Map & Family

A Family Travel Resource

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  • Dreaming of a Christmas tree like this beauty at Kew Gardens 😉. There might still be a few tickets left for this year’s colour-drenched Christmas at Kew light trail - swipe for more pics. A twinkling pathway winds through the woods and gardens between light displays and laser beams - all set to music. Plenty of opportunities to stop for snacks, toast marshmallows in a brazier or warm your fingers on a cup of hot choc or spiced cider. Father Christmas makes an appearance and there’s an old fashioned fairground too. It’s a magical time of year! #ChristmasatKew @kewgardens #daysoutinLondon #familytravel . . . . .
  • I’m not very keen on Christmas before December - but I do like to get a bit of present shopping in the bag. Which was why I went to Piccadilly, London last week, to see the seasonal lights and hunt for inspiration. Most people think of Oxford Street when they’re looking for retail therapy, but Piccadilly isn’t just home to the statue of Eros, it also boasts London’s earliest shopping malls. Victorian and Edwardian ladies liked to keep their feet and hats dry when making their purchases so covered shopping arcades became very popular with the smart set. Upmarket then and now🎩, they are home to jewel box-style shops selling, yes, jewellery, along with scent, cashmere, chocolates, leather goods, art.... you get the drift. And they are all beautifully decorated for Christmas 🎊making window shopping an absolute pleasure. Here’s the entrance to Piccadilly Arcade, the Edwardian one. But don’t miss Princes Arcade close by, Burlington across the road or the beautiful Royal Arcade in Bond Street. You might just find some Christmas treats 🎁there too! More on winter outings in London coming soon on the blog 🇬🇧. #daysoutinLondon #londonbylondoners #familytravel #itsbeginningtolookalotlikechristmas . . . . .
  • Is this one of the world’s best city views? It’s part of the 360 degree panorama that opens up when you reach the viewing platform on the dome of Florence’s Duomo. That’s Giotto’s bell tower in the foreground - another great spot to enjoy a quintessentially Italian rooftop view. My son Ed and a friend spent a few days in Florence before they went back to Uni this autumn. I thought it might be expensive but they’ve put together a brilliant blog post on Florence on a budget. It’s perfectly possible to have a fun and affordable city break there. Check out the post, link in profile ⬆️, and especially their essential tips on booking tickets for the Duomo dome climb and Michelangelo’s David. Let’s just say they had an unexpectedly busy final day in town! What’s your favourite city view? #discovertuscany #familytravel #cherishitaly #ilikeitaly @italiait . . . . .
  • There’s a famous little game you can play in Piazza del Plebescito in Naples. Stand with your back to the pink-toned Palazzo Reale, facing the dome of the Basilica. See the two big bronzes of Bourbon kings on horseback on either side? Could you, with your eyes closed🙈, walk straight across the square and between the statues? It looks simple enough. The main risk seems to be that you’d trip over on the way or crash into an unwary passer-by. (You must have someone beside you to check the way is clear 🙂👫). We couldn’t resist giving it a try. In fact it’s almost impossible! Check our blog post, link in profile⬆️ to discover the secret of Piazza del Plebiscito - or perhaps you’ve tried it out too? Do you know any other sightseeing games like this? #familytravel #naplesitaly #visitnaples #campania . . . . .
  • So this is where the Greeks and Romans used to go shopping in Naples. Quite literally. It’s a market building, just a flight of stairs below the beautiful church at the top of Via San Gregorio Armeno. Outside, the 21st century Naples street is a hub for souvenir stalls - politician loo paper anyone? - as well as workshops which specialise in intricate carved Christmas nativity scenes. Two thousand years ago the shoppers who trod the Roman cobbles, now underground, were visiting the laundry, the bakers and the bank. It was preserved by a mudslide in 5 AD and an earlier church was built on top of it. The layers of history are pretty obvious in Naples. More about our city break, packed with sunshine, scenery and .... pizza, is on the blog, link in profile ⬆️ #familytravel #naplesitaly #visitnaples #campania . . . . .
  • Pastel buildings and palms in Piazza Carita. We stopped for a gelato here a couple of times while we were exploring the old streets of Naples. Up on the blog is a new post with our starter kit for Naples, Italy - the sights, food, music 🏛🍕🎼 to catch on a first visit plus some don’t-miss day trips around the bay. It’s a complex city - beautiful and also surprising - be prepared to learn a completely new way to cross the road! I’d love to go back and explore some more. Link to the post is up there in the profile ⬆️ #familytravel #Ilikeitaly #visitnaples #campania . . . . .
  • That’ll do nicely.... This is the perch we found as we were scouting out a sunny spot to spend an afternoon in Sorrento last month. The town’s steep cliffs give breathtaking views but can also throw shadows on the sand at their feet. We’d originally planned to go to a beach out of town but a helpful tourist info lady sent us here instead. Tiny Marina Grande (I know!) is a few steep minutes walk from the centre of town and has a cluster of restaurants at the water’s edge. We hired beds and umbrella on this rocky little pier. We’d a view of the pretty harbour, nifty changing cubicles and steps down into the inky blue sea. Perfect for swimming and sunning and snacking ☀️🌊⛱ #familytravel #sorrento #campania #visitItaly . . . . .

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