This post is sponsored by James Villas.

There are so many reasons to love Italy: its food (oh my god, the food), wines, the language, incredible architecture, design, people, history, landscapes, beaches… the list is endless.

Of all the countries I have visited Italy remains my favourite, although having only visited Venice, Rome, Pompeii and Positano, I’ve barely scratched the surface of what it has to offer. It’s proving difficult to decide where should be my next Italian destination, however I feel a trip spanning the whole Tuscany region is in order.

The vine-striped valleys and ancient hill towns of Tuscany comprise a quintessentially Italian fairytale landscape right out of a painting, and of course, Tuscany is home to the art of Florence as well as one of the most famous buildings in the world, the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

It’s the birthplace of both the Renaissance and the modern Italian language and the churches in even a small city are stuffed with the kind of Renaissance art that would take pride of place in any major world museum. It would be fair to say that Tuscany’s cultural heritage is unsurpassed. Even the short list of Tuscan luminaries reads like a whos-who of cultural giants: Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, Botticelli, Dante, Giotto, Petrarch, Boccaccio, Puccini…

So where on earth to begin? As I’m largely a city girl, I think Florence and Pisa should be first on my list…

Florence

Florence is Tuscany’s beating heart and is a city full of culture and history. With striking buildings, formidable galleries and treasure-crammed churches, it’s a city that oozes luxurious elegance. Despite its fairly small size, it’s overflowing with magnificent architecture and art galleries and boasts some of the finest cuisine in the whole of Italy.

Famous for its rich art history, Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance and was established as the cultural capital of Italy in the fifteenth century. It’s still a hotspot for art and culture to this day – the Uffizi Gallery is one of the world’s most famous galleries, and is one of the oldest in the western world.

From the Ponte Vecchio to Michelangelo’s David, and much more in between, Florence has an extensive list of must-see sights within its narrow, winding streets and around every corner, there is a new sight to take your breath away.

Florence is best known for its most iconic landmark, the Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore (more commonly known as the Duomo) and its innovative dome which was designed by Brunelleschi to withstand lightning, earthquakes and the passage of time. A stone’s throw away you’ll find Giotto’s Campanile, considered to be Italy’s most beautiful bell tower.

Pisa

About an hour west of Florence and in the northern half of Tuscany is the city of Pisa, with its Leaning Tower the feature of millions of cheesy tourist photos. History’s most famous architectural mishap today tilts at 3.97 degrees after a lengthy restoration programme rescued it from toppling over when it reached a staggering 5.5 degree tilt in 1990. Despite the tower being somewhat structurally unsound, it’s been deemed safe by engineers for another 200 years and is open to visitors who wish to climb to the top for the amazing views (all 273 steps).

The Cathedral complex in Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles), of which the tower is part, is on the outskirts of the city centre and half a day can be spent exploring this beautiful area. Along the perimeter of the square, there is also the cemetery, the Cathedral Museum and the Museum of the Synopses. Like most Italian cities, Pisa is well suited to those who enjoy a leisurely stroll and the Arno river is the perfect location for this. Pass by Clock Palace to enter into Piazza dei Cavalieri, which was once the heart of power in the city and later the headquarters of the Knights of St. Stephen. In the Palazzo della Carovana overlooking the square, the prestigious Scuola Normale of Pisa has its base.

Want to Visit the Cities of Tuscany?

Book a flight – use Skyscanner to find the cheapest time to fly

Find accommodation – Tuscany hotels & apartments or Tuscany villas

Book a tour – Book tours, tickets & activities in Pisa

Book your transfers – Shuttle services & private transfers in Pisa

The post Dream Destination: The Cities of Tuscany appeared first on Jackie Jets Off.

The following outdoor adventure activities in Iceland are the ones I recommend to those seeking an adrenaline rush!

Take a Helicopter Tour

Okay, so taking a helicopter tour might not seem that scary… unless you’re scared of heights (I am!). However, this 40-minute helicopter ride in Iceland not only soars over the charming streets of Reykjavik below, it also ventures further afield across the mountains and steaming volcanic hillsides and lands in the middle of nowhere on a (dormant!) volcano. Where else can you experience that? My helicopter tour was made even more special by the pilot cracking open a bottle of champagne upon landing which I have to say, was a definite highlight of the whole trip!

