The Travel Insider Podcast
A Brand new travel podcast series
Hosted by Bec Miles, editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine, Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast lets you in on Travel’s best-kept secrets, hidden gems, and unforgettable experiences.
Get under the skin of your next holiday destination by subscribing to The Travel Insider Podcast series. Discover destinations through fun and friendly conversations with local experts, tourist boards and travel professionals.
Join us for a 30-minute holiday, and don’t forget, Charitable Travel allows you to donate 5% of your holiday price to charity, completely free when you book with them.
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Today we’re travelling to West Sweden, a region that is 1.9 times the size of the UK, and has not just a beautiful long coastline stretching from Gothenburg up to the border with Norway, but also lots of forests, lakes and fishing villages that naturally champion a more sustainable way of life. Here, nature is intrinsically valued and championed across all parts of life, and as a consequence sustainable tourism isn’t an added extra, it’s simply how things are. Visiting here doesn’t need to be distinguished as eco tourism or responsible tourism, it’s just tourism, done really, really well.
Joining Bec to talk about the many joys of West Sweden are Robert Cullen from the West Sweden tourist board, and Ingela and Markus Holgersson, who own and run the Skärgårdsidyllen kayak and outdoors company in the Grebbestad archipelago.
In this episode we’re travelling to Germany, a major player in the heart of Europe that stretches from the Baltic Sea on its northern border to the foothills of the Alps at its southern, with France to its west and Poland to its east.
Germany is making great strides in improving the sustainability of its tourism – turning increasingly turning to green energy, to the extent that its entire Deutsche Bahn railway network is powered by renewable sources.
Joining Bec to talk about all this and much more are Mara van Rees and Harald Henning, from the German National Tourist Office.
Join us on a visit to Belize on the eastern coast of Central America. Just south of Mexico and east of Guatemala, you’ll find the Caribbean Sea on its eastern border and dense jungle on its western side. With its mix of pristine beaches, lush rainforests and rich cultural heritage, this tropical paradise offers unparalleled experiences.
Our guests this episode are Abil Castaneda, from the Belize Ministry of Tourism, and Valdemar Andrade, from the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association, to talk about the Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest in the world, as well as the numerous wildlife sanctuaries, including the first jaguar preserve in the world.
In this episode of the Travel Insider Podcast, we’re heading to Pompano Beach on the south-east coast of Florida. Set between Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach, the city has three miles of sandy beaches lapped by some of the warmest, clearest waters in the area. Joining our host Rebecca Miles to talk about the warm welcome vistors will recieve are Rita Wells, Tourism Marketing Manager at Pompano Beach, and Jeff Torode, owner of the South Florida Dive Headquarters. Hugely important to the destination is how accessible it is, as well as the coral reef and fish sanctuary, while on land there’s world-class dining and shopping, festivals, concerts and vibrant nightlife.
Join us as we travel to Gran Canaria, the third largest Canary Island and a welcoming and tolerant holiday hotspot off the north-west coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. The volcanic island, famed for its popular beaches that largely run along the south of the island, has so much more to discover than many visitors realise. Joining our host, Rebecca Miles, to talk about this side of the island – from the buzzing capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to the botanic gardens and art installations – is Maria Lezcano, a tour guide who has worked on the island for over 20 years and whose knowledge and enthusiasm is infectious.
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travels Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles and I’m editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine, and also the host of this podcast series that otherwise is known as TIPs. Today, we’re not just giving you lots of great travel tips, we also want to transport you from wherever you are right now, perhaps you’re walking through the park, maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, to a place that will inspire you. And today we’re travelling to Gran Canaria, the third largest Canary Island and a welcoming and tolerant holiday hotspot off the Northwest coast of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean. The volcanic island, famed for its popular beaches that largely run along the south of the island, has so much more to discover than many visitors realise, and it’s exactly this side of the island that we’re going to be talking about today. It’s mountainous interior and volcanic geology influences everything across the island. It means the south of the island tends to be drier, more sheltered, while the north of the island is more verdant, with some incredibly fertile land ripe for growing a wide range of crops. Joining me today to talk about this wonderful island and share some of her favourite parts, from the buzzing capital Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, to the botanic gardens and art installations is Maria Lascano, a tour guide who has worked on the island for over 20 years and whose knowledge and enthusiasm is infectious. Thanks so much for joining us, Maria. Let’s start at the beginning. For anyone who hasn’t been to Gran Canaria, what’s the island like?
Maria Lascano: Well, do you know what is a piñata?
RM: Yeah.
ML: It’s like this kind of lovely box for children in parties and when they hit it, many surprises are coming out. So that’s how I find Gran Canaria.
RM: I love that.
ML: So, because I have the feeling that sometimes some people could come with a sort of prejudice thinking that we’re merely a subtropical latitude. But no, we’re more than this. We are one island, just green in the north, desert in the south, the interior is breathtaking. Gran Canaria is just calm, but at the same time, very alive. Gran Canaria smells like salt, like flowers, like volcanic soil. So, in my opinion, Gran Canaria is probably the most diverse of the Canary Islands.
RM: That sounds, there’s so much going on on such a small island. And people just think it’s going to be a beach.
ML: No, it’s more than this, you can believe me.
RM: Brilliant. Those beaches and its climate, you know, you mentioned it’s subtropical, those beaches and the climate, they’re a huge draw, aren’t they, for visitors. But how does that coastline vary across the island and around the island?
ML: Well, somehow we have a coast for every single profile. I mean, we have the south, where we have all the resorts, with all the facilities, sunbeds, where you can spoil yourself with a cocktail. If you keep going along the East coast, you have amazing beaches like Pozo, where we have actually right now a windsurfing competition, the World Cup. I also love natural swimming pools. Normally they are like hidden and many locals. Or for example, in the North, we have pebble beaches. It was really funny. I’ve been there over a week ago with a friend and she was like, ‘Oh my goodness, how they can lie on this pebble’. Well, you go in a spa and you pay for that, for hot stones on your back. Those are for free here.
RM: Yeah, definitely.
ML: Otherwise, I also love Las Canteras, it’s one of the most beautiful city beaches where in the fifties was filmed Moby Dick with Gregory Peck.
RM: No way.
ML: Yeah. Even in the twenties, we had Agatha Christie doing surfing here.
RM: Sorry, Agatha Christie was surfing in Gran Canaria?
ML: Of course, after Archibald broke her heart, sorry about calling him Archibald, but I really like the story of her. She came over to Gran Canaria to recover and she practiced surfing in Las Canteras.
RM: Oh, I’d love to have seen that. I’d love to have been with her on a board. Brilliant.
ML: So in short, we have just along the coast and for all the different profiles and even how you feel these days.
RM: Yeah, the sort of natural swimming pools, how easy are they to access? Are some easier than others? Do you have to really sort of know what you’re looking for?
ML: Well, actually, I, for example, I go often in the East Coast. I can park my car some metres away, a little walk and ones are more like hidden, which are the wildest ones. Yeah, it’s different sort of, but yeah, you can find them and best way, always ask the locals, stay there.
RM: Definitely. And what about the huge dunes at the bottom of the island on the south of the island?
ML: They are gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. It’s just a protected area. Actually, like 43 percent of the island is under protection and there we have 400 hectares of sand dunes. We’re not really sure if it is just because of the erosion, let me remind you, it is a volcanic island, or maybe a tsunami pushed this out, but for sure, it is one of the most beautiful landscapes that we have in the south of the island.
RM: Gorgeous. So heading into the interior of the island, it’s largely unknown to most visitors, isn’t it? What’s it like and what can you expect when you explore it?
ML: Well, I have a very special connection, if I can say so, with the interior. I walk it, I draw it, I flow over the interior, and every time it surprises me. Imagine that, as I told you, we’re a volcanic island, but the erosion played a role. So for a long time, it has been sculpted over the interior, like carving with a huge knife. So you can find impressive ravines, beautiful forest, sometimes waterfalls. And in the interior, what I also appreciate is the people. Many farmers, sometimes they look reserved, but they’re really, really sweet. They catch up with you, even if they don’t know you, they send you to different secret areas and getting there is easy. I mean, if you want to drive, we have roads, which are very good, really, really good. You can rent a car, you can book a tour, you can even hike. I mean, it’s different ways to know the interior of the island, which honestly people shouldn’t miss.
RM: Yes, definitely. So, I mean, say you’re visiting for a week, you spend a couple of days on the beach and then like just go out on a big hike into the interior or something like that and just see some ravines. I can’t, it’s hard to get my head around the fact that there’s forest there as well. I think of it as such a desert island, but lush green everywhere.
ML: Yes. It’s what I told you at the beginning, it’s like a big contrast. One side to the other side. If you come to visit me over, I bring you to one of my favourite spots up to the mountains, heading west to see the sunset.
RM: So, I understand one of the things you love, Maria, about the island is the food. You know, you mentioned there’s the farmers and the interior. What flavours, sorry, should listeners look out for?
ML: You said a magic word to me. Food. Actually, it’s one of my favourite things to do in the island. I like to say that the Canarian food is like, fresh, healthy, and right now, all of our restaurants are really committed with the local stuff. Our local people and our visitors, they really fancy to take things off the local farms, local products, and we have very elaborate cuisine. I mean, we even have some Michelin stars, but also this little bar where probably they just don’t even have a menu to tell you what they cook. What I really recommend are, for example, cheese. Cheese is absolutely marvellous. We still have shepherds doing the transhumance to keep, they keep moving the livestock from one area to other area. By the way, this kind of activity prevents fires when we get dry season because they eat all the weed. So it’s like a beautiful circle of life. One of the cheese I love is called flower cheese because they use like rennet. They do a juice off the blossom of a wild thistle and it makes the cheese a bit tastier, creamier. I love it to bits. Then obviously if you are around the coast, I will recommend you something like fish. We have bass, we have parrotfish, calamaris. I love them. But if you are more in the interior, I will recommend like, we have a black pork, black pig, indigenous, we do have goat, we have rabbit. Of course, you need to irrigate all these things with the local wine and spoiling yourself with the dessert, for example, something made with almonds. We have beautiful desserts with almond. So yeah, in short, we’re very committed with the local farming with beautiful products, and I’m absolutely happy that that’s also what visitors want to taste.
RM: Definitely. When I visited and spent some time with you, you took me to a wonderful food market up in the capital, and it was just wonderful to just sit at the bar, and have lots of small plates. We had some, we definitely had some calamari and some octopus and the cheese. Can you remind me of the name of the market?
ML: Yeah, El Mercado del Puerto, the port market, right? Which actually is a 19th century market used to be only for fresh food. And now you can eat tapas and pintxos, which is this lovely piece of bread with something over. Sometimes they even have live music on the weekends. Prices are fantastic, food is fantastic, so yeah, that’s one experience for sure in the capital.
RM: Definitely, I could have spent all day there very happily. There are also plenty of plantations and food routes as well to discover, aren’t there? How can listeners go about exploring those?
ML: Yeah, well, getting there is very easy. For example, we have banana plantations in the north. You know that the Canarian bananas are the best in the world? They’re like me, small and sweet.
