WINTER WEEKEND WITH TRIPBOD
Tripbod is now recovering from the festive season and feels that there is no better time to have a short break. The Christmas/New Year period is never as relaxing as you planned! When there are so many places just a short distance away where you can make the most of the all-year-round festivals and culture, you'd be wise to make the most of the great travel deals on at the moment. Read weekend ideas from our Tripbods, your trusted local contact.
Snow biking in Cumbria 
by Sally Broom
Cumbria Snow weekend: NEW!
An adventurous weekend in snowy Cumbria
Cumbria skiing!
See pictures of skiing in Cumbria
Granada NEW!
"Arabian nights meet Spanish bohemia with a twist of University intellectual tradition – a unique blend and perhaps the reason..." Read more
Languedoc NEW!
"Every year, on the third Sunday of January, you can discover the truffle market (also called “Le marché de la truffe”) in the pretty town of Uzès.This “exceptional” market is..." Read more
Barcelona
"Holiday season in Barcelona runs well into January. During the first weekend after New Years, families celebrate 'Kings Day' which is another day to give gifts - lucky kids!" Read more...
Hamburg
"Right at the moment the Hamburg art scene is very active in changing locations and is fighting for space with their own weapons: great art performances!" Read more...
Lancashire
"For me, Lancashire is a favourite all year round but winter holds a special grace. The air is crisp, the landscape starkly beautiful." Read more...
Venice
"The last time I was there I spent the morning shopping and then had lunch at one of the local stands serving traditional foods such as Goulash, bratwursts, sauerkraut, mulled wine, and hot cider...truly a great lunch". Read more...
Cumbria
"It's dry (at last), snow-capped and as beautiful as ever. Even better, it's also much quieter than normal! People, it's the best time to visit Cumbria so come on up, the weather's lovely" Read more...
London
"It is a fanstastic time to visit the city but you'll need to know how to navigate this busy season". Read more...
Truffle market at Uzès, January 16-17th, 2010 (posted 4th December 2010)
Every year, on the third Sunday of January, you can discover the truffle market (also called “Le marché de la truffe”) in the pretty town of Uzès .This exceptional market is a meeting of specialists of truffles, gourmets and curious people. The “place aux herbes”, in the town center, is turned on a truffle field where pigs, dogs and their owners are looking for the “black gem”. You can smell the particular and very specific odour of the truffle and taste it. Uzès is a very typical town in the south of France. Houses are made with limestones which reflects the bright winter sunshine. Local people appreciate its food market on Saturday mornings all over the year. They come early in the morning to find the best products and select them calmly.
Next to Uzès (5 km away) you can visit Saint-Quentin-la-Poterie. The architecture will remind you of the streets of Uzès but here the economy of the village is dedicated to pottery. In every corner of the village, there are potter workshops. This kind of pottery is very specific to this region, using yellow and green colours.
It’s an idea for a weekend in France, to have a first meeting with our local culture and food. The nearest airport from Uzès is Nîmes- Garons (25 minutes from Uzès by car). Or I can help you find train tickets if you would like to travel overland to France (depending on your point of departure!).
Contact me, Marjorie, for more information on what to do when you get there.
A WINTER WALK ON THE BEACH IN BARCELONA (posted 12th December 2009)
The Catalans are festive and never miss an opportunity to celebrate. Christmas is no exception in Barcelona. During the holiday season, the city is brewing with Christmas lights, outdoor shopping markets and live performances. Whether your into shopping, architecture, outdoors or just eating tapas; Barcelona has something to offer for everyone.
Even during the winter months, Barcelona never gets that chilly. If the sun is shinning, it can be warm enough for a stroll along the beach! This makes the city a nice weekend retreat from northern Europe.
I would recommend taking a holiday show at the Palau de la Musica which is UNESCO site. You can find the show schedule: http://www.palaumusica.org/
As for the outdoors, there are several parks and beaches you should check out. Montjuic is the park next to the city that hosted the 1992 Olympics. On top there is a old castle that offers dramatic views of the city. From there you can take a gondola to the Barceloneta beaches, which have numerous waterfront cafes and restaurants. Stroll along the beach toward Port Olympic and check out the marina and hotels. If time permits, walk back to the center via the charming Barceloneta barrio. Another must see is the Parc Citudella, the city park with lagoons, gardens and plenty of space.
The best areas for shopping are the Borne Barrio, Passeig de Gracia, Diagonal and Angel district. The best Christmas markets are located in Barrio Gothic.
If time permits and you're a skier, there are excellent ski resorts in Andorra and the Pyrenees only a couple hours away. As of Dec. 5th, a substantial base has already accumulated.
Barcelona is quite a popular New Years destination, with numerous clubs throwing extravagant fiestas well into the next morning. Be sure to book tickets ahead of time.
