Taking a cruise has never been more popular and one of the many appealing aspects is that it’s all-inclusive, so your accommodation, travel, meals and entertainment are all included within your cruise package. Yet as the cruise ships have become larger and more sophisticated, the diversity of extra, billable options for guests to enjoy whilst on-board have increased almost immeasurably. Expect Extras So once you step on board, expect to pay for extras that will inevitably tempt you, including speciality restaurant meals, alcoholic drinks and shore excursions: and build these expenses into your cruise holiday budget. It makes sense to

 This laid-back, diminutive country is set to shine in 2014 as the ‘hot’ destination in South America The trees provided welcome shade, whilst the warm breeze carried the scent of the towering eucalyptus, wood smoke, and just a hint of marijuana. Despite being summer in South America, fire wood, piled up for sale, lined the road running from Colonia del Sacramento to the nearby sandy shores on the gulf of the Rio de la Plata. In Uruguay there’s probably no better way to enjoy a summer weekend than with a relaxed Uruguayan meal, prepared over a wood-fired barbeque. Beyond the

Starting in the port city of Algerciras, at the colonial Hotel Reina Cristina, the gourmet walking tour shadows the rural, historic 19th Century railway from Algeciras up to Ronda over five days. The railway originally connected Gibraltar with the rest of Spain and was built by Mr Alexander Henderson, Lord Farringdon, and is now affectionately known as ‘Mr Henderson’s Railway’. For those with an interest in history and railways, there is plenty of fascinating information to discover. The trip is not just about leisurely ambles through breath-taking countryside; it’s also about food; real, slow food, made with love by local

A Seville Aristocrat who had a fine arts obsession Seville has a distinctive, historic grandeur, with over a thousand years of impressive architectural styles from Moorish palaces, medieal convents, renaissance churches, and contemporary landmarks. Yet some of the most extravagant mansions remain hidden, tucked away behind large, fortified wooden doors. So whilst in Seville I took the opportunity to visit one of these aristocratic urban manor houses – the extraordinary ‘Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija’, set back from the busy commercial street of Calle Cuno in Seville´s bustling pedestrianised centre. The first thing that strikes you about this sixteenth

This city of palaces, churches, museums, galleries and some of Spain’s best boutique hotels offers an intoxicating experience for the visitor. The capital has an uncompromising culture where bullfighting and flamenco are as much a part of modern life as commerce and trade. One of the best ways to see, feel, and taste the richness of life here is to simply take a tapas tour. Wondering from bar to bar offers the opportunity to meet the locals, try contemporary and traditional dishes, discover characterful neighbourhood bars, see the historic architecture and allow yourself to be captivated by the atmosphere of this vibrant city.

Carnival, Mardi Gras, Carnevale, Fat Tuesday, Carnaval; it may have different names around the world, but wherever it is celebrated, it means one thing – a huge street party! This year, on March 4 many of the world’s streets will be filled with colour, music and euphoria as carnival celebrations reach their climax. Rio de Janeiro has probably the most iconic carnival in the world, its street parades and ecstatic people representative of the global carnival phenomenon that ushers in ‘Lent’, the Catholic 40 day period of abstinence. In short, carnival is a chance to feast, party and indulge before