RM: Small and perfectly formed. Love it.
ML: They came originally from Asia. They have been here with the Spaniards and then they carried on to the Caribbean. So, you can visit one of those plantations. You could visit the rum distillery. Sugar came over in 16th century, it changed our life. We used to call it the white gold and we learned what to do with this. For example, the best rum we have right now is one beautiful oak barrel aging since 1983.
RM: What?
ML: Yes, and it has the name of a, I wanted to say Scottish pirate, I hope I don’t offend anyone, a pirate or a navigator from Scotland called Captain Kidd. Otherwise, the most famous rum is the honey rum, which is a bit sweet.
RM: Oh, yes. I remember. Yeah. Oh, it’s really nice to finish off a meal with, isn’t it?
ML: [indiscernible] family from the States, because my grandparents emigrated to the Caribbean, like many other Canarians. They came over and we did mojitos with [indiscernible]. It was so nice. And then we also have the wine route. I mean, the Canarian wine is very unique because we are using the same sort of grapes without genetical change since 16th century. Something that didn’t happen in Europe, because there arrived the phylloxera from the States. So the only way they had to stop it was grafting the American plant to the Europeans. So they changed the genetic. So in the Canaries, because of the isolation, we never got it. So we have the same sort of grapes, mechanic cereal, and it makes our wine really special. So people can also visit different sort of placas. Or even coffee route. We are in a latitude over the equator with a sort of microclimate in the northwest that makes possible to grow coffee at [indiscernible]. So in short, if the visitors would like to join in one experience like that, they can do it. I mean, like driving a car or contacting someone, organised stores have many, many possibilities and any excuse not to enjoy it.
RM: Yes, definitely. Oh, that sounds fabulous. And also with all that sort of mountainous interior, there must be loads of opportunities and activities for outdoorsy types. You know, if you’ve actually eaten and eaten and eaten, then you can go and work off some of that food. What sort of activities are there on offer?
ML: Well, you know, our climbing is a blessing, so you can do outdoors activities the whole year round. They could be related to the water, like it could be diving or surfing or, I don’t know, paddle surf. But if you head up to the mountains, you have canyoning, you have climbing. I love hiking and even I am local, sometimes I get surprised about things that we have. I’ve been hiking not too long time ago with a friend and then we saw funny green stuff somewhere. We walked over and you know what it was? It was a fog hunter. I tell you what it is, it’s a sort of thing to grab the moisture of the trade winds in the north, right? And they have a beautiful project of reforestating 20,000 trees in one ravine that unfortunately has been deforested because we suffered a fire a few years ago.
RM: Okay.
ML: And just milking the clouds, if I can say so, milking the clouds, the bog, with this little ecological thing, we’re going to reforest 20,000 trees.
RM: Wow, that’s such a lovely idea.
ML: Yeah, I’m so proud that the island is so committed right now with the protection, with the environment, because we know it is a blessing. Nature is something that we should preserve and keep. Keep sending to the next generations.
RM: Yeah, definitely. And even just seemingly small steps like that can make a really big difference, can’t they?
ML: Yes. And you see, anytime you want to do any activity outdoors, you can trust we have very good companies. We have serious companies, all the insurance, everything if you want to do it [indiscernible] are very good and clear and safe. We even have some festivals around the year where you can join locals and outlanders. For example, we have the walking festival. We spend a couple of days walking or we have the adventure weekend where you can even do paragliding or mixing different outdoors activities, are the best for all the possible profiles.
RM: You mentioned earlier that you’ve flown over the island. Is that when you’ve paraglided over the island? Have you?
ML: Oh, no, I’m not that brave. No, it was like, I have a very lovely friend from [indiscernible]. She used to live here. And for her birthday, we both won a helicopter flight over the interior up to the highest mountains.
RM: How amazing.
ML: And because we’re good friends, we joined her. And we loved it. We really loved it.
RM: Fabulous. Yes. Now we’ve talked about this volcanic, you know, volcanic geology of the island that makes for very fertile land, doesn’t it? You know, the greenery in the north in particular. What’s the flora and fauna like, what are the little species people should be looking out for?
ML: Well, in my opinion, the flora is far more exuberant and maybe richer than the flora. Sorry, the flora is more than the fauna, that’s what I mean. Obviously, spring is a marvellous time, right? And I’ll tell you a secret for the visitors. If you know two species, and you have no one to ask, and no coverage, you know where you are. If you see the beautiful Canarian palm tree, you know you are below 900 meters. If you start to see the pine tree forest, you know you are over 1,000 meters. Because this is where they grow. Right? Otherwise, of course we have fauna. I mean, we have beautiful predatory birds, we have the giant lizard, we have a very special species called the blue chaffinch. We only have this unique in Gran Canaria. Absolutely indigenous from Gran Canaria and we only have 450 left. So when bird watchers, I think you can call them bird watchers, come over, that’s the pearl that they’re looking for. And we have also professionals that could go with them to look for them. So.
RM: Oh, nice.
ML: Yeah. So in short, the nature is amazing. I do myself sometimes botanic tours. We have the largest botanical garden in Gran Canaria. And if you really look for flora and enjoying the local species, I will always recommend like the spring month, when you see the beautiful carpet of flowers. We even have species that people dislike in gardens like pine wheat. We have a bindweed, which is a tree here.
RM: What?
ML: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And many times, you know, the species, because they also grow in the rest of Europe, but obviously here they grow much bigger, right? The climate makes a difference.
RM: Yeah, definitely. And are there particular nature reserves that people should head to to sort of see the best of it or anything like that?
ML: As I told you before, a big part of the island is under protection and in the interior, we have [indiscernible] since 2005. We even have protection of the UNESCO, the Sacred Mountains of Gran Canaria since 2019. And well, I think it’s a good idea to preserve this gem of the nature that we really protect them in these different ways. So we have different tools to preserve and to protect these parts of the island.
RM: I think one of the things that makes Gran Canaria so special is having such a prosperous capital city. We touched about it, we talked about it earlier with the food market, but there’s so much more to Las Palmas de Gran Canaria isn’t there? What are your favourite parts of it and why should people head there?
ML: Well, I love Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, which is the name of the city. To me, it’s a real seat in the canaries, because we have many events, concerts, beautiful gastronomy. But the historical centre is also very interesting. Of course, I would like to remind you that we were like cave people, if I can say so, until the 15th century, until renaissance. So you cannot expect anything older than the 15th century. The architecture is beautiful, very traditional. We were actually the first foundation out of the continent and the model to follow afterwards in the Caribbean. We have a connection with Christopher Columbus, he stopped here several times. The city moreover, you know, I’ll tell you something curious about the city. For one week, for almost one week, we were Dutch, because in 16th century, like 12,000 Dutch attacked our island, right? When we were only 6,000 people in the city. They didn’t have any particular problem with the locals. It’s just, Philip II, who actually was married with a British queen, Mary Tudor, they wanted everyone to be Catholic. The Netherlands in those days were part of Spain. And let’s say the Dutch protest to be Protestant, right? Otherwise, I also like to talk very much about the British when they were at the end of 19th century in Gran Canaria. They were very British almost to the middle of 20th century. The island bloomed in those days. The reason why they came over is because, well, they had colonies in Africa. So they stopped here before they carried on. They actually planted first bananas and tomatoes, probably the name [indiscernible]. They’d go to London, the Canary Wharf. It’s called like this because the vessels left and docked back there. So here we go. So we have, for example, a very beautiful district, Ciudad Jardín, Garden City, that we also call the Bridges District. So in short, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria is a very cosmopolitan city, beautiful, interesting, and it is a must when you come over to Gran Canaria.
RM: And right on the beach as well, Agatha Christie’s beach, Moby Dick’s beach.
ML: Yes, this one is quite good. I tell you something, British left a beautiful thing in our society, which I like to call Canary English.
RM: Oh, yeah.
ML: [Indiscernible} between our way to speak Spanish and English. For example, if you go in a bakery along the Promenade of Las Quinteras and you want to spoil yourself, with a piece of cake. Cake here is called keke, and it comes from cake. So remember this.
RM: That’s easy to remember. Yeah, definitely. The history of the island sounds so fascinating with that mix of Africans, Americans, Caribbeans, everything kind of playing in together and making a big mix of civilisation. How does that affect life nowadays? Are there some good festivals to be had? How is all that culture celebrated?
ML: Well, I think our society is very open because we got so much influence from all the different directions. Open minded, funny. We are really, really funny people. Open, tolerant. So, we have all the possible events, live concerts, carnival. You will love carnival.
RM: When, what time of year does carnival happen?
ML: Well, normally it’s February, sometimes it’s actually March. Well, sometimes it’s even some month, because they start in the capital, they carry on in the south, and then all the municipalities. You have art exhibitions, but at the same time, if you fancy something more conservative, I don’t know, I remember being in a concert with the Philharmonic from Chicago. Yeah, so we have plenty of events. I think our visitors, when they get mixed with us, I think they have fun, because we are funny people.
RM: And it’s so lovely to hear that you’re so tolerant and welcoming to everyone as well. Is that something that’s just really important to everyone across the island?
ML: Of course, I mean…
RM: Why not?
ML: Having an open mind in those days, with so many problems around the world, being tolerant, respecting everything, all the possible ways of life, is important. And I think we learned a lesson. Because our situation has been open since ages to many different influences and it makes us very special.
RM: No, it’s so good to hear. One thing I wanted to just go back to was, I’ve heard that it’s fabulous for stargazing at night. Where should we head to if you want to just be in total awe and wonder at the night sky?
ML: Well, you know. We are a starlight destination, [indiscernible] a few years, because in certain parts of the island, the quality of the sky is really good, there’s no light, no contamination. So I will always suggest you to get the centre or the west side of the island. And well, why not stargaze and finishing with a glass of wine in one of the wine cellars up to the mountains. I mean, sounds good.
RM: Perfect. Yep. Definitely. Yeah.
ML: That’s one of the favourite activities you could do around here.
RM: Oh, fabulous. Well, lastly, Maria, you mentioned, you know, some dear friends, you get to do some good activities with them. If one of your oldest friends is visiting, how would you spend your ideal day with them? You’ve only got one day, you’ve got 24 hours.
ML: I only have one day. [Indiscernible]. First of all, I am one early bird. I will probably start with a very early morning, like stretching, bathing the sand dunes with the sunrise. Beautiful breakfast, getting a bit along the city, the old town, to let this person know that the city and the population, we are Africans with European mind and Caribbean soul, which brings me back to what I told you about being so mixed. With that, we get up to the mountains, maybe nice lunch, and I could descend through the south, get in maybe in the southwest coast to see the sunset.
RM: Oh, gorgeous.
ML: That would be a perfect day. Probably at the end, bless him or bless her, would be tired, but I think at the end it’s worth it.
RM: They’d be happy, definitely. Oh, thank you, Maria, so much for sharing the pinata of Gran Canaria with us.