Holiday season in Barcelona runs well into January. During the first weekend after New Years, families celebrate 'Kings Day' which is another day to give gifts - lucky kids!
If you are looking for a personalized itinerary, be sure to connect with me - I'm glad to help!
Oakley, Your Friend at the Other End in Barcelona
AN UNCONVENTIONAL WINTER WEEKEND IN HAMBURG (posted 10th December 2009)
Hamburg is great to visit in every season of the year. Hamburg in wintertime means cute, cosy Christmas markets on every corner for lovers of kitsch toys and presents. No Christmas time is complete without having a hot traditional “glühwein” here to warm up. Although Rathausmarket is of course the biggest, most famous Christmas market in Hamburg, you find all over town hidden markets, all with their own special atmosphere. I am happy to find the “just right one” with just the right amount of kitsch for you.
I think winter time is also the perfect time to visit all the great exhibitions. Hamburg is full of bigger and smaller museums and art galleries that have great things to offer. And probably I can give you some secret advice of off-scene stuff that just the local scene knows about. Right at the moment the Hamburg art scene is very active in changing locations and is fighting for space with their own weapons: great art performances!
If you're in to shopping, I can explain how to shop like a local person… avoid the big chains in the inner cities and find the cute little shops with stuff that you cannot find somewhere else. Do you like little designer shops that are still affordable and where you can see the designer personally at work? Then Hamburg is the right place for you! Or do you want to have German souvenirs that no other tourist will bring home? I am sure we find the right shopping spot for you.
And after all that action I help you to find a nice spot to drink a coffee or have a nice meal and just watch the people passing by (or if you are not into people watching maybe some passing container ships?)
This is still all too classical touristy stuff for you? Just tell me your personal interests and I am sure we find the right events for you. I am a Hamburg expert with a broad range of interests: from soccer games to dance theatre, from crazy old German pubs to the chic club life, from the classical theatre performance to underground poetry slams. Hamburg has a lot to offer and I am sure I can help you to have a great weekend that is meeting all your wishes.
Get in touch with me to plan your trip!
WINTER WEEKEND OF 'STARTKLY BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES' IN LANCASHIRE (posted 4th December 2009)
Winter is a wonderful season to visit Lancashire to appreciate the truly wild beauty of the landscape. If you want some wonderful winter walks I can point you in the direction of routes to suit all staminas that will take in the quiet splendour of the rolling hills and valleys in the crisp fresh air. And, of course, the area is teeming with genuine country pubs, tucked away in rural villages serving traditional, local food. I can point you to the ones which match up with your preferred route and there really is no better way to round off your rambling than with a real ale, a Sunday roast and a proper pudding, served with custard… Of course the danger is that once you have sampled all the culinary delights, the walk may well be cut short, in favour of an afternoon spent contemplating the roaring fire!
Lancashire is a wonderful destination for a weekend away from it all. From luxurious hotels to homely country B&Bs, even narrow boats on the canals, a few days spent soaking up the northern charm can feel like much more. There are many attractions in the area from sporting events, festivals, live music, small museums and country houses, to theme parks, theatre, and seasonal events. And of course, this is the season for the world famous Blackpool Illuminations, where not only the streets but the trams are dressed in lights for the length of the Golden Mile. If you can tell me what you are looking for, I can offer you a range of suggested activities and accommodation that will put you right in the heart of it all.
For me, Lancashire is a favourite all year round but winter holds a special grace. The air is crisp, the landscape starkly beautiful. The nights draw in quickly, leaving lots of time to linger in fire-warmed rooms and the traditional foods, Lancashire hotpot, creamy Lancashire cheese, rich black pudding all seem to have been invented with a cold winter scene outside the window in mind. The emphasis is on the snug and cosy and if you want to sample the best of it, all you have to do is ask!
Debs, Your Friend at the Other End in Lancashire
OVERINDULGE AT CHRISTMAS TIME: WEEKEND SHOPPING IN VENICE (Posted 1st December 2009)
The Christmas season in Venice is exciting, there are so many things to see and do that are not related to the actual “shopping” aspect that sometimes you can get completely sidetracked and have literally no idea where the afternoon went. But I’ll get to that, for now, let’s concentrate on the shopping.
Italy in general prides itself on having some of the best outdoor Christmas Markets in all of Europe. One of the things that I love most about Italy is the fact that it's not commercialized when it comes to the holidays. In fact, it's been only this week that stores have started to decorate for Christmas and the sales won't start until the first of December. Christmas music hasn't been pumped into our skull by every store in town since before Halloween and this won't happen until December 1st. All of this actually makes me enjoy the holiday season and by the end of December I don't hate everything with a Santa Claus on it. So with the decorations up, the Christmas lights coming on throughout the city center, and Frosty playing joyfully on the radio...it's time to go shopping, but where? Venice, Padova, Treviso, and Vicenza all have markets that flow through the center of the cities, but the best one that I have come across is North of Verona in a town very close to the Austrian border called Bolzano.