Book now: Mountain Helicopter Tour with Summit Landing from Reykjavik 

Snowmobile Across a Glacier

The most common day trip to do in Iceland is the Golden Circle tour, which takes in the three sights of Thingvellir National Park (designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site as the oldest existing parliament in the world first assembled there in 930 AD), the water spouts and hot springs at Geysir; and the unforgettable Gulfoss waterfall. All well and good, but why just gaze at the scenery when you can see it up close for yourself… and what better way to do that than to take an exhilarating snowmobile ride across the spectacular Langjökull glacier!

As a solo traveller, I’m used to doing things on my own but when I realised everyone else on my tour would be riding across the glacier in pairs I started to get the fear… but after travelling all that way, not going ahead with it wasn’t an option. After donning our snowsuits and goggles we were given a demonstration on how to stop and start the snowmobiles and given some time to practice. It’s a lot harder than it looks! In the blinding April sunshine, our experienced guide led the way across the glacier and it was an incredibly humbling experience being completely surrounded by snow for miles upon miles. I did find it mildly terrifying, I’ll admit – but felt proud as I managed it on my own and I even managed not to topple over the snowmobile, unlike the people in front of me! Don’t forget your driving licence though – they will check.

Book now: Golden Circle Tour by Super Jeep Including Glacier Snowmobiling

Hike a Volcano

I don’t know what possessed me to sign up for a volcano hike while arranging my Iceland trip when I rarely even climb hills at home but it seemed like a good idea at the time. As far as adventure activities in Iceland go, this is up there with the most extreme ones. Remember the Icelandic volcano which erupted in 2010 and caused utter chaos worldwide because of the ash cloud? That was Eyjafjallajökull volcano. And that was the one I decided to climb. It seemed like a good personal challenge… and challenge it was.

This tour only runs from April until October and my tour was only the second of the season and there was a lot of snow. Like, I was thigh deep at the start. At that point, I really wondered what the hell I had been thinking! The tour begins with a long drive in a super jeep to the first stop at the spectacular Seljalandsfoss waterfall, where you have the opportunity to walk behind the fall and enjoy it from both sides. Then you make your way to Thorsmork valley where the 12-mile hike begins…

This hike is described as challenging and physically demanding and I cannot stress enough that it really is – especially in winter. Had I known what it was truly like I definitely wouldn’t have done it in the first place! While my physical fitness was fine for it, I am not an experienced climber and I’m also really, really scared of heights (I had hoped this would help me quash that fear, however!).

We had a group of 10, mostly women, and two guides. The hike was covered in snow and one of the guides went in front to kick out a path for us. The path was largely very narrow, with terrifyingly steep drops into the valley below and very little places to stop for a breather. We were warned at the start of the hike about a section called The Cat’s Spine (Kattarhryggir) – an extremely tricky knife-edge ridge. Had I researched beforehand and seen videos such as this, this or this there is no way I would’ve attempted it (especially in snow and ice, with poor visibility). At the start of The Cat’s Spine, I completely froze and didn’t think I could do it. One of the guides helped me across slowly as I tried not to look down (pretty difficult as it was so narrow that both drops to either side were in my field of vision!). Somehow I made it across, trying not to think about the fact I’d have to do it all again on the way back…

We finally made it to the top for a long awaited breather and lunch break. At this point, my legs felt like blocks of heavy ice and my phone conked out due to the freezing temperature. Soon, we were on the way back down the same route and god knows how but I made it over that ridge again. However, this hike wasn’t without a near death experience (thankfully, and surprisingly, not mine) when the woman behind me slipped and almost went flying down the side of the mountain. I have no idea how he managed to act so fast but one of the guides grabbed her with one arm and pulled her back up to safety while I pinned myself to the side of the mountain in the fear that she would grab me on her way down. That was the day that woman learned that Timberland boots are not suitable for hiking! Bet she won’t make that mistake again. Aside from my walking pole breaking (was I clenching it that hard??) we had no other disasters and made it back to the safety of the jeep.

Although this hike was the scariest thing I have ever done, it was an incredible experience and I would recommend it – but only if you are an experienced climber. It’s not for the fainthearted! If however you’re like me and enjoy signing yourself up for ridiculous personal challenges, go right ahead. Just be sure to wear really good hiking boots unless you want to die a snowy death.