ML: You’re welcome. And of course, I hope to see you back. I would like to see all of you coming over. Feel free to come over. We’re looking forward to seeing you and well, Gran Canaria is always a home for any time, for any people who could like to come over.
RM: Perfect. Thank you.
ML: You’re welcome love.
RM: To find out more and book your next holiday to Gran Canaria, visit charitable.travel/gran-canaria and for more info from the tourist board website, it’s grancanaria.com.
Join us for a 30-minute holiday to the Manatee Capital of the World, as we speak to Terry Natwick of Discover Crystal River and Kimberleigh Dinkins from Save the Manatee about what to expect on your trip to Crystal River, Florida. Crystal River offers small-town charm, a deep and fascinating history, and a wealth of ecological attractions. Crystal River delights visitors year-round with its unique collection of things to see and experience, as well as delicious dining options.
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travels Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles and I’m editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine. I’m also the host of this podcast series that otherwise is known as TIPs. Today, we’re going to give you not just lots of great travel tips, but we also want to transport you from wherever you are right now. Perhaps you’re walking through the park, or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, to a place that will inspire you. Today, we’re travelling to Crystal River, a coastal city in western Florida. An hour and a half west of Orlando, Crystal River sits proudly in the heart of Florida’s nature coast, just over an hour north of Tampa. A city that prides itself on presenting the old time authentic side of Florida, Florida before the infamous mouse with big ears arrived, Crystal River is full of independent businesses, family run restaurants and wholesome outdoors activities. Crystal River’s most famous residents are its manatees, the docile marine mammals with voracious appetites that are sometimes known as sea cows. Here in Crystal River, it’s one of the few places where people can considerately swim with manatees and also support their conservation at the Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge. Joining us to talk not just about the manatees but all things Crystal River is Kimberley Dinkins from the Save the Manatees Club and Terry Natwick from Discover Crystal River. So let’s hand things over to the pair of them to tell us more about how visitors can get involved on their holiday in Crystal River.
Thanks so much for joining us, Kimberley and Terry. Terry, let’s start with you. Can you set the scene for us, please? Tell us about Crystal River. What’s downtown like and what can visitors expect to find?
Terry Natwick: Crystal River is just a really quaint area of Florida. I always tell people it’s sort of what the Florida was like before Mickey Mouse came. So, we’re a sort of old and authentic Florida. So the downtown area itself is little shops, we have a historic village, art galleries, restaurants, coffee shops, little tourist trinket shops, you name it. And it’s just beautiful, a great place to spend some time while you’re here to visit. But of course, the main attraction is our manatees.
RM: Yes, Kimberly, they sound fabulous. And it sounds like you’re the best place to tell us about these fabulous manatees. Why are they so special?
Kimberley Dinkins: I think manatees are special because they kind of embody what people envision when they think about the Florida lifestyle. They’re, you know, just relaxed. They hang out in our shallow, slow-moving waterways. And they’re kind of easy to access, because they are, throughout Florida, you can find them. And a lot of times we see them from your dock or from your boat. The cool thing about manatees, in my mind, is that they are truly the, First Florida natives. I mean, their fossil record goes back 45 million years. And even though we hear sometimes that like there are rumours that they came over with, you know, Spanish colonizers, they have been here a long time. And they also depend on this great diversity that we have here in Florida. You might not know, but manatees have to be in water that is 68 degrees or warmer throughout the year. So they really depend on our coastal areas. In the wintertime, you can find them in our springs. So I feel like if a manatee were able to, to talk to people, they would say, you know, ‘Hey, this is, you may have heard about our beaches, they’re really great. But have you visited our forests and our springs and our, our Everglades?’ Cause they’re all throughout Florida and they really depend on our, ecosystems here.
RM: Because what do they eat? What do they like to eat? And what do they, what do they do?
KD: Well, they hang out a lot and they eat a lot. They typically feed on what we call submerged aquatic vegetation or seagrasses, but they will also feed on shoreline plants like mangroves and things like that. Again, they just kind of loaf around and hang out. They are really cool when you see a mother and a calf together. Overall, they don’t hang out in huge groups, but yeah, they’re just there, part of the landscape.
TN: I always joke with people too, Kim, that I want to come back as a manatee.
KD: Oh yeah. Yeah.
TN: They sleep. They swim. It’s all good.
RM: Oh, that sounds heaven. And they look so cool, don’t they? I mean, they get described as like the sea cow, but they just, they look like they’re made out of Play Doh.
KD: They do. The cool thing, manatees are called sea cows probably because of their diet, but, you know, their closest living relative is the elephant. So, the similarities between the elephant’s trunk and the snout of a manatee and then their flippers have those toenails like elephants do. So you get a chance to take a good picture of one, a look at a good picture of one, you’ll see those things.
RM: Brilliant. Now, Kimberly, you work with the Save the Manatee Club. Can you tell us more about what that does and how visitors can get involved?
KD: Yeah, Save the Manatee Club has been around for over 40 years. We like to call ourselves the voice for manatees, and we focus on advocacy, education, and research. People can get involved with Save the Manatee Club through our volunteer programme if we have an event. While you’re visiting, you’re welcome to come attend and help us out, if you sign up through our website. But one of the coolest things about Save the Manatee Club, I think is our longstanding adopt a manatee programme. We have real live manatees that have been put into our programme and people can adopt them and that can be done wherever you are in the world. The cool thing about the Crystal River and Citrus County area is that we have some manatees that aren’t able to be released back into the wild that live all the time at Homosassa Springs. Their names are Ariel and Betsy. So you can see those animals anytime, at Homosassa, whereas our other ones, they’ll travel around the state throughout the year.
RM: Oh, cool. And so, Terry, how have manatees become such an important part of Crystal River? I understand it’s one of the only places that people can safely swim with them. Is that right?
TN: Yeah. That’s a really good point. Can safely swim with them because we have policies and procedures in place. You have to go out with a tour company and that tour company has to have an in water guide. That in water guide is there to make sure you follow the rules that are presented to you prior to leaving on the boat for the tour. We have a video that everybody must watch called Manatee Manners. It’s brought by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife and it shows you the do’s and the don’ts of what to do when you’re in the water. But that in water guide is really special because of a couple of reasons. A lot of them have been doing this for so long and it’s always incredible to me, but I swear to you, the manatees recognise and know some of these guys that have been in the water for so long and they recognise the manatees. They see them every day and they know, okay, that one’s that by the, either the scars on their backs, unfortunately, which is, we’ll talk about that later, but. Anyway, it’s just an incredible experience. But because of these rules and regulations, that’s why this is the safest place to do it. As Kim said, manatees are all over the state of Florida. They’re all over, you know, the world. You can find them on the east coast of North Carolina and South Carolina, but we’re really the only place where it’s the safest place for the manatees, for you to be in the water and interacting with them.
RM: That’s so cool. Cause they just look incredible. So I can imagine just swimming alongside one. It must be a brilliant feeling.
KD: It’s actually a little more intimidating than you might think. And to Terry’s point, I think, you know, the Florida manatee is really only found in the coastal areas or the waterways of the southeastern United States. I mean, there are dugongs and manatees throughout the world, but our particular Subspecies is really just here in Florida. And so that’s, I think, another thing that makes them special. And people have been diving with manatees in Crystal River since the seventies, that I think that started with a visit from Jacques Cousteau.
RM: Oh, wonderful. He was there in the seventies, you say?
KD: Yes.
TN: We had a manatee that was called Sewer Sam and he’d been stuck in the sewer and they rescued him and brought him over to the Three Sisters Springs area, and there’s actually a plaque underwater in the spring talking about Sewer Sam and the adventure that he had with Jacques Cousteau. So you can see it when you’re snorkelling in there.
RM: Wow. Oh, poor thing. What a name, though.
KD: Well, and that goes to the threats for Manatees, right? Because he got stuck in the sewer system and, yeah, couldn’t get himself out, so needed a little help there.
RM: Jacques, you came to the rescue. I like it. Now, Kimberly, where else can visitors get up close and personal with the local wildlife?
KD: Well, I think another cool thing about Crystal River is that you can, it’s a lot of natural landscape there still along our coastlines. Obviously, Homosassa Springs State Park is a fantastic place to see wildlife. We have the manatees there that are full time residents. But just getting out on the water, maybe taking a tour boat ride, or renting a kayak and getting back into those marshes, you can see great wildlife like roseate spoonbills and greats and sea stars and turtles. So many things. Yeah.
TN: Yeah. It really is incredible. And I want to jump back real quick, if I may, to the Homosassa wildlife park. You know, it’s an outdoor experience. The only indoor exhibit is the, are the snakes and reptiles, which I don’t even go in. I don’t know what the inside of that building looks like. But, the animals that are there have been injured or sick and are not well enough to be back out on their own. So when Kimberly was talking about the two manatees that are there full time, they were orphaned at a young age. So they never were trained by their mother how to feed and all this other, so that they stay there. Interesting fact that I love about manatees is they stay with their mothers for like around 18 months typically and they’re essentially trained on how to live and be independent. So, it’s kind of a cool thing. So, you think you’ve got it bad when you’ve got a toddler.
RM: How old do manatees grow to be?
KD: They can live to be about 40 years.
RM: Oh, wow.
KD: They have a quite a long lifespan.
RM: Yeah. Okay. Oh, I just wanted to ask as well a bit more about like, so the coastline that you’ve got there, you’ve got lots of different habitats on it. Is that right? Paint a picture of it for us.
TN: Yeah. Well, Kim, you’re probably best to talk about that. I’ll let you in.
KD: So the, the Western coast of Florida, again, it’s so diverse, but in the Crystal River area, it was just, there’s a lot of marshy areas, and we have our springs that have the short spring runs once you get out of the kind of Crystal River proper and go out into the Gulf of Mexico. It’s very shallow and calm for the most part on most days. I mean, there are those days where you’re a little intimidated, or at least I am, but it’s a really, I think it’s different than in so many other places in the world where we just have this very long, expansive, shallow area. And I know we’re going to talk about the different types of things you can do in Crystal River or Citrus County as well. Like, things like scalloping that the entire family can do because we have this long, shallow coastline. And that also makes it ideal for manatees. So, yeah, it’s just a beautiful place.
RM: Well, that brings us on nicely to the food. I wanted to ask you, Terry, about that. I mean, with all that coast, the seafood must be really important in the local diet. What are the highlights?
TN: Next to manatees, food is my favourite topic. So I think the best, the thing that I love best about where I live, where I work, it’s small-town feel. So a lot of restaurants, I mean, granted, we do have some chain restaurants, but most of the places are independently owned. They’re small and quaint. They’ve been in the families for years. And there’s a place out here, it’s Crab Plant. That family has been crabbing and fishing in this area for three or four generations. Because a lot of these areas on the West coast side started out as, you know, fishing was the big draw for them. The big moneymaker for the area. Homosassa, we still call it old home Homosassa because it still looks very much like the fishing village that it was, you can literally go have lunch at a little food truck that sits right across the parking lot from the shrimping boats that go out every day. And next to those are the seafood market where they sell the things that those boats bring in every day. So the, yes, the seafood here is amazing. But we’ve also got some other little fun places. Believe it or not, we have some really great sushi places too, if you like that. Yeah. You’ll get the great seafood experience when you come here for sure.
