Lucy Dodsworth is sharing 5 of the best day trips from Edinburgh for those looking to get more out of their Scottish city break! There’s so much to do in Edinburgh that you can easily spend your whole trip inside the city but if you’ve got a little more time or want to explore a …

Today’s blog is by Jaz from The Life of a Social Butterfly as she shares her Porto city break guide for a perfect weekend break in Portugal’s second city. Quaint cobbled streets walled with azulejo tiles and traditional architecture, Porto exudes the very essence of authentic Portuguese city life. Porto is the perfect weekend away …

If you’re looking for a weekend break in the UK that’s not far from home but feels like a million miles away from your normal routine, then I can’t recommend Northern Ireland enough! Northern Ireland is one of those places that’s so close but so far. It’s just a hop, skip and a jump across …

Are you planning a holiday with friends and feeling completely overwhelmed? You’re thinking about budgets, schedules, dates, flights, trains, accommodation, activities, meals, snacks, taxis, buses, everyday logistics, packing, clothing, luggage, currency, mobile data plans and passports. And that’s just the things you need to deal with while you’re away. What about work and your house …

London is one of my favourite places in the world for a city break. There’s just so much to do and with each visit you can discover a different side to the city that you didn’t even know existed. But with so much to do in London it can be difficult to plan a weekend …

Devon is one of the UK’s most popular holiday locations, and for a very good reason too.  It’s a beautiful English county known for its picturesque towns, charming villages, atmospheric harbours, and those gorgeous beaches. While Devon’s coastlines (uniquely the county has two) serve as one of the main attractions for visitors, there are also …

One of my (many) resolutions is to take more short breaks and weekend escapes around Europe. I know I’m not alone in the fact that there are so many amazing places right on my doorstep that I’ve never travelled to. Here are 52 weekend away ideas to get you started! When a country is easy …

I am very excited today to have some packing tips from the packing legend, Alex from Travel Fashion Girl. Alex has shared her top tips when packing for a weekend break. If you’re looking for weekend away ideas, we’ve got 52 amazing ideas here! **** Packing for a fun filled weekend getaway should be quick …

Barcelona is full of hotels, so it makes sense to go for one that’s going to give you a memorable experience. And that’s where Barceló Raval comes into play. It’s a four-star hotel with unique décor, a rooftop bar and pool, and techie extras. Yep, this place is worth a visit for something out of …

If you want to plan a family holiday I’ve got 10 great tips for planning and booking that dream vacation. Travel planning can be really overwhelming, with so many things to consider and so much money at stake. It’s even more overwhelming when you’re doing it for the whole family and you have so many …

Do you write a travel journal?  I know, it’s the 21st century and we all take a billion photos a day and share everything online. That’s like a modern form of journaling travel, right? Well…no. Today I’d like to make a case to bring back the lost art of travel journaling. This post about travel journaling …

Of all my travel experiences, camping in the Sahara Desert was one of the best things I’ve ever done. It was unique, memorable, exciting and adventurous but it was also affordable and actually an easy tour to take from Marrakech. There are lots of Sahara Desert camping tours you can choose from and most of …

If you’re looking for travel decorating ideas then you’ve come to the right place! As you know, I LOVE to travel and I’m always bringing little mementos home with me.  But I also love clean, minimalist design and try to avoid having any clutter around the house. Souvenirs you find on holiday can look like …

  Before I begin, I’ve got to tell you that I’m not a perfect traveller in any way. I often overpack. Sometimes I cave and order a room service burger instead of going out. I’ve turned up in new cities and known nothing about the local culture or the things to see and do. I’ve …

Have you ever been to Morocco? I absolutely fell in love with the country when I visited a couple of years ago. I arrived into Marrakesh and was blown away by the bustling chaos of the colourful city. I loved the sensory overload of the city with the smoky incense, the expressive haggling, the spices, …

Is there anything more satisfying than a steaming glass of hot, sweet and refreshing mint tea? Moroccans are famous for the kind hospitality and drinking mint tea is a huge part of their culture. If you’ve read any of my Morocco posts so far then you will have realised that virtually every activity involved a …

Today’s blog post is all about my day trip to Formentera from Ibiza with everything we did and easy instructions on how to get to Formentera from Ibiza. ‘We should visit Formentera from Ibiza while we’re here,’ Jen said casually as we attempted to make a plan for our four days in Ibiza. I’d just …

I arrived in Timisoara, Romania with no pre-conceived ideas about the city so I really didn’t know what to expect. This was a new destination for me and I didn’t know anyone else who had visiting Timisoara. In fact, most people I spoke to had never heard of it! Of course, I’d searched through Google …

I’ve just returned from my third trip to Valencia and I still don’t think I’ve done all the things to do in Valencia! This gorgeous city is bustling and vibrant but also laid back, so it’s the perfect place for a short break. With this 3 day Valencia itinerary, you get all the excitement of …

I’ve been using the Braun Silk-Expert Pro 5 for 14 weeks now so I thought it was time to share my review. This is something I’m really excited to share because – wow, what an absolute game-changer!  Update: I’ve had this IPL device for a year now so I’ve posted a 1-year update at the …