Book now: Icelandic Volcano Hike in Thorsmork Valley with 4×4 Jeep Transport from Reykjavik

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Thanks to our modern Instagram culture, Santorini is a not so secret gem of the Aegean sea and this 96 square kilometre island can host up to 80,000 visitors a day during high season. It’s not hard to see why – Santorini (also called Thira) is a ridiculously picture perfect Greek island. With the ubiquitous blue domed churches, gleaming whitewashed villages, spectacular towering cliffs and cobbled streets, it’s virtually impossible to take an unflattering photo of the island. It has arguably the most sublime sunset in Greece (if not the world), one of the best known volcanoes in the world and an array of beaches with volcanic black and red sand. It’s a romantic destination which was just made for weddings and honeymoons but don’t let that put you off going alone (I didn’t!).

I spent an unforgettable eight days exploring Santorini this June, staying just outside the capital of Fira in Firostefani, high up on the volcanic crater in the 5 star Splendour Resort. I chose this hotel for the junior suite room with private pool – don’t book this hotel if you want a cliff side view of Santorini from your balcony as it’s facing the wrong side of the island. However, the volcano views can be seen from just a short walk away (hotels with a volcano view are the most expensive on the island and can be staggeringly high during the summer).

Santorini was an extremely relaxing holiday for me and I basically filled my days with eating bucketfuls of feta, gelato and souvlaki (you know, the three main food groups). I had an incredible meal at La Maison in Imerovigli on my last evening (with free dessert!) and other notable mentions go to Sphinx (great steak and incredible sunset view), Cafe Galini (I still dream about the baked honey with feta) and the Italian Da Vinci (huge delicious portion of carbonara and more free dessert – it’s a thing in Greece).

Still wondering what all the fuss is about? Scroll down for some photographic inspiration…

Book a Trip to Santorini, Greece Now

Find a Hotel

Booking.com

Book a Flight

Find cheap flights to Santorini, Greece with Skyscanner

I flew with British Airways from Glasgow via Heathrow to Santorini (there are no direct flights to Santorini from Scotland but there are from most large English cities).

Book Tours and Transfers

• Book now and save 10%! Oia Sunset and Traditional Villages Tour in Santorini
• Book now and save 10%! Shared Arrival Transfer: Santorini Airport to Hotel or Cruise Port
• Book now and save 10%! Shared Departure Transfer: Santorini Hotel to Airport or Cruise Port

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The post 16 Photos of Santorini, Greece That Will Make You Want to Visit Immediately appeared first on Jackie Jets Off.

I’m not a motorcycle enthusiast – I’d never even been on a motorcycle before, but I loved the image of riding around Manhattan on the back of a bike, weaving between yellow taxis below towering skyscrapers and seeing things I would otherwise miss on a regular tour. The hardest part was definitely choosing which of the six tours I wanted to do… New York is a big place! NYC Motorcycle Tours offer tours of the streets of Uptown, Downtown, Midtown, Seven Lakes, a night tour and a bridge and tunnel tour, or you can design your own custom tour. After a lot of deliberating and watching the videos (each tour is recorded with a GoPro strapped to your helmet so you can show friends and family!), I chose the Midtown tour as that’s the area I was staying in for the week.

My original tour was scheduled for a Saturday evening but the heavens opened that morning and didn’t stop much all weekend. Del, the CEO of NYC Motorcycle Tours recommended we reschedule for when the weather was dry which wasn’t a problem as I was in NYC for a week, and I’m so glad we did – grey skies don’t make for great photos!

Del picked me up outside my hotel in Midtown on Tuesday morning at 11am, which was a gorgeous, crisp autumn morning with bright blue skies – result. After signing the obligatory disclaimer and putting the helmet on, I hopped on the back and we started to ride through Midtown. I felt 100% safe and comfortable, even with the insane NYC traffic (and I’m a pretty nervous passenger so that’s saying something).

Ah, crazy Times Square! It was great fun riding through Times Square with the bright lights of Broadway and the slow moving traffic here meant I had plenty of time to take photos without even having to get off the bike. The tour took in the sights of Central Park South, Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Fifth Avenue, Flatiron (my personal favourite), Madison Square Gardens, Grand Central Station and many more, with Del telling interesting facts about the city and its landmarks along the way.

The whole tour lasted just under two hours and it was a truly unforgettable experience. Whether you’re into bikes or not, it’s an incredible way to see the city and I’m already wondering when I can justify another visit so I can ride over the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset…

Which tour would you choose?

Book Your NYC Motorcycle Tour Now

Tours cost $225 and for further information and booking check out NYC Motorcycle Tours.

