Cala'n Bosch, Menorca

Cala 'n Bosch, Menorca

Situated on the south west coast of Menorca and approximately 55kms from Mahon Airport is the beautiful resort of Cala 'n Bosch. This was a 4 night mini trip organised by my youngest son, more of a relaxing break than an explore.
Arriving at Mahon airport we jumped into a taxi to get to our hotel, about an hour away, the cost was 70 euros.

Cala 'n Bosch:

It's a modern town with a beautiful inland marina connected to the open sea by a narrow channel. The resort town has all the facilities required for a lovely holiday.

                                      
                                                             
The Hotel:

We stayed at the Smartline Cala  n Bosch, an All Inclusive Hotel that over looks the beach. Our family room was light, bright and spacious, and overlooked the adult pool & beach. The restaurant serves buffet meals and there were plenty of choices to chose from. There is also a cafe/bar and a poolside bar. The children's pool area is great with a slide, there is also a fenced in basketball/football area.     

There is an abundance of activities to take part in if you so wish and great live evening entertainment at the hotel too.

Beach:

The beach gently slopes into the sea, you can in fact walk out quite far before needing to swim. There are water sports available and you can hire equipment if you need to.
Sun loungers (incl parasol) were 10 euros per day (September '18)

                                                  
Marina:

The marina is a lovely area with a range of restaurants with plenty of cuisine options on offer. There are also bars, a couple of supermarkets, banks, chemists, car rentals, a tabac and a couple of amusement arcades . There are also pop up stalls selling a range of local arts and crafts. Here to you can also organise boat/fishing hire/trips. 

                                                                                                

Take a trip on the land train for a ride around the surrounding areas, approx 9 euros per adult.
 If you get a little bored of lazing by the pool/beach take a walk along the coastal paths where you will discover other small secluded coves and beaches.

    

 Conclusion:

This is a great location for a family holiday and I would definitely stay in Cala 'n Bosch again.

                                                                               

                               

Rhodes -Old Town

Rhodes Old Town:

Not long after returning from Prague, a few hours to be honest, I booked a last minute mini break to Rhodes. Being a non driver I rely on my feet and public transport to get me around and explore an area. I was based just slightly south east of Rhodes Old Town, approximately a 20 minute walk to be precise.

The Old Town is surrounded by medieval walls and is the oldest inhabited medieval town in Europe. It was assigned as a UNESCO World Heritage in 1988.
There are approximately 200 streets within the walls and it is very easy to get lost within the area, however this is all part of the adventure for me.
When the cruise ships are moored up then the streets become even more crowded with tourists and their guides.
Be sure to wear good footwear for the amount of walking you will do, I made the mistake of wearing flip flops. After walking around for nearly 9 hours in these my feet certainly knew it!

Castle: Entrance 6 euros

A fine example of a beautiful and well preserved medieval castle with its Gothic architecture. Many of the rooms are open to the public to view, are furnished and are full of artefacts. My favourite was the beautiful mosaic floors.

Museum & Art Galleries:

Take a wander around the museum too if you get time, always good to get out of the hot summer sun and into the coolness of these type of buildings.

Shopping:

A plethora of shops selling wares from high end brands to ceramics, jewellery, linen and leather goods, handmade items as well as the usual tacky souvenirs.

      

Restaurants:

Like any tourist area there is an abundance of restaurants, cafes and bars catering for every taste and budget. Whether they be along the seafront or within the walls of the Old Town. A favourite of mine of an evening was the El Toro Steakhouse.
I chose to have my lunchtime snacks from a cafe called Print and Coffee, a short walk from the hotel I was staying at.

Beaches:

I was lucky there was a beach at the end of the road from my hotel. Admittedly you have to cross a dual carriageway to reach it, don't worry there is a 'green man' crossing to reach the other side, and to be honest it is not a busy road. To access the beach you have to descend no more than 10 steps, there are also a couple of changing huts to get into/out of your swimwear. The beach is lovely and clean with plenty of bins dotted around so you can properly discard of any rubbish you might have. Nearer to Rhodes Old Town there is also a small beach, very popular with the locals and those from the cruise ships moored very nearby.