Traveling to Bolzano from Venice is a little bit long...but well worth the trip for the day (which makes for a long day) or for the weekend (which is easier and more enjoyable for time). Year after year, thousands flock to Bolzano for the best of the best when it comes to holiday market shopping. Here you can find a combination of good food from both Italy and Austria, giving the food an even richer taste and broader spectrum. The last time I was there I spent the morning shopping and then had lunch at one of the local stands serving traditional foods such as Goulash, bratwursts, sauerkraut, mulled wine, and hot cider...truly a great lunch. Then, following lunch, I wandered through the city center and found myself in what they called the Enchanted Wood where there are more stands with food, beers, and sweets from the Trentino-Alto Adige area.
For complete details of the Christmas Market in Bolzano, CLICK HERE. The site also includes information on other markets in the area.
So once you have finished all of your shopping, how do you unwind? That’s easy…with a big hot cup of…something! Hot chocolate and Vin Brule are the drinks of choice when it comes to the Christmas Season in Italy…and I assure you, you won’t be disappointed with either!
What's Vin Brule? Think hot apple cider, but instead of using apple juice or cider, consider using red wine. Throughout Northern Italy, Vin Brule is the traditional holiday drink for this time of year. Sometimes it can be hard to find, it's usually prepared by those people who have a Christmas stand that specializes in food items from The Alps regions, like Trento Alto-Adige, or from the Alpini soldiers of the Italian army. I was able to find one stand operated by some Germans who were selling salami and meats from the Austria/German areas.
At this time of year, it is definitely a treat. Usually it's not very expensive, you can get a glass for around 2 Euros, sometimes you can add liquors, such as Rum, for an additional 1 Euro or so. It adds a little extra kick and turns up the heat...especially when it's damp and humid and the cold air cuts through you like a hot knife through butter.
(Read more about Chesnuts andNovello
Wine in Brad's blog on Triploop)
If you want to try and make it at home, it will definitely be a great addition to your holiday party. Get a dry red wine, add some orange peels and a little bit of cinnamon and maybe some cloves...heat in a crock pot and enjoy. If you can find the type of wine called "Grog" it will be sweater, otherwise make sure you get a red wine that won't overpower the seasonings with a bitter wine taste. You don't need a strong wine to make a good Vine Brule.
For the kids, young and old, Eraclea hot chocolate is absolutely wonderful. It comes in 30 plus different flavors such as Orange, Mint, Vanilla, and even Hot Peppers. I didn't think this last one was going to be good at all, but it has a very slight but detectable zing that really warms you up. It is actually one of my favorites. The options don't stop with dark brown chocolate, they also offer many flavors in White Chocolate as well, like cinnamon, almond, amaretto and others.
If the flavored hot chocolates aren't your thing, then stop into any Italian chocolate shop for some real Italian Hot chocolate. Real Italian hot chocolate is super thick and will definitely be more than what you can handle on the first go. When you walk in, you'll be able to see it being whirred about in a small mixing machine on the bar. It's thick like warm pudding from the stove and is perfect for dipping cookies or biscuits into. If you want to truly indulge, go ahead and add a heaping spoonful of freshly whipped cream to the top of your cup, let it melt just a little and then mix it in. You'll be content. Be careful not to make yourself sick though. The chocolate is really really thick and rich and if you overindulge you might end up with a stomach ache. However you choose, it's something that makes Italy grand in the winter time, even if the weather does not.
Brad, Your Friend at the Other End in Venice
WINTER WEEKEND IN SNOWY CUMBRIA (Posted 1st December 2009)
It's dry (at last), snow-capped and as beautiful as ever. Even better, it's also much quieter than normal! People, it's the best time to visit Cumbria so come on up, the weather's lovely
Despite the terrible recent flooding in Cumbria there are still plenty of wonderful places that are accessible and very much still available to enjoy. Most of South Lakes is perfectly passable and the flooding is easily avoidable. Now just as the festive sparkle starts to gather, so do the snowflakes on the peaks. So to help you make the most, here’s our Top Five festive days in the Lakes:
1. Kirkby Lonsdale, 10 mins off the M6
If you're in the mood for something festive why not turn off at junction 36 on the M6 and head east for 10 minutes. You'll arrive in Kirkby Lonsdale which is arguably one of the prettiest villages in Cumbria and perfect for finding that festive feeling.
Shop: Look out for the Christmas fair over the weekend of 5th and 6th December.
Eat: The Sun Inn is perfect for a mulled wine by the fire. We also love Avanti for a spot of lunch or Sublime cafe by the market square for a scone.
Wander: through the church yard and down to the river to feel as though you've stepped back in time
2. Ulverston, 35 mins off the M6
Ulverston is a larger market town but just as traditional and a great Christmas destination.