RM: And what does the scalloping involve? You said it’s really accessible for families. How does that work?
TN: Absolutely. So, you know, like Kim was saying, it’s very shallow, out in our Gulf of Mexico. And we also are sitting on one of the largest seagrass beds in North America. So in those seagrass beds, the scallops rest and feed and lie at the bottom of those grass beds. So once a year from July until November, we are able to go out and harvest scallops. Now these are not scallops that are harvested commercially. These are sea scallops. So they’re the small ones, not the big fat ones that you see in restaurants. I mean, when I relate to scallops, excuse me, I’m talking about the actual meat of the scallop, not the shell. So, but it is so much fun. You’re in like four, maybe five feet of water. You go out with the kids and just get in the water with your mask and your snorkel and your fins and just float on top of the water. And you’re looking for these really beautiful blue iridescent eyes that they have. A set of 24 blue iridescent eyes. And when the sun hits it’s really just gorgeous. So it’s like an adult Easter egg hunt. I kind of reckon it to that. I don’t, I don’t know if Easter egg hunts are a thing in the UK.
RM: Oh, they’re huge. Yeah.
TN: So it’s an in-the-water Easter egg hunt. So you reach down and grab them and put them in your net. And then, gosh, one of my favourite things is you come back and so many of our local restaurants that I was just speaking of, will cook them for you once you’ve collected them, and it’s just an incredible experience to sit down to a meal that you’ve actually caught, you know?
RM: Definitely. Yeah.
TN: It’s a great experience.
RM: It’s really important for kids to learn that as well, well, for everyone to learn that as well, isn’t it? I think.
TN: Yeah. And like I said, it’s shallow water and you’re just floating and if you can handle a mask and snorkel, then any age can do it.
RM: Brilliant.
KD: I wanted to touch back on something that Terry said, you know, sometimes we go out scalloping and we’ll collect a few, but the most fun is just seeing all the other little creatures that are down there as well. So we don’t even keep the scallops, we just put them back in the water if we can keep them, you know, or we just pick them up and put them back down. But most of the restaurants, or there are a number of restaurants in Crystal River that will cook any of your catch. So grouper, snapper, any of the things that you can be able to catch in the area, they’ll cook up for you.
RM: That’s really nice.
TN: Yeah, you go out and the fishing here is great, and a lot of our captains are doing catch and release, but if you ask that, you know, you want to keep maybe one to have that experience, so you catch a beautiful redfish, and it’s within the regulations, they’ll fillet it for you, and you just take it over to the restaurant, and they cook it up for you in several different options and ways, and it’s just an amazing experience.
RM: So the regulations are, there are regulations in place, and it is all very well protected, is that right?
TN: Oh, absolutely. Yeah, there are seasons that things are, that fish are in, you’re able to catch. There are sizes, requirements. It cannot be too small, cannot be too big because that relates to the life cycle that that fish is on. And we want to make sure that our estuaries are full of these fish. And we do have so many different species of fish. It’s really incredible.
RM: Oh, definitely. Oh, this is a question for both of you, really. But, aside from the water, well, maybe alongside the water, what else can visitors do in the area? I understand there’s a lot of biking as well, and also some Elvis Presley links. Is that right?
TN: Yeah. Elvis Presley filmed Follow That Dream here in the early sixties and there are many little spots that are designated. You can even kind of come see, you can have lunch at a restaurant and see the outside of the hotel room that he stayed in when he was here filming. But we do have actually groups that come every year from the UK and they come by a bus tour and they’re there to specifically see where Elvis has been and they go to different areas of our country to see Elvis related things. So that’s kind of a fun thing.
RM: Well, the King lives on, you know?
TN: Yes. Gosh. Yeah. Yeah. And, the bike trails that we have here are great. We have the Withlacoochee State Trail, which runs about 42 miles throughout our county. And it’s absolutely gorgeous. It’s on the East side of our County and you’re going through, you know, beautiful oak canopies, riding alongside lakes, going through small towns like Inverness and Floral City, great places to stop and have a bite to nourish yourself and perhaps a beverage. It’s just, our whole county is just absolutely stunning.
RM: Is there anything you’d add, Kimberly?
KD: Yeah, I mean, we’ve talked about scalloping and going to Homosassa Springs State Park and there are many others in the area too, just the smaller, little parks that, you know, that might be off the beaten path that you can find from the locals. I might take a trip over to the World Equestrian Center, which isn’t in Citrus County, but is kind of a near attraction with horses and things like that. And then if I had the day to spend, I think I’d maybe hit Fort Island Beach. It’s kind of the one place where we have the white sandy beaches that you might envision of being in Florida. So yeah, those are some of the other things I think that somebody might be able to do that are not in the water.
RM: Fair enough, yeah. Now Terry, it’s an area rich in history and heritage, isn’t it? You touched on that earlier with the fact that it’s Florida before the mouse, but there’s also so many strong Native American links, is that right?
TN: Yeah, well really throughout Florida there are, we have, going back to just what Kim said, we have a great park here, it’s the Archaeological Park, and there you can find, there’s an Indian mound, burial mounds there. There are, there’s a trail that you can walk around. They give a great history tour there. And it’s actually beautiful. It’s also out on the water. So that’s a wonderful place to go.
RM: And now, I mean, alongside all that history as well, and sort of the heritage side of things, there’s a strong 21st century outlook as well, isn’t there? What’s this new augmented reality project that you’ve got going on?
TN: Oh yeah, this is so much fun. So if you go to our website, we haven’t really powerfully rolled it out yet, so you kind of have to look for it right now, but if you go down to the very bottom of our website, which is www.discovercrystalriverfl.com, you will see that it says, AR Experience. Capital A, capital R experience and click that link. It’ll take you to a QR code. If you take a picture with your phone on that QR code, you are going to be taken through the portal to show you what has been a very successful programme here through our, another great partner is Save Crystal River. They’ve done a project to restore the manatees food source. That was, well, actually the entire environment. We had a hurricane come through and forced a lot of salt water into our area and it killed off our vegetation that needs fresh water. Long story short, over the last several years, they’ve replanted the grass and it’s now flourishing in our areas. So what you’ll see on this augmented reality is the before and the after effects of this project. But the cool thing about it is with your phone you can look up and down and all around and you move around this portal. And you’ll see manatees swimming above you and manatees out in front of you. So it’s a great way if you can’t be here to see it for yourself. It’s a neat way to tease yourself and get you motivated to come.
RM: I’m going to check it out. Can you, I mean, what would Jacques Cousteau or Elvis Presley, make of that? I just, I’m going to, yeah, for any little pick me up on a grey London day, I’ll be like, right, I’m just going to go and swim with some manatees now. Thanks.
KD: You know, that’s a really, it’s a really amazing experience, but we also say the Manatee Club has some cameras at Homosassa Springs State Park that are popular. So you can take a look on, we have a YouTube channel, where you can actually see those manatees from the comfort of your home.
RM: Oh, perfect. Kimberly, that brings me on to my next question for you is talking about, thinking about how to, if you’re going to do a manatee tour in Crystal River, how can visitors make sure that they’re doing it responsibly and what should, what do they need to know so that they can do it with confidence?
KD: Yeah. I think, whether you decide to take a professional tour or a self-guided tour, to swim with manatees or look at them in the water. We just advise that everybody adopt a personal no-touch policy, so no matter what you’re told or you hear, you know, we have a responsibility to ourselves to try to not humanise these animals because they are wild and all wildlife, obviously, but, adopt a no-touch policy for yourself. If you’re in our bays, pick your feet up and float. That will keep, not only keep the clarity better so that you can see into the water, but it helps to protect that seagrass that there’s been such a huge effort to restore. If you decide to drive a boat, go ahead and familiarise yourself with the different speed zones and things like that, that are in the bay, because there are some specialised areas here. So abide by those once you know where they are and maybe watch a video. There’s a couple of resources for how to boat safely. In fact, we’re coming up on National Boat Safety Week in a couple of weeks here. So I want to promote that. And then if you do have one of the great fishing guides or if you’re going to go fishing, try to hire a guide because those are the people who know the regulations and they’ll ensure that you’re not violating, which could really ruin a trip here.
RM: I can imagine. Yes. That all sounds good. Sensible advice. Thank you. Well, it’s been brilliant talking to you both. Let’s wrap things up by asking. We always ask this question. I love it. Terry, first to you, one of your oldest friends is visiting Crystal River. How would you spend your ideal day together?
TN: Well, we would wake up very early and we would go on one of the first tours of the morning to swim with manatees. And because that’s as the sun’s rising and the temperature is of the air and the water is different, there’s this beautiful mist that rises up above the water as the sun’s rising. It’s just incredible. And we would do the manatee swim afterwards. We would probably come back and have some coffee and then go downtown and have a wonderful lunch and down the main street. And then I would head over to the Crystal River Wildlife Refuge Welcome Center, which has some great educational information about the manatees, not just the manatees, but our entire area for the wildlife in our area. And then I might go to, and you might start to see a trend here. We might go and sip a glass of wine outside the cafe down the streets, and go into some of the shops in the downtown area and then finish off with dinner at one of my favourite places to watch the sunset and hear some live music at Waterfront Social.
RM: Mm. Nice. That sounds like a good day. And the same to you, Kimberly. I know you touched on it earlier, but yeah. Well, how would your perfect day look in Crystal River?
KD: It sounds like Terry and I would be spending a similar day, so we might hang out together, but I would also get up very early to watch the mist rise off of the water here. It’s just gorgeous, but also to make sure that I miss some of the crowds. Probably go fishing, bring that home and cook it up later for dinner, but, spend the day on the water really would be the way that I typically do. I also love the National Wildlife Refuge’s new exhibits. They are a perfect way to spend the afternoon in Florida when it starts to rain because they have these great porches that you can hang out on and look out over the water and see that rain roll in. So I’d spend the evening, after all of that, probably either hanging out with friends at my rental property or going to one of our amazing restaurants here in town.
RM: It sounds good. Sounds so nice and relaxed and chilled out and just all that water and all that wonderful wildlife. So inviting. Thank you both so much for joining us today. It’s been really good to talk to you. Thank you, Terry. Thank you, Kimberly.
KD & TN: Thank you so much.
RM: To find out more and plan your next trip to Crystal River, Florida, visit www.charitable.travel/crystal-river, or speak to one of our travel experts.
Known as The Theme Park Capital of the World, Orlando is home to seven of the world’s top theme parks and visitors come from around the globe to experience all the fun it offers. Yet beyond the rides there’s a city bursting with culture, wildlife, good food and authentic American experiences, which is proud to welcome everyone to enjoy them. Join Simon Veness, author of the Brit Guide to Orlando, and Denise Spiegel, VP of communications for Visit Orlando as we enjoy a 30-minute holiday to Orlando!