 


Hotel:

I stayed at the Comfort Hotel, comfort-hotel.gr on the outskirts of the Old Town, a basic hotel. Arriving after midnight, the receptionist had stayed up late to check me in. The doors to the hotel are locked at 11pm, however they do provide you with a key card so you can gain access whenever during the early hours of the morning. I had a lower ground floor room, it had all the essentials I required for my stay, sink, kettle, fridge, 2 ring electric hob, tv, very comfy bed and en-suite shower room.
Breakfast is available at an extra cost, mainly consisting of meats, cheeses and rolls. Air con and roof safes are available at extra cost too. There are also the occasional power cuts, though these don't last long.
The pool area is quiet & neglected, almost like they have forgotten about it.

The hotel staff are friendly and very helpful, providing a map of the area too if you require it.


More photos: 

 

Travel Arrangements:

I booked this mini break through http://travelrepublic.co.uk

Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is not just about visiting for hen/stag parties. Go out & explore this beautiful city, bisected by the Vltara river, with it's eclectic mix of architecture ranging from gothic churches to colourful baroque buildings.

                                  Vltara River                                               National Museum                        

Petrin Hill:

I visited the parks on Petrin Hill, taking the funicular to the top, cost 24kc. There is a stop halfway up if you wish to get off there. Many people take the funicular to the top & walk the meandering footpaths to the bottom, exploring as they go.

At the top you will find Stefanik's Observatory, great if you are interested in astronomy & a mirror maze. Also located at the top of the hill is the Petrin Lookout Tower, you can queue to purchase a ticket to climb the steps to the top or take the elevator, great for views across Prague. 

There are places to purchase food & drink at the middle funicular station, there are also toilets on all levels, you will pay a small charge to use these.

Prague Castle:

Be sure to visit Prague Castle, the official residence of the Czech President. I climbed the steps, there's over 200 of them, (i'm sure there must be easier route up), to take a wander through this area with its various architecture. You will need a good 2-3 hours to explore, & then, if you wish visit the castle museum.

            

                                         
Charles Bridge:

Take a walk along the famous Charles Bridge where you will find stalls to peruse, along with artists & musicians. There is a bridge museum & shop (small entrance fee) where you can learn more about the construction of this medieval bridge.

                                                 

                                                                               

River Cruise:

I bought a ticket for a 1 hour river cruise from www.prague-boats.cz a lovely relaxing & informative way to see the buildings alongside the riverbanks. You can purchase drinks on board if you so wish, & I recommend you take a jumper or similar as it can get a little chilly dependent on the weather.

       

                                  

                                               

                              
                                 

Dining Out: 

There is an abundance of restaurants, fast food places, bars, street vendors etc to chose from when hunger strikes. The majority are reasonably priced too. 

                               

                                                                                                            

                                      

                                 www.coloseum.cz                                                                     www.lukalu.cz                      

               
Shopping:

If shopping is your thing then you won't be dissapointed. All the well known stores are here, except Primark. I had a quick look in the Palladium Shopping Centre, light, bright & modern. Elsewhere in the city there is also a Hamley's toy shop.

                                                    

                                                                                                                                                        www.hamleys.cz

Transport: 

Whatever takes your fancy for exploring, tram, horse & carriage, old cars, metro or do what i did & explored on foot.

                                                                                                                             

                                                                           
Hotel:

I stayed at the Royal Court Hotel in Prague, a lovely hotel with free wifi in all areas. Check in was quick & the reception staff,  who are polite & helpful, will provide you with a map of Prague, circling where your hotel is.
The room had everything required, en-suite, tv, tea/coffee making facilities, fridge & a very comfortable bed. An added bonus at this hotel is the breakfast; cereals, continental, cooked, juices, yogurts, beverages & prosecco.

                                                                               www.royalcourthotel.cz

Flights:

I flew with Czech Airlines from/into Birmingham Airport. The plane had lovely comfy cloth seats with great legroom & excellent on board services from the friendly crew. www.csa.cz

Booking:

I booked my package through www.travelrepublic.co.uk I can highly recommend them, they organised my flights, private transfers & hotel. My whole trip was hassle free thanks to them.



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