Clearing cobwebs: Walk up the Hoad (currently being restored) for fantastic views
Eats and drinks: warm up in Gillam's tea room over some lovely organic tea and cakes by a traditional stove complete with roasting chestnuts. It's all one rather lovely cliché. Also try the World Peace cafe for really tasty veggie food.
Sparkle: we tweeted recently about the rather lovely Italian platters on offer in Avanti Capitola Wine Bar - goes nicely with a glass of Prosecco over lunch. Hic!
Shop: I was enjoying Two by Two at the weekend, a lovely independent clothes shop that is part of the famous Tinner's Rabbit shop, an art gallery, gift shop and local book store all in one. Ulverston also boasts fantastic charity shops - check out St Mary's Hospice shop for some real high quality bargains.
3. Darkest Muncaster – a real day out amidst stunning scenery
Muncaster Castle is a delight at any time of the year but not least during the dark nights, when something magical happens... Muncaster is currently hosting a spectacular during the evenings called 'Darkest Muncaster' where there is a show of lights and sounds after dark, illuminating the grounds and surroundings. With a rum hot chocolate you can cosy up and enjoy the feast for eyes and ears.
4. Windermere
Given that Tripbod is about getting off the beaten track we wouldn't normally suggest dropping into Windermere as it's very much the honey pot of the area. But due to the flooding and national assumptions that the whole county is underwater, the town is not so crowded and this might be just the time to visit.
Start the day: Jump on the train and arrive into Windermere right next door to the flagship Lakeland Limited store. If you don't lose hours in here among the aisles of kitchenware you never realise you needed until now, then we'll be amazed.
Drinks and eats: From the station tottle down into the main part of town where you could do no better than checking out Francines bistro for lovely seafood, or drop into The Lighthouse for a mulled wine while people watching. Fish and chips just over the road is pretty good too
Shops: some independent gift shops and a lingerie shop that was recently praised in a national retail awards ceremony. You might just find the perfect Christmas gift in there for the lovely lady in your life...
5. Cartmel and a New Year's Eve to remember
The Faure Requiem will be performed in the hauntingly beautiful Cartmel Priory at 11pm on New Year's Eve. Have supper before hand in one of the lovely local pubs and then wander to the priory for an enchanting night and start of the new year.
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If you want a few personalised tips to add to your visit to Cumbria then please do get in touch. We have Tripbods across Cumbria waiting to hear from you and share their local knowledge.
Sally, Your Friend at the Other End in Cumbria
WINTER WEEKEND IN FESTIVE LONDON (Posted 29th November 2009)
London is already feeling festive with Gingerbread Lattes in Red Starbucks Cups, mittens, scarves and ear-muffs; Selfridges windows are filled with ball-balls, wrapping and bows, and Oxford Street glows with a sprinkling of glittering lights. A tip: sit on the top deck of a double decker bus for a great view of the lights! It is a fanstastic time to visit the city but you'll need to know how to navigate this busy season. It's a great weekend destination but you really don't want to waste any time with just a few precious days to hand.
If you're in to shopping, I can explain how to shop like a local person and avoid the crowds. There are some must-see departments in the big stores to visit to get you in the mood for Christmas. Even if you don't like shopping, some of London's shops are cultural institutions and a worth a visit, especially if it's a rainy day!
If you want to find a special place to eat, tell me what you have in mind and I will give you a few suggestions. I love the way that London creates unique experiences even in branded eateries. You can be surprised by the way that large companies occupy some of the finest buildings, adapting their brand to their surroundings. Vapianos for example is a new concept pizza place - quick, modern, cosy and cheap. I like the one-offs though, the busy, authentic places run by independent and passionate people. Some areas of London have more than others but they are often hard to find unless you know where you're going. I like to eat cheaply with friends but I like a treat from time to time in one of London's fine dining establishments. Food culture in London is a wonderful fusion with always the highest attention to detail and customer service.
During the day you can visit some of London's tourist attractions, which, by the way, are in constant flux and change. For example, Trafalgar Square currently has a 'Ghost Forest' installation. I have been to most of the major art exhibitions that are now on so if you want my honest opinion, just ask. Instead of rushing from place to place, I would recommend a few things to do in one area (gallery, cafe, walk, lunch, cinema, music, theatre etc) so that you can relax and enjoy your time.
There is so much to do in London sometimes you don't know where to turn to next! But by focusing on your interests, you can filter down the abundance of options to some satisfactory.
In my opinion, visiting a place is a meeting of cultures - you and your destination have different cultural influences and characteristics. I am here as a kind of intermediary, connecting you better with London. The last thing I want to do is to dictate your trip to you but I do want to make sure that you don't waste any time when you're here.
Get in touch with me to plan your trip!
Dot, Your Friend at the Other End in London