Jackie de Burca, Author at A Luxury Travel Blog - Page 2 of 4 : A Luxury Travel Blog

Secrets of Spain: Javea the jewel of the Costa Blanca

By Jackie de Burca on Sep 17, 2015 in Accommodation, Attractions, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Hotels, Regions, Restaurants, Spain, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

Regarded by many as the jewel of the Costa Blanca, Jávea is a port town with an exclusive feel, set on a beautiful coastline, yet overlooked by an amazing mountain. Jávea has undeniably embraced tourism, yet in a far more classy way than some other towns on Spain’s famous Costas. Did you know that according

Secrets of Spain - vibrant, 5 Michelin starred Valencia

By Jackie de Burca on Aug 17, 2015 in Attractions, Europe, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, Spain, Western Europe

It is hard to imagine a city that contrasts beautiful historical architecture so brilliantly with avant-garde modern architecture, as well as Valencia does. It’s hard not to fall in love with the sweet smell of oranges that emanates from the trees, which line so many of the city centre’s avenues. The weather is often good

Secrets of Spain: resplendent Reus

By Jackie de Burca on Jul 13, 2015 in Attractions, Europe, Going Out, Regions, Spain, Western Europe

Reus is best known as the home town of Gaudí, but apart from this, the city centre is throbbing with remarkable architecture, sublime shopping and oodles of great food, culture and history. Located around 6 miles inland from the golden coast of the Costa Dorada, the beautiful city of Reus is frequently ignored by the

Delta de l-Ebre Catalonia Magical Landscape

Secrets of Spain: the delightful Delta de l'Ebre

By Jackie de Burca on Jun 16, 2015 in Attractions, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Spain, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

Mother Nature has blessed the world with numerous beautiful places. Only she can choose the most perfect colours and ingredients to design environments that can affect us deeply. In my early days of living in Spain, I discovered the Delta de l’Ebre, which I fell in love with immediately. This is a place for anyone

Secrets of Spain: tantalising Tarragona

By Jackie de Burca on May 18, 2015 in Attractions, Europe, Going Out, Regions, Spain, Western Europe

The tantalising coastal city of Tarragona is only one hour down the road from Barcelona. It tends to get overlooked by many tourists, as it seems to pale into insignificance when compared to the buzzing city of Barcelona. However my advice to you is – Don’t Believe The Hype! Barcelona is a fabulous city, but

Istanbul in the footsteps of John Malkovich

By Jackie de Burca on May 16, 2015 in Accommodation, Attractions, Going Out, Hotels, Middle East, Regions, Turkey

Palaces line the shores of the Bosphorus Strait. Mosques and minarets mingle with European colonial buildings, which are punctuated from time to time with skyscrapers. In between there are bazaars and an abundance of luxury brands. I’m visiting one of the world’s most vibrant cities – inspirational Istanbul; former Constantinople and originally Byzantium. I’m on

Suite of the week: Bentley Suite, St. Regis Istanbul, Turkey

By Jackie de Burca on May 11, 2015 in Accommodation, Featured, Hotels, Middle East, Regions, Suite of the Week, Turkey

Suite name: Bentley Suite Location: St. Regis Istanbul, Turkey Size of accommodation: 140 sq metres plus over-sized terrace Cost per night: starts from €5,050.00 What makes it special: The Bentley Suite brings unique luxury motoring indoors, in a prime location, overlooking Istanbul’s answer to Fifth Avenue. You don’t need to be a Bentley owner, or

Secrets of Spain: the charming city of Castellon

By Jackie de Burca on Mar 22, 2015 in Attractions, Europe, Going Out, Regions, Spain, Western Europe

Spain has a plethora of beautiful cities, wonderful towns and gorgeous, charming villages. There are still villages here, where people leave their front door wide open, and Spain has so many beautiful cities, that it’s a struggle to whittle them down to a top 10 list! One that came into the news recently is the

Secrets of Spain: majestic, magnificent Morella

By Jackie de Burca on Feb 17, 2015 in Attractions, Europe, Going Out, Leisure Travel, Regions, Spain, Speciality Travel, Western Europe

I want to let you into a secret. I want to tell you about a town that is like a film set, but not so many people have heard of it, as yet. This town is worlds removed from some of the “popular” towns on the Costas of Spain. Although it gets its fair share

Secrets of Spain: postcard pretty Peñiscola

By Jackie de Burca on Jan 30, 2015 in Europe, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, Spain, Western Europe

There’s so much more to Spain than the Costa Del Sol, the Costa Blanca, Barcelona, Ibiza, Majorca, Seville and Madrid. In fact if you wander a little off the beaten track, away from Spain’s notorious tourist destinations, you’ll find a wealth of aesthetic delights, cultural wonders and culinary pleasures. The country is dripping in tempting

3 amazing safari and beach holidays

By Jackie de Burca on Dec 29, 2014 in Adventure Travel, Africa, Central America, Costa Rica, Leisure Travel, Regions, South Africa, Speciality Travel, Tanzania

Who said you can’t have the best of both worlds…of course you can…don’t let anyone tell you otherwise! In terms of designing a magical holiday, here is one of my favourite options. I love to laze and sunbathe on a gorgeous beach, for a few days, but then go on an adventure, like out on

27 of Europe's best Christmas markets

By Jackie de Burca on Nov 17, 2014 in Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Eastern Europe, Europe, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Jersey, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Western Europe

Mulled wine, magical Christmas scenery, romantic European destinations, roasted chestnuts, local delicacies and the opportunity to shop til you drop. What more could you want? Festive singing, a bit of ice-skating, unusual local arts and crafts and plenty of Christmas cheer – that’s what it’s all about in some of the finest Christmas markets Europe

7 of the best quirky things to do in Dublin

By Jackie de Burca on Oct 19, 2014 in Attractions, Bars, Clubs, Europe, Events, Food and Drink, Going Out, Ireland, Regions, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

Am I proud to be Irish? The answer is that I most definitely am. As a nation we’re known to be one of the friendliest in the world, and most of us have a great sense of humour. We also love to embrace characters and experiences that are a bit different and quirky. I recently

6 of Spain's best Cava tours

By Jackie de Burca on Sep 17, 2014 in Attractions, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Spain, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

A little bit like “the rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain”, so does the Spanish version of Champagne. Cava, which was considered for a long time to be the poor person’s Champagne, has increased dramatically in popularity over the last few years. Of course there are differences between Champagne and Cava, that both

9 intimate, luxurious hideaways fit for Royalty and celebrities

By Jackie de Burca on Aug 30, 2014 in Accommodation, Asia, British Virgin Islands, Cambodia, Caribbean, Fiji, Hotels, Jamaica, Maldives, Mexico, New Zealand, North America, Oceania, Pacific Islands, Regions, Resorts, Worldwide

Does the phrase “fit for Royalty” sound good to you? Or maybe these days we judge the beauty and exclusivity of a luxury getaway by the celebrities who have visited it. Here are 9 intimate, luxurious hideaways that are fit for Royalty and celebrities – some of which have already been visited by them. 1.

19 facts about the world's no. 1 foodie region - the Basque Country, Spain

By Jackie de Burca on Jul 31, 2014 in Attractions, Europe, Food and Drink, Going Out, Regions, Restaurants, Spain, Travel Miscellany, Western Europe

The world is full of lists – I don’t know about you but I love my lists, they just seem to make life so much easier. Decisions are simpler; you know which fashion brands to wear, which hotels to go to before your friends do, which gadgets to choose to be super cool and, of

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