.

The ‘open’ concept of a large free-standing deep bath tub in the middle of some of the rooms might strike you as odd – especially if you’re sharing the room with a friend rather than partner – but it makes for a fun experience. Other rooms have a separate bathing area but with the ability to open the blinds and look out from the tub.

The inspiration for the concept comes once again from outdoors and the park which in the 14th Century was home to the royal bath house. These touches recently lead to the hotel winning Urban Redevelopment Authority’s Architectural Heritage Award for the careful preserving and integrating of the heritage icon.

In contrast one of the hotel’s dining areas is set within a recently added Glass House building. The space also includes a hi-tec gym and a spa. Joining the old with the new are two outdoor pools; one for lengths and one for splashing with the addition of very nice poolside furniture and day beds.

The boutique hotel has 86 rooms all with original conservation doors with glass panels that look out on to the lush park or cityscape. Just a 10 minute walk to the popular Clarke Quay area for drinks and food and a five minute hop to shopping onOrchard Road the hotel is in a perfect place to visit Singapore.

Nice touches:
-Free Wireless to keep on contact at home and tweet pictures of the bath tub
-Cocktails from 6-8pm – what is not to like about that?
-The Zepplin Mini to charge your iPhone
- Period Patio doors that open out on to lush green palm trees

The details: Hotel For Canning, hfcsingapore.com, +65 6559 6770
11 Canning Walk, Singapore 178881

OASIA HOTEL

One of Singapore’s newest hotels (officially opened in October 2011) OASIA is a glass tower with contemporary styled rooms and an impressively high-ceilinged foyer with beautiful raw wood features. Offering an awesome vista of Singapore’s landscape the hotel teeters happily between business and pleasure clients and offers an impressive list of facilities.

The hotel sits in the Novena District and just outside the hustle and bustle of the city (but only 2 short MRT stops away Orchard Road shopping area) and has the feel of a much more intimate hotel than its 428 rooms might suggest.

One of the jewels in Oasia’s crown has to be the 22nd Floor ‘Living Room’. Open to Oasia Club guests you’ll get to swim in one of Singapore’s highest hotel views with stunning views of the skyline or relax in the Jacuzzi. There are sun loungers if you need some R&R from the city and complimentary cocktails and canapes are served up by the friendly and helpful staff from 6pm to 8pm.

The unfussy rooms are inspired by ‘natural elements’ and give full use of natural light to compliment the wood flooring and furnishings.

Nice touches:
-The use of natural materials throughout the hotel
-The gorgeous Living Room pool
-Using the complimentary WiFi while sipping cocktails
-The fab views – especially in a thunderstorm

The details: Oasia Hotel Singapore, 8 Sinaran Drive, Singapore 307470, Tel: +65 6664 0333
http://www.oasiahotel.com

Born in 1893, Miro’s closeness to his homelands gives a unparalleled insight into his surroundings and Spanish history. Through sophisticated symbolism and Surrealism he’s able to communicate subtle political messages that gave Catalan people a voice in some of the most turbulent of times.

Always for the people, Miro believed that art should not be exclusive. So don’t be surprised when arriving at Barcelona airport, you’ll immediately find his 1970 mural in signature bright ceramic pieces and bold scale at terminal 2.

It’s touches like this, and so much more, that make him one of the most important artists of the Twentieth Century. His unique imagination and boundless inventiveness teamed with a lifelong devotion to his craft cement his name in history.

Described by Andre Breton, the Surrealist leader, as ‘the most Surrealist of us all’, The Ladder of Escape is a ladder of a spectacular artist’s evolution. Indeed Surreal. But also naïve, abstract and at times cubist.

Before you visit his main exhibition, take time to view his towering sculpture in the Parc Miró, titled ‘Woman and Bird‘, a short taxi ride from the city centre. This 22 metre high mosaic sculpture made in 1982 pays homage to Antoni Gaudí, another of the region’s famed artists.

From here head towards Park Montjuïc where the Foundation of Joan Miro museum is situated and also near the site Miro was buried aged 90, in 1983.

On entering the museum, you’re greeted with a permanent Miro fixture cute enough to give Sanrio a run for its money. Inspired by nature a statue with childlike sentiments embraces visitors and receives guests in the most loveable fashion.

Then there’s a day to be spent pouring over 170 works – set in 18 different rooms – including paintings, sculptures and works on paper, drawn from public and private collections around the world.

Afterwards, head back to the centre of Barcelona along La Rambla where you’ll find ‘Mosaic del Pla de L’0s‘, a circular mosaic paved into the road, restored to it’s full primary colour glory and greeting visitors to the city cheerfully.

