Julie Macdonald - Not Just Travel (2024)

01/11/2024

Here's how to have 58 days of holiday for just 28 days of annual leave... make sure you SAVE this post for later!

Hack the bank holidays in 2025 and get ready to turn on your out of office! 😎🍹

01/10/2024

Ship visit on Norwegian Star today...

13/09/2024

Thursday was a day at sea and my designated long-lie day. I was impressed with the breakfast delivery service...

08/09/2024

Here's how I spent my Saturday in Barcelona.

It's my first attempt at a video like this. What do you think?

Julie

07/09/2024

I arrived today in the vibrant city of Barcelona and have been exploring. I'll post some photos and info later. I'm excited to set sail tomorrow on a Virgin Voyages cruise on Scarlet Lady for the Not Just Travel conference. Ready for some sun, sea, and incredible (in)sights!

Virgin Voyages has a pretty unique approach to cruising and is adult-only - I look forward to the experience and will share my thoughts with you throughout the week.

If there anything you'd like to know about the Virgin Voyage ships and/or onboard experience? Let me know below, and if I don't know, I'll find out!

Julie

P.S. I'll be logging on for a little while each day so feel free to get in touch via Messenger, WhatsApp or email.

20/08/2024

Back to October holiday ideas... and here is the ultimate family favourite at a pretty brilliant price! Disneyland Paris is the closest place to experience the Disney magic, and make memories that you and your kids will never forget.

Top tip: Staying in a Disney hotel is definitely the way to go, as your package will include Disney park tickets for the entirety of your stay, including your days of arrival and departure. Every time I have looked into pricing for a client to stay off-site and purchase Disney tickets separately, it has worked out considerably more expensive.

There are still some great prices for Disneyland Paris during the Scottish October school holidays, even when flying out from Edinburgh to Paris on an early flight, and back on a late flight. These are the most popular flights for families wanting to make the most of their time at the parks, so they do typically cost more than flights at other times of the day.

I have priced up a 3-night package for a family of 4. The best-priced option that I found during the West Lothian school holidays (12th to 21st October) is to go from 18th to 21st October.

For a family of 4*, the total package price is from £2160 - what an amazing price! This includes:
- Direct flights between Edinburgh and Paris CDG
- Friday 18th October: depart EDI at 18:30, arrive CDG at 21:20 (no need for the adults to take the day off work!)
- Monday 21st October: depart CDG at 22:25, arrive EDI at 23:10
- 1 small item of cabin baggage per person
- 3 nights at Disney Hotel Santa Fe, in a Cars Standard Room, on a Room-Only basis
- Disney meal plans can be added at extra cost
- Disney Parks tickets for 4 days included!
- Transfers NOT included - it is easy to reach Disneyland Paris from CDG airport by public transport
- ATOL-protected package

*I priced this up based on 2 adults and 2 children, aged 12 and 10. Child prices are available up to age 17, and the overall package price rises by just a small amount to cover the extra airport departure tax.

Should you wish to fly out earlier on the Friday (depart EDI at 09:45, arrive CDG at 12:40), the package price is from £2664.

Checked baggage can be added, as can Disney meal plans, meals with Disney characters or princesses, photo passes etc.

Prices are correct at the time of posting. Pricing is live and can change at any time up until your booking is confirmed.

For more info, and for a bespoke quote for a different number of people, different durations, hotels, dates etc, pop a comment below or drop me a private message.

It's time to make memories - I am here waiting to help your dreams become reality!

Julie

19/08/2024

Once the clocks go back, the nights get much longer and it's feeling chilly, it's a good time to get away for a short break to cheer yourself up. Rather than head to the sunshine, how about getting into the festive spirit by heading to the Christmas markets in Europe? Just think, you can relax, wander through beautiful streets, eat and drink wonderful food and wine and get your Christmas shopping done early!

