Discovering the true history behind St Patrick’s Day on an 82-mile hike that honours Ireland’s patron saint

by David Hibbins | Feb 27, 2024 | Latest Travel News

St Patrick’s Day is an excuse for craic. My mother’s Irish and on March 17, like many, I raise a glass to the man who rid the Emerald Isle of snakes. But that is my only knowledge of Ireland’s patron saint.So, I decided to explore the Saint Patrick’s Way, an 82-mile...

My six nights in the Loire… for the price of a bottle of Sancerre: Here’s how the home-swap market can be an absolute bargain

by David Hibbins | Feb 27, 2024 | Latest Travel News

‘It’s like dating… but with your house, not your heart,’ is how one fan of home-swapping holidays summed them up to me.Since houses (sadly not hearts) come with insurance, I decided to test this travel trend just as the soaring energy prices and...

‘Part Willy Wonka, part Big Lebowski’: Inside the ‘giant seashell unicorn’ Airbnb in Texas that was created by hippies and is ‘unlike anywhere else’

by David Hibbins | Feb 26, 2024 | Latest Travel News

‘This magical work of art is part Willy Wonka, part Big Lebowski, and totally unlike anywhere else.’So says the Airbnb listing for The Bloomhouse, a ‘fairytale escape’ nestled in the woods of West Lake Hills in Austin, Texas.The home was...

Revealed: Hilariously scathing one-star Tripadvisor reviews of world-famous attractions, from Big Ben to the Grand Canyon and Sydney Opera House

by David Hibbins | Feb 26, 2024 | Latest Travel News

The world’s greatest landmarks and attractions just aren’t good enough for some people.As these hilariously scathing one-star Tripadvisor reviews reveal.Here we present eight withering reviews of sights from Big Ben to the Great Wall of China and from the...

Do you know the secrets behind Britain’s favourite brands and logos? After Lyle’s Golden Syrup Christian symbolism row, the meanings behind Marmite, HP Sauce and more forgotten in time until now

by David Hibbins | Feb 26, 2024 | Latest Travel News

Lyle’s rebrand of their golden syrup last week prompted fury from some Christians for hiding the beliefs of their founder in the iconic design he created.The firm’s decision to modify their logo – made up of a dead lion and some bees – sparked...

Newly released Bob Marley biopic is a reminder that every little thing’s gonna be alright in Jamaica – where you can visit the singer’s childhood home

by David Hibbins | Feb 26, 2024 | Latest Travel News

Museum guides don’t usually break into song when they give a tour, but that’s what happens when I visit Bob Marley’s former home in the Jamaican capital, Kingston.‘No woman… No cry…’ 24-year-old Oneika Young sings with passion, reminding visitors of one of...