There is nothing like travelling to a great destination, eating delicious food and having new experiences. But today travelling is not just about flying and flopping. It is exploring the place, getting to know the landscape, culture, tradition and cuisine. Travelling gives us an understanding of people from other lands, and can be a journey of self-discovery. First-hand knowledge is so much better than reading about it or watching on TV. You can see awe-inspiring sites, have unique experiences, see works of art, have wildlife encounters, eat great food and try new drinks. All in all, travel makes memories that last a lifetime. Stir your imagination quite with a new adventure. Knowing that you have a trip planned is a great motivator; something to look forward to. If you are hungry for food experiences, craving excitement and new cultural insights, then speak to Tasteful Travel about your dream bespoke holiday. When planning a holiday, whether it’s a multi-stop adventure to far flung destinations or a week in the Isle of Wight, it’s vital that the trip is tailored to you. Designing the perfect holiday is not easy but with the help of a specialist travel consultant, the process can be stress free and simple. We are happy to meet you in person to discuss your trip, either over a coffee or on a home visit. If more convenient we can discuss plans over the phone or via email. All aspects of the trip from flights to transfers, accommodation to excursions, Tasteful Travel design the perfect journey for you. Destination, budget, likes and dislikes and holiday style are all taken into account so that you get the travel experience you love. No matter whether you seek a relaxing getaway in luxury resorts with day trips included; an action-packed break exploring by camper van; or a foodie extravaganza; Tasteful Travel can help make the dream a reality. Our in-depth knowledge of European, Middle Eastern and Antipodean destinations, coupled with our passion for helping clients plan amazing holidays, mean that you get the very best bespoke trip planned for you. Visit stunning locations on open-jaw land itineraries with cruises, a unique way of travelling between incredible places. Fancy a Greek odyssey with some island hopping built in? Have a desire to journey from Singapore to Sydney? Prefer to travel across Australia on the Ghan train on an Aussie adventure? No problem. Having travelled extensively in Europe, made many trips to Australia and lived in Kenya, Singapore and Dubai, I have the experience and insider tips to make a great itinerary extra special.
The personal service that Tasteful Travel provides is not limited to just flights and accommodation. Our concierge service can add spa visits, restaurant reservations and excursions to your trip. We will also be with you every step of the way, from planning your holiday to providing on-tour assistance and checking in with you when you get home. To get in touch and find out more, contact Sarah today or check out our website at www.tasteful-travel.co.uk.
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After all the doom and gloom of the Brexit negotiations, it is nice to hear some positive news for British travellers. The May exchange rates are up when comparing rates with this time last year. In fact, sterling is up against every European currency except the Swiss franc compared with last May. Some of the biggest gains are in non-EU countries and further afield, for example the Turkish lira (up 34 per cent on last year), Icelandic krona (up 13 per cent) and South African rand (up 10 per cent). As the latest Thomas Cook Holiday Report shows, Britons are shunning Euro Zone countries in search of better value elsewhere. Although Spain remains the tour operator’s most popular destination, bookings to Turkey have brought the country into second place in the rankings, while bookings to Tunisia have also soared. There are plenty of good value destinations within easy reach if you don't want to book long-haul. Croatia offers a great variety of resorts and activities. Of course there are great beaches and lovely islands to explore by boat but there are also vineyards for wine-tasting as well as walking and cycling trails for the more active. Another big seller this year is Bulgaria. Golden Sands is a beach resort that's a great alternative to the Spanish costas. There are also cultural visits nearby, such as the town of Varna and the Aladzha Monastery (caves which have been occupied since the Stone Age). Bargains are to be had in Morocco. Essaouira is a wonderful beach destination and of course there is fabulous Marrakesh and the Atlas Mountains, amongst other attractions. Take a camel ride, try your hand at windsurfing in Essaouira (situated opposite the Canaries), or visit the bustling soukhs and haggle for a great deal on handicrafts, lamps and spices. It's good to see confidence returning to Egypt after years of instability. Sharm el Sheikh is still not possible to visit due to the ongoing ban on flights from the UK. However, there are alternative Red Sea resorts such as Hurghada and Marsa Alam. Enjoy a beach break with great snorkelling or take excursions to the highlights of Egyptian antiquities in Luxor, the Valley of the Kings or Abu Simbel. Activities are many and varied, including camel rides, boat trips and quad biking in the desert to name but a few. Having visited myself this year I can highly recommend Egypt for fabulous sea life adventures in the Red Sea and amazing cultural sites, as well as awe-inspiring sunrises over the mountains in the desert.
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So youâve chosen to tie the knot on foreign shores â congratulations, thatâs a great first step. There are plenty of reasons to choose a destination wedding in a dream location - sunshine, soft sand or striking scenery. Even better if you are making it a weddingmoon in paradise! But choosing the perfect dress to suit the occasion can be tricky.
âIt will need to stand up to the heat, humidity and probably sand too, to keep you comfortable on your special day. Ideally avoid anything that's too tight, embellished or too heavy. Instead, select a wedding dress with light floaty layers or sheer fabrics, sleeveless or with loose sleeves to keep your cool and fresh on the day.
Bohemian looks and off the shoulder dresses are perfect and the fashion for dresses with short or no train really helps at a beach wedding.
The latest trends for simple silhouettes and clean lines á la Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, are ideal for a steamy destination. Idris Elbaâs recent marriage in Morocco saw his bride, Sabrina Dhowre, wearing a stunning A-line off the shoulder gown from Vera Wang before changing into another Wang creation for the evening celebrations.
