Spain is the first place I travelled to alone as a 15-year old, off to visit the friends I’d made on the Spanish exchange trip. I’ve been back countless times, mostly to Barcelona, a city that stole my heart in 2008 and has played a major part in it ever since. See our guide to the best of what to do in Barcelona.
I think Valencia often gets overshadowed by Barcelona, its neighbour up the coast. And while Barcelona forever has my heart, being a place I once called home, I’m also a big fan of Valencia. I’ve been a few times and most recently as a family, discovering the city from a different perspective and finding it … Read more
Sitting on La Concha beach while the kids play happily in the waves with the Old Town as their backdrop, I wondered if this might be Europe’s most family-friendly city break. San Sebastian/Donostia has long been a bucket list destination for foodies, but its compact size, beachside location and Spanish welcome for kids, means it … Read more
At Bridges and Balloons, we talk a lot about finding that elusive balance between a holiday kids enjoy and one that retains the style of travel you enjoyed pre-parenthood. Many people are put off the idea of travel altogether once they have kids, while others see package holidays as the only available “easy” option. But … Read more
Imagine a place where you wake up to mountain views and fresh croissants delivered to your door every day, where the kids can run free, meeting new friends and petting farmyard animals. Where you spend lazy days by the pool or the sea, followed by balmy evenings enjoying meals on your balcony or group dinners … Read more
We love all sorts of family travel – from annual holidays in classic seaside towns to epic bucket list trips that broaden everyone’s horizons. For this post, we’re focussing on the latter. We’ve done many of these sorts of trips ourselves – I’m a big believer in a ‘carpe diem’ approach to life so try … Read more
We had a gorgeous holiday in Puerto Pollensa, Mallorca (or Majorca). Unusually for us, we went as part of a package holiday, but added our own personal touch by getting out and about and exploring the local area. As you know, it’s in my nature to research, research, research, so here’s a round-up of our … Read more
We’ve just come back from a very different holiday to the usual Bridges and Balloons style. While we normally spend ages creating individual, bespoke itineraries, often road trips, filled with unique places to stay, this time it was all done for us. We went on a classic package holiday. We were invited by Jet2 … Read more
Barcelona is a supremely family-friendly destination. The locals love kids, and families are made to feel welcome everywhere, from galleries to tiny tapas bars. There are lots of specific Barcelona attractions for kids, but it’s also a place where many of the classic tourist attractions will appeal to children too – from the fantastical architecture … Read more
Spain was my first travel love – I went there many times as a child, exploring the different coasts, and then did my first solo trip to Oviedo at 15 to visit friends I’d made on a Spanish exchange programme. Several years later, I fell head over heels for Barcelona and have been returning regularly … Read more
It’s no secret that I have a sweet tooth, especially for cake, so a side effect of my travels is that I’ve become somewhat of an expert at finding the best sweet treats and desserts around the world. In this post, I’m sharing a round-up of my favourite international desserts and, seeing as we can’t … Read more