Next just a short walk north on La Rambla, and forth left onto Tallers, is the Boadas cocktail bar. Here you can have a special Miro cocktail to end the day, complete with cherry. Looking at the shiny red fruit in the triangle cocktail glass you can’t help but see some of that Miro magic which you’ll find lovingly etched into Catalan streets, hearts and culture too.

Joan Miro: The Ladder of Escape is on until 18 March 2012, before touring the National Gallery of Art, Washington where it’ll be seen until May 2012. Admission is 10 Euros. For more information visit www.fundaciomiro-bcn.org. Team Fused flew with easyJet from Luton to Barcelona from around £60 return per person. Visit www.easyJet.com to book.

Words: Erica Crompton

As your face turns red and you stutter through a lame answer, you find yourself cursing Amsterdam’s sexual lenience and wishing you had chosen somewhere a little less touristy for your family holiday. So thank God for Maastricht, a city where I could escape from the ‘Big Mamma’s’, old men dressed up as babies knocking on poor unsuspecting hookers’ windows, the smell of desperation lingering around every stag party stumbling through the red light district and most importantly, my parent’s inquisitiveness.

Maastricht is one of Netherlands’s oldest cities. Nestled in between the Belgium and German borders and approximately two hours south of Amsterdam, it is a convenient and idyllic city to visit. Filled with stone cobbled streets, beautiful statues and the sound of bicycle bells ringing through the air, this working town does not to conform to the needs of the masses but to its local and international student community.

The Hotel

The TownHouse Hotel is an exquisite boutique hotel which offers four star service at three star prices. Stepping into their funky bedrooms, you immediately feel at home; each room is equipped with a flat screen TV, a safe and a luxurious en-suite bathroom with a shower and bath combo. Each room is decorated slightly differently, giving your room the personal, unique touch; stencils depicting various items of clothing are scattered across the walls, lamps of various shapes and sizes emit a warm glow and a personalised hand written note welcomes you to the hotel.

A large continental and English breakfast is provided in the large open space breakfast room, which also triples as the hotel’s well-stocked bar and lobby. All of the staff are extremely friendly and helpful and should you need to borrow a lap top or use the hotel’s Wi-Fi or gym facilities, these facilities are complementary of the hotel. Should you need parking, the hotel offers a secure garage service at €22.00 per day.

Walking through the town

Once you have arrived in Maastricht, there is very little need for a car as everything worth seeing is within walking distance or alternatively you can hire bicycles to fit in with the locals. Of Maastricht’s many squares, the main Stadhuis square is possible the most exciting as you can wander around the markets and sample the local produce. Visit the old and stunning 10th century Churches, gaze at the gothic towers and stare, somewhat bemused, at the old and new statues that are scattered throughout the town.

The city, probably most famously known amongst our generation for the signing of the European treaty which established the Euro, is steeped in rich history, all of which is evident as you walk through the town. Modern architecture mingles with the old, as the modern town stretches past the old city walls, still evident and in use today.

Things to do

As well as the numerous cinemas, theatres and museums on offer, time your visit to Maastricht with one of their popular fairs, festivals, street parties and performances. The city is famous for its many carnivals which lead up to Easter, as well as the art, jazz, tango or food festivals which often bring the city to a standstill.

Food

The squares are full of bustling restaurants, all of which offer some local cuisine such as soups, meatballs or stews. However, Indonesian food is highly popular in the Netherlands due to its colonial history and I sampled mouth-watering noodles, rice, chicken and pork at Gadjah Mas – Indonesian restaurant on Rechstraat 42. If you like exotic food, this restaurant is well worth a visit.

Like Amsterdam, various cafes also offer the ‘local’ weed cuisine, should you wish to dally in it before returning to the UK. Ask to see a menu, choose wisely and enjoy!

Drinking

During the day, drink Al Fresco in one of the bars overlooking the Maas river, sample the local Dutch beer and watch the locals pass by, jabbering away in a mixture of Dutch, French, English and German. When the light starts to fade, head to ‘Take One’, a highly popular and entertaining bar where the available beers are always changing and the quantity of edible peanuts quickly diminishes. Although there are not as many clubs as Amsterdam, there are more than enough bars (most open until 2am) to keep you entertained and intoxicated until the early hours of the morning.

Unlike Amsterdam, Maastricht does not pander to the tourism industry and if you want to visit an authentic Dutch city, I highly recommend a visit to this idyllic town. Or just visit Amsterdam without your parents. That would work too.