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travels Travel Insiders Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles and I’m editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine and the host of this podcast series that otherwise is known as TIPs.
Today, we aim to not just give you lots of great travel tips, but we also want to transport you from wherever you are right now. Maybe you’re walking the dog or squashed into a crowded commuter train to a place that will inspire you.
Today, we’re travelling to Orlando, a city in central Florida that needs little introduction. Known as the theme park capital of the world, Orlando is home to seven of the world’s top theme parks, and visitors come from around the globe to experience its fun. Yet beyond the rides, there’s a city bursting with culture, wildlife, good food, and authentic American experiences, and that’s proud to welcome everyone to enjoy them.
So joining me today to talk about not just Orlando’s epic theme parks, but the rest of the city and its surroundings too, is Simon Venus, author of The Brick Guide to Orlando, and Denise Spiegel, VP of Communications for Visit Orlando.
Simon first visited Orlando on holiday in 1993. Originally from Sussex, he fell in love with the place and has lived there for over 20 years now, while Denise has lived in the city for over 14. Both of them love this most unconventional of cities, so let’s hand things over to the pair of them to share their insider tips on visiting the theme parks and what not to miss elsewhere.
Okay, well, thanks so much for joining us, Simon and Denise. Simon, let’s start with the obvious, the theme parks. They’re huge, aren’t they? I mean, for a first-time visitor, can you give us a basic education of what to expect there, please?
Simon Venus: Sure, absolutely. The most essential thing is to be ready for a big experience in every sense. I mean, this place that we like to call Orlando is actually a big chunk of central Florida, roughly the size of Yorkshire. Navigating it takes time, so try not to rush off at the start of your holiday, but just, you know, pause, get the lie of the land, and get an idea of the distance between places. Even in Walt Disney World, the theme parks can be miles apart. So, you know, for first timers, this can really feel overwhelming for the sheer volume and variety of attractions, seemingly, you know, everywhere you look. So it definitely helps to do some homework in advance, have an idea of what you’re getting into, maybe even buy a good guidebook, hint, hint.
RM: Of course, of course. So if you want to, so we want to focus, you know, if it’s your first time visiting, you’re focusing on a couple of parks. How much time do you need to set aside? How much is it realistic to cover in one day, two days, three days, a week?
SV: I mean, realistically, you’ll do Walt Disney World in a week, but it won’t need the best part of a week to do it. Because it’s not just theme parks, it’s water parks, it’s Disney Springs, the shopping and entertainment area, it’s golf courses, there’s other attractions, there are other recreation opportunities there. You can take a Segway tour, go horse riding, go paddling, boating. All of that is in this vast area of Walt Disney World, which is the size of Greater Manchester itself.
RM: Oh my gosh.
SV: And you’ve got this sense of a huge area with so much packed into it.
RM: Crikey, because you wouldn’t think about walking from one side of Manchester to the other, would you? So how do you get around once you’re within the park? Is there, you mentioned segways, but are there other ways of getting around as well?
SV: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, Walt Disney World has its own complete transport system within its boundaries, and its boundaries sort of encompass 43 square miles. So again, that gives you, you know, an absolute blueprint of the size. Disney has buses, it has a monorail, it has a cable car system, it has boats, and it has taxis. So there are no shortages of ways to get around. It’s just simply working out what’s the best one for you.
If you’re in a Disney hotel, you’ve got a bus pretty much straight to the front door of all the parks. If you’re coming from outside Walt Disney World, the car parks are huge, and once you’re there, you can use the monorail system, you can use the cable car system to get to places. So it’s extremely well geared up within Walt Disney for, you know, getting around.
RM: Okay, that sounds good. And are we just talking about Walt Disney when we talk about the theme parks, or are there other places we should be thinking beyond Mickey and Minnie Mouse?
SV: Yes, absolutely. I mean, you’ve got Universal Orlando, which is two theme parks, a water park, an entertainment district, mini golf, and lots of shopping and dining.
SeaWorld has got two parks. You’ve got SeaWorld itself. You’ve got Discovery Cove, which is their water park. Sorry, Discovery Cove is the swim with dolphins park. Aquatica is the water park. So again, you’ve got multiple attractions within just one, what seems like theme park. There is a whole different range of opportunities within that one place.
RM: Crikey. I mean, you’ve been there for about 20 years or so. Do you feel like you’ve covered it all yet?
SV: We’re getting there, we’re getting there. We always say to first-time people, if you’ve got a month, you’ll just about see what Orlando has to offer. If you’ve got two weeks, you’ll get a very good view, but you’ll want to come back again. If you’ve got only a week. You’re going to be really, really busy.
RM: Wow. Yeah. Not a holiday. This is not a holiday. I repeat. Now, Denise, you’ve also lived in Orlando for a good fair while. What insider tips do you have to share about the parks? Perhaps the visitors who’ve been once or twice before, but are coming back for more and more.
Denise Spiegel: Yeah. I mean, there’s always good reason to come back for more because our theme parks, our attractions are always evolving. They’re adding new attractions, experiences, shops, and dining even within the parks every single year. So if you came a couple years ago, if you came a year ago, there’s something new to experience here in Orlando at our theme parks. We are the theme park capital of the world for a reason, but it’s not static. It changes constantly.
So I do recommend, you know, there’s a few ways to just stay in touch with the new happenings here in Orlando. Our visitorlando.com is a great resource. We have blog posts that go up. We have social channels that give you the latest information. We have a Facebook planning group, Visit Orlando, that you can find on Facebook where team members from Visit Orlando and then all such of the members of the group, peers go into that group and provide advice to each other, updates and what’s going on. So it can be a really, it’s a fun community where people can really dive into some of the details.
I also think making sure that you have all of the tools ready to go before you come to Orlando by like downloading the theme park apps. They are very helpful in helping you plan your experience when you’re in Orlando.
RM: Yes, because it must be, it’s a lot of information to hold in your head otherwise, isn’t it?
DS: It is. And yes, you could technically, you know, there was at one point where we had two people to try to do everything in Orlando and it was like, it took them over 120 days to really tick everything off the box. So yes, that can feel overwhelming. But I think the important thing is to sit down with your family, your friends, whoever you’re travelling with and think about what are your priorities. What are the experiences that will make, you know, this special for you. I mean, the fortunate thing we have all of the things that would accommodate every type of traveller in your group, but prioritize it. Think, you know, spend some time at the pool. Don’t overbook something, but also get those highlights at the parks and a lot of those conversations ahead of time will really set you up for a great vacation holiday.
RM: Yes. Oh, thank you. Nice Americanism. Correction.
DS: [indiscernible] myself there.
RM: No. We get it. Well, I wanted to talk about those. I’ll ask both of you. Simon, let’s start with you first. About the sort of, you know, what are the absolute do not miss rides? The headlines, what do we need to be seeing?
SV: Well, okay, how many hours do we have?
RM: Yeah, I don’t know. Top three from both of you for rides and attractions.
SV: Oh God, that’s impossible.
RM: Okay, top five?
SV: Right, okay. The Magic Kingdom alone has more than 40 attractions and you’re not going to see them all in a day. I want to highlight a few of the headline rides. Let’s just do it very quickly, park by park. You ready?
RM: Okay, yeah.
SV: Right. Magic Kingdom, the new Tron light cycle run coaster is a must-do, along with the classic Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean rides.
Epcot, do the new Guardians of the Galaxy rides, that’s a must-do, along with Soaring Over the World, and if we’re being honest, the whole of the World Showcase area.
RM: Is that where you’ve got all the miniature worlds and they’re sort of, they’re not that miniature, are they?
SV: It’s a full world expo if you like. Pavilions from Japan, China, Canada, France, Italy. It’s a terrific experience, and you really have to sample it in full to get the full benefit.
RM: Okay.
SV: But, on to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge area is suitably out of this world, and boasts the Rise of the Resistance ride, which is probably the best in Orlando at the moment. It’s absolutely mind-blowing. And then there’s also the chance to pilot the Millennium Falcon in the Smuggler’s Run ride. I mean, you know, Star Wars fans are out of their minds with excitement at this stage.
My personal fave is the Tower of Terror, but it’s not everybody’s cup of tea. Not everyone likes a 13-story freefall in an elevator, but hey, I’m weird, so it’s fun.
Animal Kingdom – Avatar Land is definitely must see, along with Flight of Passage and Expedition Everest. That’s a brilliant roller coaster. Kilimanjaro safaris is the nearest thing to going on safari in Africa without actually being there. Right? That’s Disney.
Okay, Universal. There’s absolutely no argument here. You have to sample the wizarding world of Harry Potter in each park as the detail and the rides are just stupendous.
We also love the new Velocicoaster ride at the islands of Adventure Park. Absolute top thrill there. You know, really, really superb rollercoaster.
Seaworld, I mean, really, you just take the pick from their seven roller coasters because it now includes the new surf coaster, which opens later this month, and they’re all just guaranteed five-star thrills, that park has changed so much in recent years, and there’s so much packed in there now, as well as the exhibits and their great rescue and rehabilitation work they do there, it’s all on display. Along with Seaworld’s coasters, there’s also their rescue and rehabilitation work, the animal exhibits, they do an awful lot of good for conservation and wildlife funds. But I mean, realistically, people are now going there for the coasters. So, you know, five-star thrills guaranteed, you know, don’t miss it.
RM: Amazing. Denise, what would you add to, what are your don’t misses? Anything to add?
DS: I mean, I think Simon is right when you’re at SeaWorld, some of those thrills, you know, he mentioned Pipeline, the new roller coaster that SeaWorld is opening in just a few weeks. You know this, I’m very much looking forward to this one because it is supposed to feel like you are surfing, right? So you are standing on this roller coaster as you, you know, zoom all around. So like you’re surfing the waves, which I think is such an original and interesting concept. So really excited to check that out.
At Universal, he mentioned the wizarding world of Harry Potter. If you are a fan, it is a must-see. My favourite, I know Simon talked about Jurassic World, mine is Hagrid’s magical creatures, motorbike adventure. So one person is on the motorbike, like Hagrid, and then the other one is in the little on the, so the motorcycle and then the motorbike on the side on the little sidecar, and it has so many unexpected twists and turns and all sorts of things. I don’t want to give it away. You know, you’re immersed in that experience. They do such a wonderful job.
And then over at Walt Disney World, I just rode Tron for the first time last week, and I cannot express how fast it is. I was shocked. My hair was, just like, you know, all the way, I mean, windblown. I got off that ride and looked like a mess because it is so fast and fun that it’s one of those if you like coasters, it’s definitely worth checking out. But there, you know, that’s the beauty of Orlando. You could go to any one of the theme parks and you’re going to have an amazing highlight because the options are there, whether you like fast roller coasters or whether you like something small. And for, you know, for kids who aren’t ready to go or aren’t tall enough to go on those rides, the options are there.
RM: And it seems like there’s always something new opening. Is that the case, that every year you can just expect, you know, a new ride?
