7 Days in Kansai: Our Kyoto, Nara, Osaka & Himeji Itinerary
A realistic 7-day Kansai itinerary based on our Japan trips, with three days in Kyoto, a Nara day trip, two days in Osaka and Himeji Castle.
Kawagoe Day Trip from Tokyo: Our Little Edo Itinerary
Our Kawagoe day trip included old merchant streets, sweet-potato treats, Hikawa Shrine and one very avoidable planning mistake. Here is the route we took, plus the version I would recommend now.
Yokohama Day Trip from Tokyo: Ramen Museum & Rainy-Day Route
A typhoon turned our planned Nikko excursion into a rainy Yokohama day trip. Here is what we actually did, what the Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum was like and how I would improve the route now.
Two Days in Takayama: A Realistic Hida Itinerary
Planning two days in Takayama? Our honest Hida itinerary covers the old town, morning markets, Hida beef, current prices and onward routes.
2 Week Japan Itinerary by Train: Build Your Own Route From Our 3 Trips
A flexible two-week Japan itinerary by train built from three trips, with five ready-made routes covering Tokyo, Kyoto, the Japanese Alps, Hiroshima and Okinawa.
A Five Day Winter Road-Trip around the South of Iceland
From all the countries Gary and I have visited, Iceland has to be one of our firm favourites. In fact, we wouldn’t hesitate to go back. Whichever continent you are from, I promise that you have never seen a place like Iceland before. This island is utterly unique! I was looking for a location to celebrate Gary’s 30th birthday. That’s when Iceland came to mind – a country that has been on both of our bucket lists for a very long time. If you’re a regular reader of A Life Beautifully Travelled then you know that there aren’t many things that we…
How to spend 5 days in Bangkok – A Detailed Itinerary
If you are planning five days in Bangkok, this detailed Bangkok itinerary takes you through the markets, temples, neighbourhoods and wonderfully chaotic experiences we fitted into our own trip. Bangkok is a bit of a Marmite city. You are either going to love it or hate it. In our case, it was the former. Whilst Chiang Mai was our favourite city in Thailand, we did appreciate the unique charm of the City of Angels. Bangkok rewards more than a rushed visit. Its appeal is not limited to a checklist of attractions: it is a city to roam through and experience with…
A Perfect Winter Weekend Getaway: 48 Hours in Hamburg, Germany
48 hours in Hamburg: the route at a glance Day 1: start around Landungsbrücken, continue through Speicherstadt and the Elbphilharmonie, then choose the International Maritime Museum or Miniatur Wunderland before dinner. Day 2: combine the Rathaus and seasonal markets with Chocoversum, Chilehaus, Binnenalster, St Michael’s Church and St Pauli. Pace: this is an ambitious weekend. Pick one major indoor attraction on day 1 if you prefer more breathing room. Winter planning: bring waterproof layers and verify current attraction hours, transport details and Christmas-market dates before booking. THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT HAMBURG IN WINTER But first, a little bit about Hamburg…
Two luxurious and cultural weeks in Thailand – The Ultimate Itinerary
Thailand is one of the most popular travel destinations in Asia, if not in the world. From dazzling temples and night markets, to hill tribe treks and idyllic islands, this country has it all. What initially drew Gary and me to Thailand was its culture and history. We were keen to explore the shining temples and crumbling ancient ruins, we were excited to see the colourfully-cloaked monks and smouldering incense. But what we found was so much more… Although Thailand isn’t actually that big in size ( about double that of the UK ), there are so many things to…
5 Day Tokyo Itinerary: Build Your Own Route From Our 3 Trips
Plan five days in Tokyo with a flexible neighbourhood-by-neighbourhood route built from our three visits, plus practical swaps for shorter and longer trips.