Fly into Shannon and fly out of Knock, Ireland"s West Airport

If you want to experience the real Ireland then forget about Dublin and fly into into one of the many Domestic airports in Ireland.  You’re guaranteed to experience real Ireland as soon as you arrive at any of these airports. Some of these airports are so small that as soon as get off the plane you’re out of the airport in minutes.

Fly into Shannon in Co Clare; Shannon is Ireland’s second biggest airports and has international flights daily.  There are also many low cost carriers so the choice is yours.   Hire a car when you fly into Shannon and make sure you are able to drop off at Knock Airport. Th

I was born and bred in Tours, in the Loire Valley, so it’s time I give credit to this simple yet beautiful city.

Tours had a stint at being the capital of France, which explains why there are so many castles. The most famous one is probably Chambord, the one built on a small artificial lake, but there are hundreds of them, scattered along the river Loire. Even in Larçay, the small village where I lived, there are two small chateaux!

Tours is also known for wines, with many small obscure ones that you’ll hardly find in a supermarket in England, but that are worth testing. My mother’s favourite is a red Bourgueil - just trying to pronounce it makes you feel like you’re there…

Still, you don’t have to be into wines or castles to enjoy Tours. It’s a great ci

Or home as it turned out, when at the age of seven I was told by my parents that we would be moving somewhere new. A place with great food and sun they said - but it was only when I heard that Italy was shaped like a boot kicking a football that I rushed upstairs to pack. And so my love for Italy started - Over the next 10 years I learnt how to roll my rrrrrrrr’s, do wheelies on a scooter, over-dramatise dives for my local football team, and more importantly eat spaghetti without a spoon.

The main sites of Rome are well known, but it’s the hidden side to the eternal city and surrounding area that really fascinates me – these tend to be the places guide books miss out, having to dedicate scores of pages to the bigger attractions like the Colosseum, Vatican, and Trevi fountai

Cork, situated in the south of Ireland, is the perfect sized town to explore on foot.  Patrick Street (sometimes known as "Parna" to the locals) has wide pavements, plenty of interesting shops, and plenty of places to pop into for coffee.  The Huguenot quarter is full of little pedestrianised streets with a huge variety of restaurants and bars to explore.  When you get tired of town, a gentle stroll along the river takes you out to University College Cork, where the 40 acre campus provides some variety.  From the 19th century quad, the President"s Garden to the impressive new student centre, UCC is a peaceful place to explore.  Don"t forget to check out the exhibitions in the North Wing of