DS: Yeah, I mean, every year you can definitely expect new things to open. Our theme parks are in a constant state of evolution, really. Like, they are adding, you know, Walt Disney World, for example, they’re in a multi-year reimagining of Epcot. So they have multiple plans for new attractions there that are opening, you know, throughout the year. You know, usually it’s like one big ride necessarily each year at each park. But you know, there’s competition for business, right? They have to stay on top of things and give people new reasons why to come back. And so us as visitors, as consumers, we get to benefit that. You know, we are the ones that win because of their need to bring everybody back. So it’s fun and it is an exciting time and there’s always something new to see in Orlando.
RM: Perfect. Well, Denise, let’s turn our attention to the rest of the city as well. Because I think listeners will be surprised to hear that it’s actually a bit of a cultural hotspot, isn’t it? Can you tell us a bit about this world-class performing arts centre and what’s going on in the city centre?
DS: Absolutely. So thinking about geography a little bit, so our theme parks are generally fairly close to each other. And they’re really close to an area called International Drive. If you go about 15, 20 minutes down I 4, you’re going to find downtown Orlando. This is an area where a lot of visitors miss, because if you go from the airport to the theme parks, you don’t even see downtown. So we have a proper downtown with, you know, skyscrapers, the skyline, all of that.
In the middle of downtown, there’s a lake called Lake Eola. There’s a one-mile path that you can walk around the lake. And then very close to that, we have a world-class performing arts centre. It’s called the Dr. Phillips Center for Performing Arts. It’s actually three theatres. They’re the main theatre and then the new Steinmetz Hall opened up. And this theatre is amazing. It has perfect sound. So the acoustics in there are just absolutely amazing. And you can find any type of performance throughout the year. We have touring Broadway shows. We have ballet, Philharmonic, opera, things that, you know, people don’t necessarily think of when they think of Orlando.
But if you think about, you know, the talent in Orlando, we have so many performers within our theme parks, that that talent really spills over into other areas of arts, culture and performing arts that you can find within our theatres here in Orlando.
RM: Oh, that’s a good point. I hadn’t considered that. Of course, it’s natural, isn’t it? Those parks must attract the best of the best. So why not get on stage as well? Brilliant. And Simon, I understand one of the reasons you love Orlando so much is because it’s so close to some incredible wildlife and the state parks. Can you tell us more about your favourites and what you like to discover?
SV: Sure. I mean, that’s absolutely spot on Rebecca. I mean, and the thing to remember is that the opportunities here, the wildlife and the nature, the landscape, are all going to be completely unique to UK visitors. There’s nothing like this in Europe. So Orlando is practically surrounded by great state and county parks, and they vary from the tiny Tibet Butler Preserve, which is only a few miles from Disney, to Lake Louisa State Park, which is over 4,000 acres.
I mean, there’s our all-time favourite at the moment is the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, which features an 11-mile driving trail through this wonderful lakeside area of marshes and wetlands, all rehabilitated land from agricultural overuse. And now this, this area is, is full of wildlife. It’s got alligators, it’s got turtles, it’s got, you know, birds of every kind.
The birdlife in Florida is just amazing. And you’ll see so much of it here really, without having to go too far. I mean, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, that’s another example of this type of thing, where you can go and drive around and just see this, all this nature and the wildlife right there in front of you.
Then we’ve got several rivers and waterways where you can go kayaking through pristine tropical forests. I mean, it’s gorgeous. And Wekiva Island, another gem. You know, go to the paddling centre in Kissimmee, and you can actually kayak through the headwaters of the Everglades, you know, 300 miles away, but the water system that feeds the Everglades starts here in Orlando. It’s phenomenal.
RM: Oh, fabulous. So seeing alligators is likely?
SV: Absolutely guaranteed. Yeah, I mean, most of these places, the Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive and Merritt Island are two outstanding areas of sort of natural beauty that they’ve pretty much been left to themselves. And if you get a puddle in Florida, there’s likely to be an alligator in it.
It’s really a function of the landscape and the climate and everything that goes into making Florida so unique. Alligators are definitely a fact of life here. They are relatively harmless. You don’t need to worry about them.
RM: That’s good. I was just about to ask you.
SV: Yeah. I mean, it’s basic common sense, really. You don’t feed alligators, you know, and that’s the golden rule and they generally won’t bother you, but it is fascinating to see them in the wild and you don’t have to go far to do it.
RM: Wow. That’s so cool. And the birds as well. You said, I mean, there’s some incredible birds, big birds as well. Pelicans, that sort of thing. What else?
SV: Yeah. You want birdlife? We’ve got it. In actual fact, if you’d have been on air with us just a little bit earlier, we had two sandhill cranes practically outside our office window here.
RM: Oh, gorgeous.
SV: And they are the most noisy, goofy birds you’ve ever seen. They make a noise like a velociraptor. They screech and holler to each other. And then the noise is quite amazing. We’ve got herons, we’ve got egrets, we’ve got bald eagles. There are sandhill cranes. There are blue herons. We’ve got woodpeckers, bluebirds, hummingbirds, cardinals. I mean, it is an absolute gem. I mean, in all seriousness, bird watchers from all over the world do come to Florida. And you know, this is one of the reasons why. The variety and the quality of bird life is absolutely stunning.
RM: Gorgeous, definitely. Denise, obviously a lot of families visit Orlando, don’t they? But there’s more for them to experience than just the theme parks, isn’t there? Because I was surprised to hear that there’s the Science Centre, there’s a theatre you mentioned earlier as well, and basketball games and sport events as well. I mean, they should definitely be looking beyond Disney, shouldn’t they?
DS: Absolutely, and just to add on to what Simon was saying, he has birds outside of his window. One of the things I have outside my window are roller coasters at SeaWorld, and so I hear screaming outside of my window. It’s all screams of joy, and that’s what I have in my office. So that’s pretty exciting.
RM: Oh, wow, that’s pretty cool.
DS: But yes, for families, of course, you know, we are such a family-friendly destination and our theme parks cover that. But there are many areas to explore beyond the theme parks that are so accommodating for families. One area that’s, you know, within the downtown Orlando area, it’s called Loch Haven Park, and there’s a variety of things there.
Our Orlando Science Center is located in Loch Haven Park. And the Science Center leans much more towards like a children’s museum. It’s very, very, very much geared to families and children. They have an exhibit right now that is all about poo. So you can see dinosaur poop and all sorts of things that kids absolutely love.
RM: Yeah, definitely gold right there.
DS: Yeah, of course. So there’s a lot of fun things to do at the Science Center.
Also in that same area is the Repertory Theater. So the children’s theatre, they had the SpongeBob SquarePants performance that was going on recently, but they have a great calendar of events to see shows there.
Walkable to that are the Manila Museum of American Art and also the Orlando Museum of Art. So you can balance the performing arts with visual arts. There’s also the Shakespeare Theater. And then very close to the Performing Arts Center is the Amway Arena. And that’s where the Orlando Magic play their NBA basketball team. And we have found from a lot of our international travellers that they really enjoy taking in one of those iconic American sporting events. Can get tickets pretty easily as long as it’s within the basketball season. The atmosphere is super fun, you see a lot of people cheering, the mascot, his name is Stuff, the magic dragon, like he’s hilarious, you will see, it’s just a lot of fun to really soak up that experience at a magic game.
RM: As you say, it’s so iconic, isn’t it? Yeah. And when is the season? When’s the season run from? Just so the visitors know.
DS: It’ll start back up in the fall.
RM: Okay.
DS: So you’ll find fall all the way to like springtime. If they make playoffs, right, then it gives a little bit longer further into the spring and early summer. But if you’re travelling over the fall, winter time frame they usually have games. Just check the calendar. If they’re not playing, then there’s usually some great performances and concerts that happen in that arena as well.
RM: Cool. Good. Okay. Simon, as I mean, you know, you’ve lived there for 20 years or so, so you’re a local now as well. Are there any places downtown as well that you’d share and like, would like to check out?
SV: Absolutely. I mean, let’s start with the suburb of Winter Park, just a gorgeous place for an off-the-beaten-track type of day. You know, give you a chance to slow down and breathe on your holiday and just, you know, avoid the frenzy of the theme parks for a bit. I mean, Winter Park has great museums, it’s got a wonderful scenic boat ride, it’s got boutique shops, it’s got terrific restaurants.
Then there’s Winter Garden, which also has that sort of same cafe society vibe, as well as a really excellent weekly market. Winter Garden Village is a nice alternative to the main shopping centres, and then there’s Altamonte Springs, which has its own mall, that most tourists don’t find, as well as Cranes Roost Park, which is right outside, and it’s just a lovely place to stroll around the boardwalk, around the lake, there’s entertainment at weekends, it’s very laid back and community focussed, you know, downtown Orlando itself, you know, the heart of the city, which is really the place that most tourists don’t see. They come to Orlando, but they don’t actually see Orlando. So let’s give downtown a plug. Then you can actually say you’ve seen Orlando, not just the theme parks, you know, Denise has already mentioned it. The heart of downtown is Lake Eola, which is just a beautiful place to walk and relax. It’s surrounded by good restaurants, it boasts paddle boats and this wonderful fountain, which are, you know, the true icons, if you like, of Orlando.
And I’ll also put in a quick plug for Leu Gardens, which is this 40, 50 acre tropical wonderland that, you know, for plants and trees in this serene lakeside setting. So, I mean, hopefully I’m sounding good on this and, you know, making you want to come and see all this, the things that most people don’t see.
RM: Yeah, no, definitely. It sounds brilliant to just kind of explore that authentic side of it. And also just to take some, and for it to be relaxing and take some chill out time as well. That sounds brilliant. I mean, one of the things that’s always important to me when I’m visiting somewhere is the food. Denise, what can we expect in Orlando? I’ve heard good things.
DS: I am with you because food is important to me too. I’m a huge foodie and fortunately, I live in Orlando. So we have access to such a great variety. So there’s more than 6,000 restaurants in Orlando, you know, and more than 40 different types of international food cuisines that you can get here too. We are much more than, you know, traditional American food. You can find every type of food here, and the quality has gotten so good.
So last year, the Michelin guide introduced their guide to Florida, which includes restaurants from Tampa, Orlando, and Miami. So there are more than 33 restaurants that have gotten recognition from Michelin. There are more that are going to be awarded recognition later this week, I believe. But we have right now we have four one-star restaurants, and then other recommended and bid for months. So you can find very high-end restaurants. You can find very affordable restaurants and it’s not just the diversity of the type of food. It’s also the experience. So here you can find plenty of restaurants where you can eat lakeside and enjoy the weather and the gorgeous views. There’s even a restaurant at the Four Seasons where you can dine and you can also view the fireworks at the nearby theme parks at the same time. So, the experience that you can have is awesome.
And, you know, I love that there is a lot of like fusion food going on or two things coming together that you wouldn’t expect. So for example, I recently went to a new restaurant. It started as a food truck and now it has a standalone restaurant. It’s called Smoke and Donuts and it does barbeque and donuts.
RM: Oh, heaven.
DS: Very indulgent, but delicious. You know, you don’t eat them at the same time. Although I think they have a dish where you can.