Find NYC Motorcycle Tours on TripAdvisor, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.

*I was a guest of NYC Motorcycle Tours in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and unbiased.

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Go Ape Aberfoyle

My willing accomplice and I arrived in plenty of time for our 12.30pm slot, after a beautifully scenic hour and a half’s drive. Go Ape Aberfoyle is situated in the Queen Elizabeth Forest Park in Stirlingshire, Scotland and you can’t get much greener an area than this. After reading the safety information and signing the disclaimers, we were given harnesses and talked through the half hour safety demonstration. Go Ape operate a self belay safety system and the golden rule is always stay attached. You are entirely responsible for  your own safety and for hooking and unhooking your carabiners – a sobering prospect when you first arrive! However, the instructors are on hand to explain everything thoroughly until you get your head around it and feel confident with your equipment.

Go Ape Aberfoyle begins with a long zip wire into the forest, an amazing introduction to the beautiful Scottish countryside. My friend and I were chosen by our instructor to be the demonstration people – naturally I went second – and knowing there were about twelve pairs of eyes watching me, I couldn’t chicken out. Confident I was strapped on okay, I let go and soon was flying through the forest on the second longest zip wire in Britain, high above a river. I may have closed my eyes at some particularly eek points though (no, I’m not a natural adrenaline junkie). Exhilarating! After zipping through the forest and finishing on a soft woodchip landing, we then climbed a hill until we reached the first treetop adventure course.

The first course consisted of a rope ladder leading to a platform and then some stepping stones in the tree tops along with some other obstacles and a final zip wire. If you are unable to complete this first course, you can’t go any further (as it gets progressively harder and higher). After my initial hesitance after reaching the first platform (don’t look down), I powered through and to my surprise, completed the course. There are 5 obstacle courses in total at Go Ape Aberfoyle which include a trapeze, net bridge, tightrope, stirrups, tarzan swings and a log balance among other crossings to navigate. Most of these I found mildly terrifying! The sense of accomplishment when finishing a course made it worthwhile however – and I didn’t want to be shown up by the seemingly fearless twelve year old girl in front of me (I do have my pride). The adventure finished with the longest zip wire in Britain – over 400m long, 150ft above the ground and over a 90ft waterfall – and it’s safe to say the views were spectacular! (I didn’t close my eyes once this time).

We lucked out with the weather, as it stayed dry throughout despite the dismal Scottish “summer” we’re currently having. True to Scottish form though, the infamous midges were out in force. Luckily for me (but not so much for the midges) I had been armed with a selection of midge and insect repellent from Pyramid Travel Products* which I duly doused myself in prior to starting the course. I am an absolute magnet for bugs of all kinds and don’t generally have much luck with repellent sprays (I’m just too tasty, I guess) but I was pleasantly surprised to see I remained largely midge free, despite the muggy conditions! I used the Trek Midge & Tick repellent which you only have to apply once and it lasts for up to twelve hours, even being sweat and splash resistant. After all, the last thing you want to worry about while flying through the forest is reapplying midge repellent! The Hysan antibacterial hand gel also came in extremely handy (… sorry) when we had finished the course and were ready to settle down with our picnic.

Go Ape was a fantastic day out and a brilliant way to get some much needed fresh air and see more of my own country, which I’m guilty of not exploring enough. While I may not have fully conquered my fear of heights (I’m not sure I ever will), flying through the tree tops was an incredible experience and one I would definitely recommend. You even get a certificate!

About Go Ape

There are three Go Ape locations within Scotland – Go Ape Aberfoyle in Stirlingshire, Go Ape Peebles and Go Ape Crathes Castle in Aberdeenshire and more throughout England and Wales. Find your nearest here.

Go Ape prices range from £33 for a gorilla (aged 16 and over) to £25 for a baboon (aged 10 to 15, who must be supervised by an adult). For further information and to book a Go Ape adventure, please visit www.goape.co.uk.

*I was a guest of Go Ape in exchange for a review and this post contains PR samples, however all opinions remain unbiased and my own.

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All too often functional means frumpy but this is definitely not the case with The Catalina weekender bag. This huge canvas bag (and I mean – huge) is the perfect mix of classic style and sturdiness. I’m all about clean lines and neutrals, of which this bag has both and the dove grey shade is just perfection. There are no overly complicated bells and whistles here, just an aesthetically pleasing bag with a beautifully simple design.