I have put together an offer for a 4-night stay in Vienna. Vienna (or Wien as it is called locally) is the capital of Austria, and is known as the City of Dreams. It has a long history and is well-known, of course, for its classical music as well as its fantastic sights and charm. The Viennese Christmas Markets are spread across the city, so you can explore while you shop.

I have picked out a small private boutique hotel - the Hotel Spiess & Spiess - which is centrally located, yet in a quiet back street in one of the best residential areas in Vienna, with many shops and restaurants just around the corner. It's rated 5/5 on TripAdvisor!

Included in your stay is the hotel's organic breakfast buffet consisting of high-quality mostly regionally produced products.

Every afternoon, guests are invited to relax after a busy day in the city. The hotel has modern sauna facilites which are operated in a sauna or sanarium mode alternating each day of the week. The comforting, relaxing and calming atmosphere is inspired by the materials, sounds, and colours of the danube river wetlands. The owner runs her own yoga classes at the hotel on Wednesday and Friday mornings, which you can join in (for a fee).

Here is the offer I have put together for you...

Christmas Markets and Yoga in Vienna
From £675 per person, based on 2 adults sharing a room
This includes:
- Direct flights between Edinburgh and Vienna
- Monday 18th November: depart EDI at 14:00, arrive VIE at 17:30
- Friday 22nd November: depart VIE at 15:05, arrive EDI at 16:55
- Pre-booked seats on the flights
- 1 x 10kg cabin bag per person plus one further small hand luggage item
- 4 nights at the Hotel Spiess & Spiess in a Superior Room
- Bed & Breakfast
- Transfers NOT included / it is easy to get to the hotel by public transport from the airport
- ATOL-protected package

Did you know that Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, is only around 55km from Vienna? Ask me about adding a day trip to your package, or you can hop on the train!

Price is correct at the time of posting. Pricing is live and can change at any time up until the booking is confirmed.

For more details, or to enquire about a different holiday, please comment below or drop me a message.

Julie

15/08/2024

As promised, here is another idea for a family October holiday, this time to one of my favourite cities - Marrakech in Morocco. I always say that Morocco is the closest place to go where you can experience a culture shock. It is an amazing assault on the senses - bright, vibrant, exotic and very exciting.

When going to Marrakech, there are some all-inclusive resorts outside of the city where you can stay, but I have picked out a beautiful "riad" in the old medina area of the city, the best area to stay if you really want to immerse yourself in the sights, sounds and smells of Marrakech. A riad is a traditional house centred around an internal courtyard, and provides an oasis of calm from the hustle and bustle outside.

So, what is there to do in Marrakech? So much! You can wander around the medina, do some haggling for fabulous handicrafts, see some of the sights and amazing architecture and then drink in the atmosphere of the wonderful Jemaa El Fna square, which really comes to life after dark with story tellers, snake charmers, street food stalls etc. You can take a day trip up to the High Atlas mountains to see a traditional rural way of life, fabulous vistas and perhaps go on a trek. Or, take a day trip to the coast to Essaouira, a colourful fishing village with beautiful (windy) beaches and a lovely atmospheric medina which is an artists' enclave.

Sound exciting? I have picked out just one of the many riads to give you an idea of what is available. The Riad Aventurine is located in the heart of the Marrakech Medina, and less than 15 minutes' walk from Jemaa El Fna square. For smaller or larger budgets, I'll happily suggest other options...

The total package price for a family of 4 is from £2624. This is based on 2 adults and 2 children aged 17 and 15. The price includes:

- Direct flights between Edinburgh and Marrakech
- 17th October: depart EDI at 06:00, arrive RAK at 10:05
- 21st October: depart RAK at 19:40, arrive EDI at 23:55
- Pre-booked seats on the flights
- 1 x 10kg cabin bag per person plus one further small hand luggage item
- 4 nights at the Riad Aventurine in a Deluxe 2-Bedroom Suite
- Bed & Breakfast
- Return private transfers
- ATOL-protected package

* Price is correct at the time of posting. Pricing is live and can change at any time up until the booking is confirmed.