RM: Oh God.
DS: There’s also, there’s this great area. It’s called Mills 50. So we have main street districts within our downtown to find little, like different neighbourhoods and different areas to go. Mills 50 is where you’re going to find a lot of options for Asian restaurants, in particular Vietnamese, because we have a very strong Vietnamese population here in Orlando. So you can find several options there. We have many places for Boba. And then you also find, so, you know, 10, 15, 20 years ago, we had the first-generation restaurants. Now their kids are opening up other types of restaurants that have more fusion and integrate multiple types of ethnicities into their cuisine. And it’s making some very interesting restaurants. There’s also some big like Asian grocery stores there. There’s even one that has a hidden restaurant inside of it. So there’s a lot to explore and discover.
RM: Excellent. Oh, that sounds really good. You’re making me hungry. Another thing that’s really important to me is that a place is really welcoming and inclusive to visit. And I get the impression that Orlando has really evolved that. And that’s also really important to Orlando, isn’t it? What does it mean for the visitors?
DS: Absolutely. So, you know, at Visit Orlando, our mission is to be the most visited, welcoming and inclusive destination in the world. Being our mission, that means it’s very important to us. You know, we celebrate diversity and inclusivity. You know, we have, you know, events year-round for all types of travellers, you know, celebrating different backgrounds, cultures. You know, we have hosted Gay Days since 1991. That has been a very popular event here in Orlando. So we like to make sure that we share with people how welcoming, and inclusive Orlando really is.
RM: Yeah, that sounds really, really positive and really encouraging. Now, Simon, I guess that peak time for British visitors is usually the summer, but what’s it like to visit the rest of the year?
SV: Well, let’s just whisper it very quietly, but the shoulder seasons and even the winter are actually the best times to be here. Once we get past September, we lose the heavy humidity of summer that can make the, you know, the sort of July, August, September period a bit hard going if you’re out in the theme parks a lot. And the ability to dine al fresco in the spring and even the winter is one of the real joys of being in Orlando, you know, for November, December, February, March, you know, going right the way through the spring. I mean, let’s be honest here, who wouldn’t want to have their Christmas dinner sitting out in the sun rather than huddled up in a British winter?
RM: You are very biased, but yes.
SV: Totally. But, but it’s true. I mean, you know, dining outdoors is one of life’s great pleasures. And the fact that you can do it pretty much year-round here is an absolute, you know, terrific pat on the back for this place.
RM: So I guess for families thinking, oh, I’m, you know, I’m stuck to school holidays, they should definitely be thinking beyond the summer school holidays. Easter’s a brilliant time to visit, Christmas holidays. As you say though, you want longer than a week. So half terms are probably out, but yeah, those longer holidays there, that’s a great time to visit as well [indiscernible].
SV: No question, Rebecca. I mean, we would say that Christmas is probably the best time of year to be here. I mean, the weather will vary, you know, much more widely than during the summer. But I mean, the fact is you will get nice warm days when you can be outdoors, you know, that will be warm enough to go to the water parks in, you know, December. So, it’s not that anything is taken away from you. It’s just that you lose the really overwhelming heat and you gain the ability just to be out more often and to be really pleasant and comfortable.
RM: Oh, sounds heaven. Okay. Well, we have covered a lot here. So I just want to ask you each one last question. I’ll start with you, Denise. So, one of your oldest friends is visiting Denise. How would you spend your ideal day together in Orlando? What would be on, what would you be doing?
DS: So I think it depends on the friend, so I have to tailor the experience depending on them. If they are very brave and they like adventure, I might take them hang gliding. There is a place in Orlando called Wallaby Ranch and you can tandem hang glide, so they take you up way high in the air, a plane, there’s like a little plane that’s attached with a cord to the hang glider. And so the plane takes off and then you float up into the sky. And then once you reach the optimal height, the cord detaches and then you float so gently down, just like you’re flying like a bird and it is the most breathtaking experience. And that usually goes very early in the morning because of the winds and everything, but it is beautiful.
I’d probably also squeeze in some time for shopping. We have some amazing, both malls, but also outlet malls, and you can always find a great deal and discover a few things that you probably don’t need to get, but you really want. I absolutely love shopping.
I think if I have a friend that has kids, I may also check out Gatorland. It’s a really small park, they have zip-lining there. So if they’re more adventurous, they could do that. But you can see many animals. I know Simon talked a lot about birds and gators. If you go walk through their breeding marsh, there’s often birds that are just riding along top of the alligators very peacefully. And it’s very cool to see that.
And then I would probably end my day, you know, going to the theme parks and seeing some fireworks or being somewhere at a restaurant that’s close to the theme parks where I could see fireworks.
RM: That sounds like a not bad day at all. That hang gliding sounds incredible. The views just must be amazing.
DS: They really are. You can see so far, you know, people are always surprised that you have hang gliding in Orlando because it is flat. You’re not going to be hanging off a mountain or anything. The advantage is once you get really high in the air, you see for miles and, you know, one of the other things that I think is amazing to do that a lot of people don’t think about and not related to hang gliding, but to see very far, we also are not far from the Kennedy Space Center. And there are rocket launches going off all the time. You can go do a day trip out to the Kennedy Space Center. If a rocket launch is planned for that day, your ticket will allow you to go to this lawn area with bleachers where you can watch the rocket launch that evening.
RM: Wow.
DS: They give you, they have a big video screen that kind of gives you the closer look and then they have someone who narrates the launch and then you see it from sitting at the Kennedy Space Center. So that’s another, you know, if you have a fan, somebody who’s a fan of space and wants to see a live rocket launch, that’s a very cool experience as well.
RM: That’s pretty special. Definitely. Okay. And the same question to you, Simon. How would you spend your dream day in Orlando?
SV: Okay. Well, I absolutely love this idea because it gives me an opportunity to highlight a few things that we haven’t spoken about so far. And I’m going to piggyback slightly on Denise’s hand gliding and say that I would start the day with a balloon ride, which is another real feature of the attractions that you can tap into here in this part of the world. They go out first thing, first light in the morning, and they’re a very, very gentle experience. You don’t have to worry about it. You just get in the basket and go with the flow for about an hour’s ride. And you do get to see the whole of the panorama of Central Florida laid out for you. In the early morning light, it’s just beyond gorgeous, and the balloons will float down to one of the lakes. You can do a touch and go on one of the lakes and then you’re off again up to, you know, about a thousand feet high. So great way to start the day.
Then we’ll go for brunch at Maxine’s On Shine, which is a restaurant in downtown, which is basically the locals hangout for a great meal to start the day. Owners Maxine and Kurt are a real hoot and it’s a really eclectic place. Just a great locals hangout.
So after brunch, we’re going for a ride on the scenic boat tour of the Winter Park Lakes, and then we’re just going to take a little walk up the road to visit the Morse Museum, which is one of my absolute all-time favourites here. And if you just want to get that sense of the sheer beauty of great art, then the Morse Museum will do it for you. It houses the world’s greatest collection of work by Louis Comfort Tiffany. And if you know that name, you know, Tiffany, you know that he went on, or the company went on to do great things in jewellery. So his glasswork is just breathtaking.
RM: I didn’t realise they started out as glass. Oh, right. Okay.
SV: Oh yes. I mean, his background is absolutely fascinating. Just one of the things you’ll learn here in Orlando, you see.
If we’ve got time, we’ll go for a paddle, either kayak or paddle board. I don’t mind, on the river at Wekiva Island, this beautiful, crystal-clear river that comes out of an underground spring. Just perfect to, you know, cruise gently through the countryside.
And for the evening, we’re going back downtown. We’ll have a drink at the Bosendorfer Lounge at the Grand Bohemian Hotel, where they have a piano that is worth nearly half a million dollars, because it’s one of only two in the world. We’ll go for dinner on Church Street at Kres Chophouse, where the steaks are just superb. And then we’ll retire to the AC Hotel, which is pretty much brand-new downtown, for a nightcap, because they have an outdoor terrace on the 18th floor called the Sky Bar, where you can just sit, look out over the city, and just chill. It has got the perfect evening vibe.
RM: Wow, that is, yeah, can I come on that day with you? Can I join you on both your days, please? They sound fabulous.
Oh, thank you both so much for sharing so many pearls of wisdom. It’s been brilliant to talk to you both and just learn so much more about Orlando. Thank you.
SV: Oh, absolutely a pleasure, Rebecca. We love talking about Orlando. It is truly a unique and wonderful place.
DS: Thank you so much. It’s been awesome to talk about our favourite topic.
RM: To find out more and book your next holiday to Orlando, visit charitable.travel/Orlando. For more info on Orlando, visit orlando.com or follow @visitorlando on Twitter and Instagram.
The largest of the Channel Islands, Jersey is the sunniest spot in the British Isles and is just a short flight or ferry ride away from the UK mainland. Once on the island, you’re never more than 10 minutes from the beach. Join Sarah Barton, of Visit Jersey, and Kary Day, a Jersey Uncovered Blue Badge Guide, as we explore this special island on a 30-minute holiday.
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travels Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles, I’m editor of Charitable Travels Magazine, and I’m also the host of this podcast series that’s otherwise known as TIPs. We’re here to give you lots of great travel tips today, but also, we intend to transport you from wherever you are right now, perhaps you’re walking through the park, or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, to a place that will inspire you.
Today we’re travelling to Jersey, the curiously Brit(ish) island in the English Channel. It’s a place that’s familiar, but with a delightfully continental twist, and it’s a place where you’ll quickly and easily feel on holiday. It’s the largest of the Channel Islands, and Jersey is also the sunniest spot in the British Isles, and it’s just a short flight or ferry ride away from the UK mainland.
Once on the island, you’re never more than ten minutes from the beach, be it in the golden, sandy bays of the south, or the sheltered coves and rock pools of the north and east. But Jersey isn’t just about its coastline. The capital of St. Helier is a bustling harbour town, the island’s history and culture reveal their secrets at every turn, and the fresh, local produce, from Jersey Royals to oysters and ice cream, is worth the visit alone.
So joining me to share the best of Jersey and reveal its highlights throughout the year, not just in the height of summer, is Carrie Day, a Blue Badge tour guide with Jersey Uncovered, and Sarah Barton from Visit Jersey. So let’s hand things over to the pair of them to tell us more about what makes Jersey so special.
Well, thanks so much for joining us, Carrie and Sarah. Let’s start with you, Carrie. How would you describe Jersey to someone who’s never visited the island before?
Carrie Day: Well, it’s really hard to be brief because I could wax lyrical about Jersey for hours, but I think I’m going to turn to Victor Hugo’s description because he described Jersey as a fragment of Europe dropped by France and picked up by England, and it really is quite an apt description.
It’s a curious mixture. We’re nine miles long by five miles wide. Road names in French. As you drive along, you’ll see charming pink granite houses in parts of the island that seem to have been plucked from Normandy and just dropped into Jersey. Huge green leafy lanes with beautiful canopies of trees over them, beaches on the south, east and west, in contrast to the dramatic cliffs of the north.