Features of The Catalina Weekender Bag

The Catalina features a spacious zipped main compartment with an inner zipped pocket, a large zipped bottom compartment and two small slide pockets on either side. The really clever bit, the pièce de résistance, is the bottom zipped compartment, which is ideal for shoes, toiletries, bulky hair tools or dirty clothes.

It’s available in ten muted colours of pre-washed cotton, in three sizes (the original Catalina, and a small and large Catalina Deluxe which have an across the body strap) and is fully machine washable.

How much can I pack inside it?

I’m not one to travel light (I have way too many beauty products to even attempt hand luggage only) but this weekender bag fits everything you could possibly need for a quick getaway. I recently took it on a trip to Santorini and was able to fit my laptop, camera, a change of clothes and a jacket in it along with all my travel essentials and it was nowhere near full. In addition, it’s also lightweight and folds easily – perfect for fitting under the seat in front of you or in the overhead locker on the plane.

Taking it on a summer holiday? It doubles up as a beach bag with plenty of room for your towel and inflatable swan. There’s no need to banish it to the back of the cupboard when you’re not travelling either – it’s also ideal for the gym (sweaty clothes go in the bottom compartment, obviously).

If you’re a bit of an organisation freak like me, you’ll love the in depth video on Lo and Sons website showing exactly how much stuff you can fit in the weekender bag. Obsessed yet? Get yours now.

Full disclosure – Lo and Sons currently only ship within the US, sorry UK and beyond readers! However they hope to offer international shipping in the future so please sign up to their mailing list and be the first to know when they do. (I chose to feature this bag even though I am in the UK because most of my readers are in the US.)

*Lo and Sons kindly sent me this bag for review but this did not in any way affect my honest opinion.

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‘How to find cheap flights’ is probably one of the questions I get asked most! Have you heard of Skyscanner? If not, you’re probably spending a lot more on flights than you should be. Skyscanner is a free travel search engine, which searches over 1200 airline and travel sites for the best deals, without adding any hidden fees or charges. I’m obsessed with this incredible tool and the bargains it finds! My favourite deal so far was finding return flights from Glasgow to Barbados for a mere £299 – cheaper than some European flights. If you want to know how to find cheap flights too, read on…

Be Flexible

To really maximise your savings, be flexible with your departure and return dates. Input your chosen departure airport and destination and then choose ‘cheapest month’ for the dates. Click search.

Skyscanner will then show you which month and days are cheaper to fly. As you can see below, I could enjoy a long weekend in Venice in April for £152. Not bad, eh? However, this isn’t a direct flight – make sure to tick the ‘direct flights only’ box if you are pressed for time, such as on a weekend break.

Choose Everywhere

The ‘Everywhere’ option is my favourite tool on Skyscanner if I’m lacking inspiration or not sure where to go next. This is great if you want to see where in the world you can go within your budget!

And the results…

How to Find Cheap Flights Tips & Tricks

• The greater the flexibility, the greater the saving. If you can fly on weekdays, particularly Tuesdays or Wednesdays, you will save money in most cases.
• The further in advance you book, the cheaper the flight – usually. 6-8 weeks before your departure date is considered the best time to book, but flight prices are always subject to unpredictable fluctuations.
• Set up price alerts on Skyscanner on your chosen routes to keep an eye on the price and if you see it drop considerably – now is the time to buy. The basic concept is that you mark a flight that you are interested in and they will email you every day telling you whether the price has dropped, risen, or stayed the same.
• If you live equal distance between two airports (as I do) be sure to check prices from both and then weigh up the savings vs the cost of petrol/airport parking.
• Can you get a much cheaper flight to an airport nearby your destination rather than the destination itself? If so, check out the cost of an overnight bus or train.
• Don’t forget to consider checked baggage fees! That bargain flight may not be such a bargain after all if you can’t fit all your luggage into a carry-on.
• Consider booking two one way tickets instead – round trip tickets can easily be far more expensive as they don’t give you the option to mix and match your days. This is particularly useful for long haul flights.
• Don’t forget to check the airlines own websites for special deals, sign up to their newsletter and follow them on Twitter and Facebook for announcements. Ryanair occasionally announce seats for £5 but these sell out very quickly!

I hope you now know how to find cheap flights online by using Skyscanner – let me know if you find any amazing deals by commenting below!

