As a Kiwi I know I’m bound to be biased but New Zealand is such a beautiful and diverse country! It’s amazing how two islands at the bottom of the Earth contain so much to see and do for every type of holidaymaker. My favourite way to see New Zealand is by car but if your time is short, an internal flight and train trip will also give you a complete Kiwi experience. The North Island has hundreds of untouched beaches; it’s world-renowned for fishing and has some of the top dive locations on the planet. The rolling hills will take you from small town to smaller town until you find yourself in Rotorua. Here you can enjoy a traditional Maori hangi (pit barbecue) and gain an insight into the history of the people.

Barcelona on the Northeast coast of Spain is a dynamic and stylish year-round city.  It is packed with lively restaurants and Tapas bars, trendy shops and welcoming cafés and an art and architecture scene that will simply take your breath away. Perfect for that short city break, Barcelona has something for everyone and is so good I’ve been back twice!

When to go

Barcelona is great any time. In the summer you can relax on the beach or in one of the many parks, and in winter or autumn warm yourself with a fabulous hot chocolate in cafés on La Rambla.

The last time I went to Barcelona was for a

Chicago is definitely an underrated tourist destination in the United States, at least for those who have not been.  But, you want to visit Chicago at the right time!  No question that the winters can be tough, yet this is a pretty good time to enjoy museums, sports and restaurants, however my recommended time is summer.  Many cities aren’t great to visit in the summer… hot weather in a city is never fun and many of the locals end up leaving the city for their own summer vacations.  Chicago is different.  Yes, it can be hot and humid but there are simply a lot of fun things to do in the city.  Almost any week you pick will have festivals, outdoor concerts and other events going on and there will be a lot of people there, both locals and tourists.