We had the perfect city break in Amsterdam. It was so much more than we expected it to be.

Why did we travel to Amsterdam? Nope, it wasn’t for smoking weed or the Red Light District… although we both had a few questions about the whole thing! I booked our trip to Amsterdam for Danny’s 25th birthday back in May. You’re probably thinking, “What? 6 months later.” and you’d be right. But it gave us something to look forward to and we love to travel to new destinations.

Where did we stay in Amsterdam?

As soon as we arrived at our hotel to drop our bags off, we headed out for a walk in the evening to get our bearings. We were located in the city centre which was perfect. Surprisingly, Old Quarter Hotel wasn’t too noisy at night even though it’s above a pub. The rooms were as expected, not massively spacious but it had everything we needed for the 3 nights that we were there. Each member of staff were friendly. And we couldn’t fault the overall cleanliness of the hotel. It’s a nice place to stay.

Another bonus was being accessible to so many places. Being near Amsterdam Centraal train station was really beneficial for us. People were paying ridiculous amounts of money to go on days out but not us. We find other ways to get there and share the experience. The train station helped us get from place to place with reasonable costs and it was pretty straight forward understanding their transport system.

There’s so much to see and explore on your city break to Amsterdam.

The thought of walking through the Red Light District kinda made me feel uncomfortable at first but then I wasn’t fazed. It’s just part of Amsterdam’s culture. You end up walking past it once you’ve seen it. Amsterdam lit up during the night is so pretty. The rivers, reflections, colourful lights and atmosphere is incredible for photography opportunities.

We spent an entire day walking around the city. The surroundings include many tourist attractions – Anne Frank House, I Amsterdam, shopping centres, tulips, markets, museums and more. Danny really wanted to visit the windmills in the countryside. It was a really dull grey sky day but still so beautiful. It makes you appreciate the beauty in nature even more. I was that cold I thought I was going to turn into an icicle but there were several little shops and cafés where you could get a hot chocolate.

The best part of our trip to Amsterdam…

As exciting as all of the above were, my favourite part of the trip consisted of something else. If you follow me on Instagram or Twitter you may already know this bit…

We went ice skating! Me… ice skating… and guess what? Neither of us fell over. I’m not sure how we didn’t manage to, especially as I hadn’t skated on ice since the age of 8 or 9 years old. I’ll admit, I was proud. It was so cute because we went in the evening and the outdoor arena was lit up and gave us those festive vibes. Making new memories with Danny is my favourite thing to do. We hope to go on a trip around Europe in a couple of years or so. Now, that, will be amazing.

Have you been on a city break to Amsterdam? What did you love the most about it?

I recently travelled on a family holiday to Alcúdia in Mallorca. When I was younger I went there so this time was completely different. We couldn’t wait to be in the sunshine (a different kind to sunny Salford at the minute). The thought of a week away to relax, have fun and make the most of a nice break just made us all the more excited.

Flying with Jet2 to our holiday in Alcúdia

It was our first time flying with Jet2 and oh my… the wait. Departing from Manchester Airport, Jet2 boarded us on the plane later than what the screen said and then we had to sit on the plane for a slot to fly out. It was a total of an hour delay. And then coming home we felt like no one wanted to let us know when we were getting on the plane. I think that was only a difference of 15 minutes for take off though. The crew on board were lovely.

Staying at Alcúdia Beach

We stayed at Alcúdia Beach and as you probably already gathered its nearby to the beach but not on the beach. It’s close to the shops, pubs & bars (especially the ones just over the bridge by the river), restaurants and public transport into the old town, the port and bus to Palma. It was basic in some ways but it had everything that you pay for. The only downfall was the lack of options of food in the evening for children. And it also would be been good if there was entertainment specifically for children.

We couldn’t complain though – we were half board so made the most of the food there for breakfast and tea.  Obviously – we love food! At breakfast they had everything – cereal, pancakes, fruit, sausages, bacon, fried eggs, scrambled egg, boiled eggs, beans, the lot. For drinks there were many options again: water, milkshake, orange juice, apple juice, pineapple juice and a range of hot drinks. If you are looking to stay here you have to pay for your drinks in the evening (or so we did on half board).

There’s even more to say…

Personally, I thought there was a variety of dishes to choose from when it came to the evening. One thing I would say is, try the soup! It’s very nice and you won’t be disappointed. I drank water each evening which was around the same price if not the same price as a glass of Coke. There’s also a mixture of options for dessert too. When you’re looking what to have for your evening meal, remember that there are options on both sides of the restaurant.