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MARCH: EXPLORING MORE OF EASTERN EUROPE

Photo credit: Roman Boed on Flickr

Photo credit: Tore Bustad on Flickr

After browsing the Expedia sale I came across an excellent package deal for flights to Prague, Czech Republic and two nights in the 4* Hotel Yasmin just off Wenceslas Square in the New Town at the end of March. I am a little bit in love with Eastern Europe and Prague with its fairytale like architecture has been at the top of my list to visit. It may only be a flying visit with just under two full days to explore but I’m confident I can fit in all the major sites, such as the Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, St Vitus Cathedral, Prague Castle and the Astronomical Clock. I can’t wait to wander around this fascinating city (and sample the beer, of course).

APRIL: THE LAND OF FIRE AND ICE

Photo credit: Moyan Brenn on Flickr

Photo credit: Moyan Brenn on Flickr

Photo credit: Moyan Brenn on Flickr

Iceland!! Need I say more? I am so excited about this – I have been dying to see this incredible landscape for years. Volcanoes, geysers, hot springs, waterfalls – it’s like a totally different planet. I am staying in central Reykjavik in the sleek looking Skuggi Hotel for 5 days and can’t wait to explore the city and further afield. I’ve still to narrow down the tours and activities I want to do but so far I’m thinking of doing a volcano or glacier hike, the Blue Lagoon, a Golden Circle tour and maybe a helicopter tour.

Marco Polo very kindly sent me two of their travel guides to help plan my travels this year and so far they have come in very handy at whittling down my options. Their new Prague spiral guide is ideal for travellers on the go and is itinerary based, so if you run out of time to plan your trip this has practical lists of all the sites to see in a nutshell, without any fluff. As much as I love researching destinations online, I always buy a travel guide – especially ones with pull-out maps, which this one has (you never known when your phone might die!). The Marco Polo spiral guides retail for £9.99 each and are totally jam packed with useful, up to date info. Buy online here.

MAY ONWARDS

This is where my concrete plans end. Although I have various destinations in mind, I am more likely to go where spontaneity and budget takes me. Various ideas include:

• The Amalfi Coast or Cinque Terre – I’m dying to see more of Italy
• Santorini, perhaps some Greek island hopping
• Riga and Tallinn
• Peru – Cusco and Machu Picchu (I’ve been fantasising about taking the Hiram Bingham train)
• New York, for the second time
• Cornwall, taking advantage of the new direct summer route from Glasgow to Newquay
• Isle of Skye
• Budapest, Hungary
• Slovenia
• Romania
• Malta
• Albania

As you can see, I haven’t exactly narrowed it down yet! Watch this space…

Where are you going in 2016?

The post My Travel Plans for 2016 appeared first on Jackie Jets Off.

Image credit:  Silver Moon Barbados

If only every Wednesday morning could start out like this.

We were picked up promptly from our hotel in St Lawrence at 9am along with a minibus full of other excited Scottish tourists and began our journey to the port, while our driver gave us an entertaining tour of the island along the way. After half an hour we arrived and began boarding the boat… not that it took long, as there were only 10 of us (Silver Moon allow a maximum of 12 people per boat for this cruise, so it’s an intimate affair).

As soon as we stepped on board, the friendly crew served us drinks (I opted for the ubiquitous rum punch, of course.. morning drinking is absolutely acceptable while on holiday) and fresh fruit canapés. The boat was beautiful, so pristine and new, and because there were so few of us it felt more like being on a private chartered boat with your friends than a commercial trip. In fact, nothing about Silver Moon Barbados felt commercial. We set sail armed with delicious savoury pastries and more alcohol, heading for our first stop… snorkelling in Carlisle Bay!

Prior to Barbados, the last time I had actually been in the sea was probably about five years ago. I can’t even remember it to be honest, and I never go swimming. Needless to say, I have never snorkelled or done any kind of water based activities, so I was pretty nervous! Did I mention that although I love the sea, I’m afraid of swimming in deep water?! Snorkelling was definitely way out of my comfort zone, but as I have learned, getting out of my comfort zone usually results in amazing experiences. This was truly the case here. After getting kitted out in a lifejacket and headgear, it was time to get in the sea. I was last to go in, and the terror was written all over my face, according to my sister, so much so that the captain recognised I was a little nervous (understatement) and very patiently talked me through it until I was in the water and breathing normally. Well, as normally as one can through a plastic tube and goggles. The lifejacket meant I could just happily float around without much thought and instead concentrate on my breathing. The water was about 25 feet deep and after a few minutes the sea turtles appeared! It was amazing seeing them up close.