This week I’m delighted to welcome Char Taylor from Taylor Heart’s Travel to The Travel Hack. She’s put together an Insider’s Guide to San Francisco. As you can see, Char really knows her stuff when it comes to this gorgeous city and has some great recommendations for things to see and do. Enjoy! Photo credit: Golden …

Around a year ago I was sent an email from Sandal Shop asking if I’d like to review some sandals. ‘Of course,’ I replied excitedly. ‘I can create a review within one month of receiving them.’ ‘Oh no,’ Sandal Shop replied. ‘We’d want you to wear them for nearly a year before reviewing them! We …

Have you ever considered a family camping holiday to Europe? Many people will have grown up with their family summer holidays spent camping in Europe but, if you’re anything like me, it’s not something my family ever did so it’s a holiday style that was not on my radar. I wasn’t aware of the incredible …

Did you see Tuesday’s post with an introduction to the French campsites, Les Castels? Check it out if you’ve never heard of Les Castels before. Les Castels are gorgeous camping grounds all around France set within the grounds of stunning chateaux’s. Last summer I travelled to France for one week and visited three Les Castels …

I’ve just returned from a family holiday to Majorca and it’s given me a taster for our future family holidays. As much as I love a ‘flop ‘n drop’ beach holiday, I can’t wait for my kids to be a little older and have a real family adventure together.  Here are some family holiday ideas …

When I was younger I watched hundreds of American movies and TV shows about kids going to summer camp. These idyllic summer woodland camps set next to a lake looked like the most amazing places to spend the summer and I was so upset we didn’t have them in the UK. The kids stayed in …

This blog post has been created in collaboration with Cedar Tree. As with all collaborations on The Travel Hack, this is a brand I use myself and I’d only ever recommend an insurance brand I’m happy to use for myself and my family. If you decide to take out a Cedar Tree travel insurance policy, …

If you’re travelling from a UK airport this summer you might be feeling a bit nervous about the current chaotic situation. The news is full of images of ridiculously long queues and stories of travellers missing their flights due to mega delays. Some people are waiting hours for their luggage and flights are being cancelled …

Today I’d like to introduce you to the most delicious cocktail I’ve ever managed to create. It’s sweet, tangy and refreshing and best enjoyed by the poolside while the sun is beating down on you. This cocktail became a firm favourite during my trip to Portugal a couple of weeks ago. Everyone was a little …

The Travel Hack Backpack is available on now Amazon. The matching Travel Hack Compressible Packing Cube is also back in stock!   The Travel Hack Backpack Following the success of The Travel Hack Pro Cabin Case I am SO SO excited to have collaborated with Cabin Max again to release The Travel Hack Backpack!   …

Have you seen the viral videos online showing people packing for a month away using vacuum sealed bags and just a tiny suitcase or backpack? If you’ve ever used a vacuum sealed bag before you’ll know how amazing they are for compressing soft items and saving so much space. Many people have used vacuum storage …

If you’ve read any packing tips then you will have undoubtedly come across people shouting about the benefits of packing cubes. “Packing cubes help organise your luggage, they make sure you don’t forget things and they save so much space!” But do they really? Do packing cubes really save space? Are packing cells actually great …

If you’re the kind of person who loves to be outdoors but doesn’t like the cold then I’ve got just the thing for you! I’d like to introduce the Night Owl Outdoor Duvet from The Fine Bedding Company. This is the cosiest, scrummiest, fluffiest outdoor duvet and is the perfect accessory for these chilly autumn …

Are you looking for ideas about how to give a holiday as a gift!? Well you are in the right place! I have so many fun, thoughtful, exciting and easy ways to present a holiday as a gift. I’ve written lots of travel themed gift guides over the years but, realistically, the best gift you …

Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for a travel lover? Read on for unique and affordable gifts they’ll love… For the first time in my life I’m actually feeling pretty organised about Christmas. Lots of my presents are bought and even wrapped already and I’ve sent my Christmas list to Santa. (I know this sounds …

Taking time out to go travelling doesn’t have to mean taking a career break. There’s plenty of ways you can see the world and still further your career at the same time. I’m of the opinion that going travelling proves initiative and a willingness to expand your horizons, but I understand when people are reluctant …

Healthy family meal ideas This post has been created in collaboration with AvaCare Multivitamins Meal times are a big thing in our family and everyone loves their food! But coming up with healthy family meal ideas can be so tough, especially at the moment when we’re eating all of our meals at home and I’m …

We’ve just returned from a 4-night stay at Barcelo Nura in Biniancollet on the south coast of Menorca so I thought I’d share a quick review and some helpful tips for anyone thinking of visiting. Barcelo Nura is a new hotel in a quiet and beautiful area of Menorca. It’s perfect for an adult getaway, …

Did you see my last posts about why I think Valencia is the perfect destination for a weekend escape? If you didn’t, check that out first! I fell head over heels in love with Valencia, Spain’s third city. I had a little longer than a weekend in Valencia but it’s the perfect city for a …

Today’s blog is a Forest Holidays Review from my gorgeous stay with Forest Holidays at their Sherwood Forest location. We have had two family holidays with Forest holidays, the first being to Sherwood Forest in the summer and the second was to Forest Holidays Ardgartan Argyll in Scotland in the winter. They were both very …