The pool facility are a large size and are very clean. Our room was clean and maintained by the maids except Monday and Thursday (there’s a notice that they don’t come on these days). Reception and bar staff were welcoming and friendly. When we arrived, it was late at night and one of the men behind reception offered us a drink of our choice and we helped ourselves to some baguettes, ham and cheese. The beds were comfy so that’s important too right?! But Alcúdia Beach staff, please invest in some new pool cues. They’re as flat as anything, some with no tips, and there’s no chalk.

Attractions in Alcúdia and around Mallorca

There’s a lovely area near the port that has this crepes stand. Mmmmm they were so nice. I went there twice for a milkshake – strawberry on the first trip and banana on the second. I have this thing on holiday where I go on a hunt to find the perfect milkshake! It’s also amazing for evening photography. We took a walk there on two nights, roughly takes 20 minutes. The views were picturesque. And it was a perfect opportunity for sunset shots on the camera.

We took a glass bottom boat trip, a day trip to Palma, visited the port, and made many more memories along the way in between it all. I for one ate so much and enjoyed it. Letting go off everything when you’re away and smiling your way through the week is the absolute best. I recommend staying in Alcúdia if that’s something you’re looking for. Don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions about the resort or touristy things I can help with from experience of Alcúdia.

Have you been on holiday in Alcúdia? Tell me all about in the comments box further down the page.

Me and Danny took a trip to Dublin for 3 nights. We stayed in a superior room at Aspect Hotel, Dublin ParkWest. See my review on TripAdvisor. We flew with RyanAir and it was short flight as you can imagine from Manchester to Dublin. It was a duration of 35 minutes, both departing from and returning to Manchester. Ever since Christmas arrived and Danny seen that we were going here, we’ve been counting down the days. A trip away is always needed and it’s nice to have something to look forward to together.

Our first day in Dublin

When we woke up on Saturday, we knew that we wanted to make the most of each day. We were going to visit Dublin Zoo but there just wasn’t enough time to do everything. This is one of my favourite trips we’ve ever shared together. From feeling sleepy on our evening flight, we were in such a happy place from the moment we landed in Dublin. So, we decided to explore as much of the city centre as we could.

Luckily, we had a bus stop and a train station just across the road from the hotel. Travelling to Heuston station reminded me so much of ‘Euston’ station in London. But eventually, you can’t start to feel the knowing that you’re definitely at the Dublin soundalike one. The journey was so quick on the train and it was simple enough to purchase tickets and find directions. Of course it was, Danny was there.

We spent the entire roaming around and enjoying sight that Dublin had to offer. Can we just take a moment to appreciate how much of a pretty city Dublin is?! The sunset views were unreal. We found a TGIs and had a pint of Guinness along with a cocktail. I can’t believe I’ve never tried their Jack Daniels chicken wings. I’ve been missing out! That was the perfect treat to the near-to-end day tip around the city.

Dublin know how to have a good night

We finished the day with a night out because who doesn’t go for a drink when you’re in Dublin?! This place has a brilliant mixture of traditional Irish music, oldies, and new songs. The place we ended up spending most of the night had 4 floors – all a different kind of atmosphere and all so fun and enjoyable.

I love all of our memories together. But this night along with the next day have been two of the best days by far. It’s those small, close moments that mean the most to us. A man actually came up to us after taking a photo of me and Danny and said, “Look at the look she’s giving you. That isn’t no one night thing.”

Danny then replied: I know. She’s my girlfriend. We’ve been together for 5 years.

…and I just stood there and smiled. In my mind I was thinking, yep he’s mine. The guy just seemed so happy for us.

Our second day in Dublin

The next morning we were so excited to head to Howth. We went on a 3-4 hour trail. First we seen the coastal view. I sat down for 5 minutes as Danny took the camera to take photos. I looked around, took a deep breath and enjoyed just how relaxing it really was. I wish I had a place like this to head to whenever I was worried or scared about something. It was absolutely breathtaking. So beautiful.

Afterwards we headed to the main Howth trail. We got muddy but we had the perfect footwear, attire, and lots of water for the journey. So all was good. Once we got to the peak, we took a longer moment than before to take it all in. What a view. It creates those kind of moments where you forget about everything else and just appreciate the scenery and each other.

From a lack of sleep due to the long night the day before, I’d say we did really well. In fact, I’m surprised we even made it. The fresh air was perfect and the breakfast in the morning stopped a hangover from coming on. It was such a special trip for the both of us.

Dublin has been one of our best trips yet

Everyone is so lovely and genuinely wants you to have a good time. It’s fair to say that we spent a fortune just as people said we would. But we enjoyed every minute of it. It really was worth all of the laughs, dancing, smiling, and exploring around.    We definitely recommend this as a city on your to-visit list. Whether you’re a couple like us or friends just looking for a trip. There’s so much to do and you’ll love every minute. See my photos on Instagram.

I wonder where we’ll head to next?