For more details, or for a quote for a different number of people, different ages, different accommodation, dates or duration, please comment below or drop me a message.

Julie xx

13/08/2024

A few clients have asked me for ideas for a family October holiday this year, so I thought I would share some ideas over the next few days.

The first idea is a city break in Riga, the capital city of Latvia. Sandwiched by Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south, Latvia is still building its identity and its capital Riga is an off-the-beaten path gem waiting to be discovered. Riga's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a medieval design and rich history. Riga also boasts one of the highest concentrations of Art Nouveau architecture globally, providing a visual feast of elaborate facades, vibrant colors, and intricate designs. Also offering beautiful parks, and nearby beaches and national parks, Riga is the perfect place for a city break filled with exploration.

The hotel I have picked out is the 4-star Wellton Riga Hotel & Spa. It's well positioned in the Old Town and is rated 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor.

The total package price for a family of 4 is from £1820*. This is based on 2 adults and 2 children, aged 17 and 15. This includes:

- Direct flights between Edinburgh and Riga
- 12 Oct - depart EDI at 10:15, arrive RIX at 14:50
- 16 Oct - depart RIX at 15:05, arrive EDI at 15:50
- Pre-booked seats on the flights
- 1 x 10kg cabin bag per person plus one further small hand luggage item
- 4 nights in the Wellton Riga Hotel & Spa in a Family Room (which consists of 2 separate bedrooms and 1 bathroom)
- Bed & Breakfast
- Transfers NOT included

* Price is correct at the time of posting. Pricing is live and can change at any time up until the booking is confirmed.

For more details, or for a quote for a different number of people, different dates or duration etc, please comment below or drop me a message.

11/08/2024

I have just spotted a fantastic offer for the end of August to the beautiful Lake Iseo in northern Italy, and it brought back wonderful memories of my short stay there in 2018. It got me looking through my photos and I have included a few here!

Lake Iseo is the fourth largest of the Italian lakes in the region of Lombardy, after Garda, Maggiore and Como. It offers the same beautiful lake and mountain scenery, authentic food and oldy-worldy towns full of character, but without the tourist masses.

Anyway, back to the offer. There is £300 per person off 7-night holidays departing Edinburgh on 28th August. What's not to love about that? The hotels mentioned below are located in Iseo, the main town on the lake, which is lovely to wander around and explore, and has great eateries. You can also jump on a boat to explore other towns around the lake. So, if you fancy some summer sun by an Italian lake, surrounded by mountains, read on to see what is included!

- Departure date: 28th August 2024
- Direct flights between Edinburgh and Verona with Jet2
- Checked baggage allowance of 20kg per person included, plus generous hand luggage allowance
- Transfers between Verona Airport and your hotel in Iseo
- 7 nights at the 3-star Hotel Rosa, rated 4.5/5 on TripAdvisor
- Half Board included
- "Panoramas of Franciacorta & South Easy" guided walk included
- From £799 per person, based on 2 adults sharing a room
- Upgrade to a Lake View room for an extra £45.50pp
- If you are travelling solo, it's from £844.50 for a Single Room with Lake View.

If you'd prefer to stay in a larger hotel with a swimming pool, you can choose the 4-star Hotel Iseolago, which is rated 4/5 on TripAdvisor. With the same inclusions as above, and staying in a Double Room with Balcony or Terrace on a Half Board basis, the price is from £1079pp, based on 2 adults sharing.

Prices are correct at the time of posting. Prices are live and can change at any time.

For more info and/or to book, drop me a message or comment below. Or, if this holiday doesn't quite take your fancy, let me know and I'll suggest an alternative!

Julie xx

18/07/2024

If you haven't booked your Summer holiday yet, I have only one thing to say to you... "Better late than never!!"