After our turtle spotting, we got back on board, had our drinks topped up and headed to another spot for some more snorkelling, this time over a couple of shipwrecks. Definite Little Mermaid vibes going on. I took plenty of photos with a disposable underwater camera but unfortunately they didn’t turn out very well, so until I can afford to fork out for an underwater GoPro you’ll just have to use your imagination. Fish, fish everywhere.

A rival boat – look at all those people crammed on like sardines. You’d never get that on Silver Moon…

Back on board, we dried off in the sun and chatted with our fellow passengers while drinking yet more punch. I don’t think I saw the bottom of my glass once. While sailing past Rihanna’s $22 million house, One Sandy Lane, my sister asked the captain if he had ever seen her. Seen her? Rihanna had used this very boat! As it turns out, so had Alicia Keys, Princess Beatrice, and Sting – among countless others. If Silver Moon Barbados was good enough for them, it was certainly good enough for us…

We docked at Sandy Lane beach for lunch, a Bajan feast of chicken, grilled tuna, mac ‘n’ cheese, rice, salad and pasta and plenty of wine. This was no ‘stack ’em high and sell ’em cheap’  microwave meal often served on other boat cruises, this was truly fresh and delicious and of course I went back for seconds. Snorkelling works up quite the appetite, you see. There was more opportunity to get back in the water at this point, but I didn’t think it was wise after all that food and alcohol. Safety first… and I had sunbathing to do.

After we were all suitably fed and watered, it was time to sail back to shore. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so relaxed and content in my life, this was the highlight for me. Rum punch does that to you I guess. We were given banana bread for dessert, then they busted out the blender and made us all piña coladas. I mean, I don’t necessarily believe in heaven but if I did, I’m pretty sure this would be it.

The worst part? Getting off that boat.

For a truly exceptional, luxurious catamaran experience, book a cruise by Silver Moon Barbados.

The Details

A 12 passenger lunch cruise costs USD $115 per person (kids 3-11 are $85) and usually lasts from 9.30am – 2.30pm. This includes unlimited alcohol, snacks and a Bajan style buffet lunch. Snorkelling equipment and instruction is also included, but you can also take your own gear if you want.

They also do an evening cruise, 3pm-7pm and private charters are available.

Advance booking is recommended, as the boats fill up fast. Book online here.

**This is not a sponsored post, I just absolutely loved it.

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Heaven is Infinity on the Beach

If there was ever an image to make you want to stay at Infinity on the Beach, this is it. Set in the south coast of Barbados,  Infinity on the Beach occupies an enviable location right on beautiful Dover Beach and in the heart of St Lawrence Gap. The 3 star, 66 room hotel features two pools, a beachfront restaurant and bar, laundry facilities and can arrange watersports such as snorkelling, windsurfing and kayaking.

Infinity on the Beach was exactly what we needed to complete our relaxing break. Our last minute Booking.com ‘Secret Deal’ included a ‘standard oceanside twin room’ (there are two buildings to the hotel and only one overlooks the sea) and yes – unlike our previous apartment it did actually overlook the sea! It was literally right on the beach and at the risk of sounding like I’m exaggerating (I’m not), it felt like heaven.

Our room was spacious, clean and air conditioned with comfortable beds, balcony and a huge TV (although who goes to Barbados to watch TV?). The bathroom, although a great size, was in need of modernisation to match the rest of the room but this was only a minor complaint. We had free WiFi, accessible from our sun loungers on the beach!

We had already dined at the onsite restaurant Sea Fans which we enjoyed so that was our breakfast plans for the week sorted too. Turns out they did a pretty excellent full English breakfast (yeah, I ate this every morning. It was amazing). I also got a bit too used to the lunchtime happy hour and after dinner Mudslides…

The reception staff in particular were very helpful and were especially great when we wanted to arrange a last minute tour of the island, phoning round all the companies and securing us a fantastic 4×4 jeep tour.

I would absolutely recommend Infinity on the Beach if you are staying in Barbados, for the incredible location alone – considering most people go to Barbados for the beaches, you can’t go wrong with this hotel. Book your stay at Infinity on the Beach now!

• 5 nights at Infinity on The Beach in December 2015 would’ve cost £792 but thanks to Booking.com Secret Deal we paid £396

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