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Short dresses are utterly in vogue and will keep you cool under the super sun. Crochet is bang on trend as is stretch lace. A short frock is great for showing off fabulous shoes too! Capture those vintage festival vibes.
With the turquoise sky, your footprints in the soft white sand and the salty smell of the sea, a dress which fits with the romance of the setting is all important. Go for glamorous Grecian draping to really capture the mood.
Another great style for a destination wedding is the backless bridal gown. To stay totally ahead of the curve add a bow at the small of your back. Bows are everywhere and vary in size from cute to statement. âSo show off your bronzed body with this top trend and look sizzling on the sand.
Being a modern bride doesnât mean you have to wear a fairytale dress, in fact you could choose not to wear a dress at all. No, that doesnât mean you have to have a naturist wedding! Wear a trouser suit or a jumpsuit instead. Complete the look with flats or heeled sandals. â
Whatever you choose you are bound to look stunning!
Need help with planning your destination wedding? Call our experts for a free consultation. The roots of May Day can be traced back at least 2,000 years. The celebration as we know it in the UK today is the result of melding Pagan, Roman and Medieval traditions. The Celts and British Pagan Heritage New life and fertility with the coming of summer were marked by the ancient Celts with May Poles and dancing. The May Pole is a tall pole with coloured ribbons tied to the top. Originally the pole would have been a tree cut when it reached the correct height and with the branches cut off, a powerful symbol since the Celts worshipped trees. Young men and women would each hold a ribbon and would dance weaving in and out of each other to plait the ribbons into a complex patterns. The pole signified fertility and dancing around it was supposed to bring this benefit to the dancers. The Celts divided their year by 4 major festivals. The first day of summer was called Beltane, 'the fire of Bel'. Bel was the sun god worshipped by Celts across Continental Europe, Britain and Ireland. Beltane was celebrated with bonfires to welcome the new season. Fire was believed to cleanse, purify and increase fertility. The Celts jumped over the fire to pledge themselves to each other. Animals were driven through the smoke to protect them from diseases. At Beltane, couples went A-Maying - spending the night in the woods, fields and brought back May and hawthorn blossoms as a sign of fertility and the new season. In England this became May Day but in Scotland the festival is still known as Beltane. In Edinburgh the spectacle now includes fire displays, drumming, processions with pipe bands and plenty of body paint. Roman Celebrations During the 300 year long Roman occupation of Britain the Floralia was celebrated. Flora was the goddess of flowers and spring and the festival in her honour was held for 6 days at the end of April. The celebration was for everyone, not just the nobility, and was all about pleasure, fertility and flowers. The festival included games and dancing so it is easy to see where the flowers, foliage and fun elements of modern British May Day stem from. Medieval Traditions Morris dancers are traditional folk dancers. This form of dance dates back to Medieval times. The earliest written record of a Morris dancing performance in England is from 1448 but the origins of Morris are lost in the mists of time. Morris dancing used to be confined to male performers but nowadays both men and women take part. Traditionally dressed in white with strips of bells on their legs, colourful neckerchiefs and belts across their chests, Morris dancers perform jigs, kicks, jumps and set patterns. Morris dancers have become closely associated with May Day. Performing with wooden poles and handkerchiefs, they are a wonderful sight, especially on a village green on a sunny day. Georgian Era and After May Day Customs Jack-in-the-Green is a May Day character first recorded in 1770. The man playing Jack is dressed in a conical wicker or wooden framework covered in foliage. The look is completed with green face paint. The character is likely to have evolved from an earlier tradition of milkmaids carrying milk pails decorated with flowers. The use of foliage and flowers firmly associates this tradition with the spring/summer season and the fertility and new life it brings. The tradition went out of favour in the 20th century but has been recently revived and the Jack-in-the-Green features in several May Day celebrations in England. Hobby horses (or 'Obby 'Osses) feature in festivals in Padstow and Minehead. Music accompanies the wild dancing of the 'osses which are men dressed in 6ft wide wooden hoops draped in black sailcloth and wearing fearsome masks. The origins of the tradition are not known but theories abound. The 'obby 'oss is a rainmaker, a fertility symbol or a deterrent to a landing by the French, or a welcome to summer, dependent on which legend you believe. Another local festivity in early May is the Helston Floral Festival. This centuries old tradition is most likely to stem from the anniversary of the apparition of St Michael (patron saint of the parish church in Helston) on May 8th. Heralded by an early morning ringing of the church bells, Floral Day features the Furry Dance which weaves in and out of the streets and local houses. The male dancers dress in top hats and tails and the females in beautiful, colourful dresses. Flora Day also features the Hal-an-Tow, a mummers play where St George and St Michael slay the Dragon and the Devil. The players are cheered on by a crowd dressed in Lincoln green and Elizabethan robes. As the dawn breaks in Dorset on May 1st, Morris Men dance on the site of the old maypole above the Cerne Abbot Giant. Local folklore has long held that the huge chalk figure carved into the hillside is an aid to fertility. The dancing moves to the village square, then a well-deserved breakfast. Queen of the May is a girl who personifies springtime and summer on May Day. Traditionally she wears white to symbolise purity and a garland or crown. In some older village traditions, there was a Lord and Lady or King and Queen of the May. This custom persists in some areas of England but the Queen of the May is everywhere seen. Places to Celebrate in Early May
To book your holiday at any UK celebrations of May Day, get in touch with our staycation experts. |
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