Words and images: Danann Swanton

Kilmackillogue, Kerry

My first stop was Kilmackillogue, a tiny fishing village along the Beara Peninsula in Kerry. Sea legs still firmly attached to my torso thanks to a ferry crossing and a long drive from Dublin, I hobbled out of my car and surveyed the wonder that surrounded me. The view was beautiful; rugged mountains lined the horizon whilst the calm, deep blue sea lapped against the old stone walls of the harbour. It was as though I had staggered onto the set of the ‘Discover Ireland.com’ advert; whilst I watched the setting sun turn the mountains into a deep shade of red, I started to hum the pipes, drums and fiddles of the advert’s theme tune. I half expected to see Michael Flatley hopping and flailing around in front of me.

Kilmackillogue consists of a number of holiday homes, farms and most importantly, one pub, which is also the village’s B&B. Situated on the harbour (and conveniently for me, staggering distance from my accommodation), this little old fashioned haven with its constant stream of customers is the perfect watering hole after a day of sailing, boating, diving, hill walking, cycling or horse riding (information about these activities is available within the pub). Teddy O’Sullivan’s pub provides seating on the pier where one can relax with a pint (Guinness if you want to fit in, Cider for wimps like me who just cannot take it) and watch the local fishermen bring in their daily catch. When the need arises for the alcohol to be soaked up with food, the pub sells mussels and salmon from the local fishermen’s catch as well as normal pub food.

Baltimore, West Cork

After enjoying a few days of exploring the Beara Peninsula, walking amongst the historical Stone Circle and attempting kayaking (rat infested Birmingham canals cannot prepare you for the open sea) it was time to move on to my favourite place – Baltimore in West Cork. Driving from Kerry to Cork via the mountain road known as the Healy Pass is one exciting experience; the Healy Pass is 334 meters above sea level and takes you through two of the highest mountain peaks in the area. Once you reach the top, it is well worth parking in one of the viewpoints and taking the opportunity to look at the rugged landscape.

Baltimore has a younger and busier atmosphere and, like Kilmackillogue comes alive with tourists during the summer months.  This fishing village, as well as hosting its own sailing schools, diving schools and regattas, has a number of ferries which allow you to explore the fuchsia filled surrounding islands. Visit Cape Clear in the first weekend of September for the annual Storytelling festival, Sherkin Island to see the old, historical ruins and finish exploring the island with a well-earned drink at the Jolly Roger pub overlooking Baltimore harbour.

Cross Roaring Water Bay to visit the unoccupied smaller islands with old crumbling houses on them, remnants of the days when these islands used to have communities living on them but are now homes to cattle. When you have had your fill of the smaller islands, hop onto the Baltimore Sea Safari and go out to open sea to visit the whale, dolphin, seal and basking shark filled waters.

If you wish to stay on shore, you can visit Baltimore’s 17th century castle, ‘Dún na Séad’ (meaning Fort of the Jewels) or take a walk along the cliff tops to Baltimore’s famous ‘Beacon’. If you wish to party at night (taxis are available from Baltimore) or just spend the day shopping, Skibbereen, the closest town, is merely a 20 minute drive away.

When you have finished having your fun at sea, end your day watching the breath taking sunset at one of the pubs overlooking the harbour- either Bushes Bar (my personal favourite, sample their local mussels or homemade soup) or Jacob’s bar (which is convenient if you wish to buy a larger meals such as pizza and steak).

If you decide to visit Baltimore, sit at the barrel tables outside Bushes Bar and, as the sun goes over the islands, relax with the drink of your choice and smile. You are in my happy place. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

A few tips to discover Ireland:

The best places to visit outside of the main cities are easiest to find by car. If you are over 25, you will be able to rent a car should you choose to fly to any of the major airports. If you are under 25, you will not be able to rent a car or will have to pay an outrageous under 25 fee which is often makes renting not worth it. If this is the case, you can book a car ferry to Dun Laoghaire or Rosslare, Wexford. Arm yourself with a good sat nav, bikes should you wish to explore the countryside this way, water proofs should you wish to hop onto the ferries and a good pair of walking shoes. You are now ready to explore.

Be a bit daring- there are many small villages along the South West coast which are as beautiful as Baltimore and Kilmackillogue. Deviate from the map once in a while. Who knows what you might find.

During high season, Baltimore’s numerous holiday homes and B&Bs tend to fill quickly. Book accommodation in advance for both Kilmackillogue and Baltimore to avoid disappointment.

Words and Images: Danann Swanton