This year has seen a lot more late bookings than previous years, so if you are late to the party, you are absolutely not alone. I have been spending a lot of time finding last minute holidays for my clients, so I know where to look and I can save YOU a lot of time and stress (and tired eyes from hours of staring at your screen).

I am around all weekend, so please drop me a message here or on WhatsApp and let's get you something booked to look forward to, and escape this unpredictable weather.

I am waiting for your message!

Julie xx

03/07/2024

We're "at sea" today, due back into Rosyth tomorrow morning. It's a calm sea today, so nice and relaxing.

I mentioned yesterday that the scenery we were fortunate enough to see on Monday was some of the best I have ever seen in my life. It's time to share the photos with you. Let me know what you think.

Having missed out on the bike ride on Sunday, Ross was very keen to hire bikes on Monday. There were bikes just by the dock when we went onshore in Olden. The guy who rented them to us gave us his suggestion for a route and off we set.

We cycled around 30 miles in all. We stopped lots along the way, to soak in the beauty of our surroundings. Being on the bikes meant we felt immersed in the nature and it gave us lots of freedom.

Ross and I agreed that this was one of our best days ever!

02/07/2024

Yesterday (Monday) brought some of the most amazing scenery I have ever seen, but let me catch you up on Sunday first!

On Sunday, we were anchored by Ulvik, a village situated at the end of the Ulvikafjorden, a side arm of Hardangerfjord. The Hardangerfjord is the fifth longest fjord in the world, and the second longest fjord in Norway. It is stretches over 110 miles from the Atlantic Ocean into the mountainous interior of Norway.

Ross wasn't feeling the best and so stayed onboard. I ventured ashore on a tender and hired a bike. I cycled over to Osafjord, another side arm of Hardangerfjord, as I really wanted to see the scenery there. I cycled to Osa village and had an apple pancake and local apple juice at a little cafe in a cabin full of character. This area has a microclimate that enables some of the best apples in the world to be produced. The juice was delicious!

I haven't ridden a bike for years so it was quite a tough cycle and I ended up pushing the bike up a couple of big hills. I was so glad I'd hired the bike though as it meant I could see a lot more than I could have done on foot.

01/07/2024

On Saturday, we were docked in Haugesund, a coastal town. It was exciting to see land from around 6am after over 24 hours at sea.

Once docked, Ross and I headed ashore and hiked for 13 miles, along the coast then round a lake through forests. It was beautiful and peaceful, and the smell of pine etc was so good.

After such a long hike, we had definitely earned our afternoon tea back on the ship!

28/06/2024

I'm all at sea! That's me on holiday, and taking some much needed time off for the first time since last June!

I'm on board Fred Olsen's Balmoral, heading up to the Norwegian Fjords on a 7-night cruise. I've always wanted to go to the Norwegian Fjords and delighted to sailing on Balmoral for the second time. It's a fantastic ship - taking just around 1200 passengers so there's a really personal feel to it.

The photos below are as we sailed away from Rosyth yesterday. It is wonderful to sail from a local port - hassle free and gets the holiday started much quicker! It was a very windy day so the sail away was a little delayed while we waited for two tug boats to help us off the dock and get turned around ready to sail under the 3 bridges.

We've had an "at sea" day today. The seas have been "moderate" but my behind-the-ear patches have kept any nausea completely at bay. Fortunately the weather is brighter and calmer now.

The food on board so far has been nothing short of magnificent! Tonight was the first of 2 formal nights and it was lovely to get dressed up.

Looking forward to our first port of call tomorrow...

11/05/2024

For anyone in Linlithgow and surrounding areas... I am sponsoring a gin at the Rotary Club of Linlithgow Grange's Beer & Gin Festival. The event is on today at the Masonic Hall in Linlithgow, and includes some live music. I shall be in the hall for at least some of the time, so please do come and say hi. I'll also be running a wee competition to win an afternoon tea for 2. Hope to see you there. Julie x

Julie Macdonald - Not Just Travel

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