Activity holidays across Europe are to be relished when we’re travelling with our younger or more energised travelling companions. If you plan to take your grandchildren on holiday, or want your next escape to be action packed – a visit to a warm, sunny destination in Europe should keep everyone entertained. Here’s a selection of some of the best activity holidays in Europe for you to pick and begin your next adventure…   Where are the top places for activity holidays in Europe? 1: France Activity holidays in France can be found in Dordogne. Dordogne is situated in the southwest of France ..read more

Farm stays give you time to experience life on a farm. What better season is there to stay on a farm than spring? With rows of delightful daffodils, blushing blossoms, the birth of lambs and chicks, book a farm stay this spring! What are farm stays? A farm stay is any accommodation on a working farm, such as a cosy farm cottage, barn, shepherd’s hut, or caravan. Many are family-focused. They offer you an opportunity to feed animals, collect eggs, apples and crops. Plus, you can learn how a farm functions. Most farm accommodation is officially graded by Farm Stay UK (a ‘Not-for-profit’ farmer-o ..read more

We are promoting kidney health awareness for World Kidney Day. World Kidney Day takes place on the 9th of March this year. It’s an international awareness campaign to draw attention to the importance of kidney health. In the run-up, we wanted to take a closer look at this vital – and often overlooked – internal organ. Most people have an idea of the role their kidneys perform in the body. However, do you appreciate how important your kidneys are, what other functions they serve, and how you can keep them as healthy as possible? What do the Kidneys Do? Each adult usually has two kidneys. Althou ..read more

River cruises are an opportunity to embrace slow travel. Sit back, relax and learn about a country’s culture. While your riverboat winds along a wistful, waterway. Also, river cruises offer a more intimate experience than a cruise ship. This is because there are usually 200 or fewer passengers onboard. Pick from one of many river cruise lines. Each will have its own itinerary and dock into different destinations along a river or canal. Many include onshore excursions, such as walking tours and visits to different attractions but these are optional. You also have the freedom to plan your own ac ..read more

Cycling holidays allow you to feel the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. You can discover different landscapes in attractive, exotic surroundings. Also, cycling is a great way to exercise. It can help you bounce back from an illness or injury. Plus, your mental health should get a boost too. You can book cycling holidays which last a few days. Or, enjoy a one-two week cycling break, to explore destinations at your own pace. This is one way to embrace slow travel, a trend that gained some momentum among travellers recently. However, before you mount your saddle, we’re here to share ho ..read more

Prison tours are now appearing on our list of holiday experiences. For instance, you can take a tour around Alcatraz or a trip to Auschwitz. Have you added a prison tour to your bucket list – or are you starting to question the fascination behind them? Although Auschwitz (Auschwitz – Birkenav) was a Nazi extermination camp rather than a prison there are some comparisons and contrasts. At Auschwitz millions of people, mainly European Jews, were imprisoned and murdered against their will. In prisons, people were held due to their crimes and may have been victims of torture and death. In both pla ..read more

Greek island holidays are a great way to explore one of the most beautiful countries in Europe. If you’re a sun worshipper, get ready to embrace the heat on a Greek Island holiday between May-September. However, to join in with one of the most colourful and festive times on the Greek calendar – Apokries Carnival Season – book a Greek island holiday for an early spring break. This year the carnival celebrations will be running from the 19th – to the 26th of February.  While you’re there, embrace Greek culture by eating, drinking, and socialising, not to mention exploring ancient archaeolog ..read more

Cruise holidays have bounced back, offering us new experiences to learn about different countries across the world. From the moment we board we’re invited to sit back, relax and gaze across the horizon. All while an enthusiastic crew looks after everything – this is what holidays are made of. Now the majority of the world’s population is fully vaccinated, cruise liners have started to relax Covid restrictions. For instance, if you’re fully vaccinated you only need to bring evidence of your vaccination status before boarding. Plus, pre-cruise testing isn’t required unless you’re visiting a smal ..read more

Wellness holidays and wellbeing breaks are a great way to recharge away from life’s stresses and strains. In fact, in a recent study, 79% of respondents considered wellbeing to be a top reason for free time. On the other hand, if you’ve just had medical treatment and are looking for ways to enhance your wellbeing – to feel more like “you” again – a wellness holiday may help. Going away for a wistful weekend or a couple of weeks in the sun could be the opportunity you need to focus on and enhance your wellbeing. Although an illness may prevent you from travelling far from home, at Free Spirit w ..read more

Slow travel is a trend growing in popularity. It’s where we travel to a destination at our leisure, while immersing ourselves in the landscape and culture. If we reflect on the holidays of early 20th century Britain, Victorians would travel to the coast via slow train or horse-drawn carriage, often stopping several times along the way. Slow travel is a similar concept, although arrived at by choice rather than necessity. Interest in slow travel may come for a variety of reasons: you may want to experience a county’s culture in more detail; you may wish to avoid busy destinations or means of t ..read more