So, you’ve got a huge diverse range of fauna, flora, geology, and then you’ve got our vibrant town of St. Helier, which is absolutely fabulous. Very bustling waterfront, Michelin-starred restaurants, and then you’ve got the quiet, sleepy villages of Gorey and St. Aubin, the whole island is steeped in history. So it’s an island of charming contrasts. You must come.
RM: Definitely. Sounds like Victor Hugo nailed it. Now I mentioned in the introduction that there’s more to Jersey than just visiting at the height of summer. What’s it like in spring to visit Carrie?
CD: Oh, spring is just beautiful. You’ve got all the hedgerows are blossoming now with the different coloured flora and fauna. You’ve got the daffodils coming through and the crocus. So the colourful displays are something else, and the parks and gardens are now just bursting into life.
But it’s not only, it’s not only the flora, you’ve got our advent of our lovely Jersey Royal that’s now hitting the shelves. Harvesting is just beginning, and this delightfully special spud will be finding its way to dining tables, not only island-wide, but all over England as well. And then, of course, in spring and early summer, we’ve got the start of, we’ve got the celebrations of liberation of the island from occupation. So that’s always something to be here for.
So spring will give you lovely, long walks, beautiful beaches, beautiful hedgerows and countryside. And delicious food.
RM: Mm, yes please. Sarah, let’s bring you in as well. How about visiting later in the year as well? What’s it like then?
Sarah Barton: Well, I think in autumn, you have that wonderful golden autumn light and you can head out for a special walk out into the, to the islands woodlands, or, that crisp winter air is fantastic, where you can go and explore those beautiful, breathtaking, sort of sandy beaches. But Jersey has a very varied, rich and varied landscape and the rugged coastline of the north as well is a wonderful place to go and walk and see the panoramic views. Or you can head to the sort of shady woodlands and country paths to explore. You just need to wrap up warm and find a pub to end up in with a sort of nice toasty fire. There’s plenty of those across the island.
So in the autumn months, it’s also the perfect time to grab a blanket and pack an early morning breakfast. You can do something really different, head out to the east coast, past the medieval castle of Mont Orgueil in the village of Gorey.
And if you keep going, you’ll come to St Catherine’s Bay, where you can enjoy a really wonderful picnic and watch the sunrise. Just a really nice thing and different thing to do or try stargazing at the castle ruins of Grosnez on the rugged coast, northern coastline again, where you have those panoramic views. But this is a really magical spot for stargazing. Again, take a warm blanket and watch the skies come to life under the natural and very unpolluted starlight. So it’s a really different thing to do.
But something else that I think people would enjoy is the historical Jersey cider festival. It takes place in October at the Hamptonne Museum, and the event celebrates Jersey’s rich heritage of growing apples and making cider.
RM: Oh, fabulous. So, Jersey has had a packed history, hasn’t it? And Carrie, how did Jersey become so, well, Brit(ish)?
CD: It’s very curiously Brit(ish), isn’t it? Here we are, just 14 miles from the coast of France, nestled into the Cotentin Peninsula. And one would actually think we should actually be French. Well, in 933 we were indeed part of Normandy, but by the time 1066 came along and had William Duke of Normandy doing what he did best at Hastings and taking the crown of England from Harold.
And, in doing so, Normandy and the Channel Islands, which formed part of Normandy, became incorporated in the English crown. Nothing really changed for the, for the Jersey folk. We still paid our dues to the Abbey of Coutons and, it all went on as normal. It just so happened that our Duke of Normandy was also King of England.
It all changed, though, in 1204, when John I of England lost all of his lands in France, very carelessly, after the Battle of Rouen with Philippe Auguste of France. And he lost, he lost Normandy, but where did that leave the Channel Islands? We were in a situation where we were slightly overlooked because Philippe of France was offering the islanders nothing, but John of England was offering us quite a lot. He had this great idea. He said to the principal landholders, I’ll tell you what, let’s do a deal. We’ll offer you the right to write your own laws, set your own taxes, be totally independent and self-governing in return for you being the first line of defence against the French.
RM: Wow, that’s a deal.
CD: Well, you know, they weren’t so thrilled with it at the beginning because, because they thought about it. they said, well, actually, the French are our cousins, our family. We do deals with them. So, no, we don’t want to do that. And John said, I thought you might say that. He said, well, those firstborn sons of yours who are currently studying in England. Yeah, they’re not. They’re, they’re in the Tower of London. Then again, you’ll come with me. So, by means of carrot and stick, Crafty King John got his way. And, that meant that the island swore loyalty to the crown of England. And that’s a loyalty that hasn’t wavered in over 800 years since 1204. So yes, we write our own laws, we set our own taxes, we are independent and self-governing, not part of the United Kingdom, nor part of the European Union. We’re a crown peculiar, if you like, but we are fiercely loyal to Britain, so we retain our British links with pride.
RM: Oh, good. So bringing it forward to the closer to more modern times, the German occupation played a huge role in Jersey’s recent history, didn’t it? Where should people visit if they want to experience that history firsthand?
CD: The story of the occupation is told all over the island with bunkers and gun emplacements scattered all the way along the coastline, Hitler was determined to make the islands impregnable, and he did a pretty good job. But one place to really get the feel of the occupation is up at Noirmont Point, Battery Lothringen, as it was called then.
This beautiful headland is laid out as a naval battle station, occupied by the German navy. It was covered in a network of bunker and gun emplacements that remain today. The hold is protected by its own MP tower. Now, I’m not a German speaker and my German friends do laugh at me when I say it’s a marine pilot stand. But it’s a very tall tower with different levels that keep, have different teams keeping an eye on the bay and from there they would radio in the coordinates to the enemy aircraft and shipping to fire on. So you can wander around there. You don’t have to pay for it. It’s totally free. But in the summer, the Channel Islands Occupation Society opens up the command bunker. So you can actually go down for, I think it’s three or four pounds, just pop in and have a look at how the, the Occupiers spent their time and the conditions that they lived in, but another is the Jersey War Tunnels. Now, the Jersey War Tunnels are dug deep into the hillside in St. Peter’s Valley, and they contain a collection of thought-provoking exhibits that tell the fascinating stories of Jersey’s occupation from resistance, starvation and liberation. They were created by forced, Spanish force workers and Russian slave labour. So a visit there is quite a chilling experience.
RM: Yes.
CD: So really go and really soak it up. And the Channel Islands Military Museum at the end of the St. Ouen Bay is also a great place house in a German bunker.
So there’s lots of areas around the island that you can go to really soak up the occupation atmosphere or follow the occupation trail.
RM: Yeah, excellent. St. Helier sounds like a fascinating town as well. I mean, we touched on it, you touched on it earlier, Carrie. Can you talk us through, say, a walk of the town and what we’d expect to see here and taste?
CD: Oh, the town, well, it dates back to 545, the very earliest settlement, but walking through town, I think the best way to tackle it is from Liberation Square, which celebrated the liberation of the islands in 1945. But as you stroll up through Mulcaster Street, you’ll pass a charming old pub, which is called the Lamplighter, with amazing sculptures over the top and down the sides. You can pass the town church and pop in and have a look at our 12th-century church with beautiful memorials. And across in Church Street and into the Royal Square, which was called La Place du Marché, imagine an old marketplace surrounded by tall, tall trees, dominated by a gilded statue of George II, who looks like a Roman emperor. God knows why. Buildings are there as well, and shops are dating back to the 17th century, so it’s full of charm, history, and, it has a couple of really fabulous pubs. You’re noticing a theme here. I’m taking you on a pub crawl around, a virtual pub…
RM: You are, yes!
CD: From there, you can wander into French Lane, which is a lovely old cobbled lane, which was the French Quarter of the island, and guess what? There’s another pub in there called the Prince of Wales, but if you pop in there for a pint you have to take your cash, because they don’t take card or apple pay, they only deal in cash.
RM: Wow, oh that’s refreshing.
CD: Can you believe it? [indiscernible] 1820 and nothing much has changed.
Don’t miss our fabulous Victorian Central Markets, which are just next door. The one of seven entrances to the market is next door to the pub, and it is absolutely beautiful, filled with fresh produce, flowers, bakeries, delicatessens, craft and gift stalls, and also the wine shops and things like that. So, the Jersey folk love their food and where better to obtain and sample some of the real foodie delights than in our central market.
And just across the road, we have our fish market, which will give you all the amazing fish, seafood, and shellfish. A wonderful stroll around the town. You will stroll through modern architecture, Georgian architecture, art deco architecture, and Victorian. It’s all there to see. You must remember to look up.
RM: Oh, very important advice. Yes, definitely. Now, Sarah, the coastline, it’s such an important part of the island. Tell us more about the tidal range. I understand it means quite a lot to the island, doesn’t it?
SB: Yeah, Jersey’s actually home to one of the largest tidal ranges in the world, up to 40 foot. So this brings a whole new dimension to the island. When the tide goes out, the island actually doubles in size. And at low tide, you can explore this unique habitat. So I would suggest for someone coming to the island, you know, taking a foraging tour on the seabeds and discovering that sort of intriguing landscape, you can learn about all the tidal, you know, the wild vegetation of the ocean and taste the flavours and finish it off with a nice sparkling elderflower drink.
Or alternatively, at night, you can take a bioluminescence tour. This is quite unique. Take a walk across the seabed and experience the uniqueness of these bioluminescent creatures that come to light. It’s like fairy dust across the water. It’s amazing. And there’s lots of other marine life with, which you can discover at the same time. It’s, it’s an incredible tour to take. And then when the tide, of course, goes back in, you can actually explore Jersey’s archipelago. I can never say this very well. Archipelago.
RM: Oh, I really struggle with that word as well. Archipelago.
SB: It’s a submerged coastal landscape of reef islands, known as the Minquiers. So you can take a rib boat tour out to the Minquiers or Écréhous as well, which is a very small island. The Minquiers is just nine miles off the south coast of Jersey, and it’s an incredible sort of, boat adventure you can take. You often see wild dolphins along the way, and, and seals, so, something that shouldn’t be missed.
And when the tide returns as well, you can perhaps explore the island by boat. We have a boat called Jersey Duchess, where you can go and see the island from a different perspective. So, you know, looking back across the island and seeing the wildlife and the little hidden bays, that’s a wonderful thing to do. And if you’re feeling more adventurous, why not, take kayaking?
RM: Oh, lovely.
SB: Really connect with the sea and explore that way. And have a guide with you who will kind of point all those wonderful little hidden bays out. And then if we have any adrenaline, I can’t say that word either, adrenaline junkies out there, why not try your hand at coasteering?
So, that’s kind of those, you know, wonderful, small, rocks that you can jump off and it, and sort of land into that cold water and it’s really good fun. So coasteering is something for those more adventurous. It really is, you know, amazing. The tide brings a whole different dimension to the island.
RM: And those Minquiers islands that you were talking about, are they inhabited? Can you stay on them or is it…
SB: On the Minquiers, no, you can’t. It’s, it’s a small reef, but it’s very, very [indiscernible]. When you arrive there, you almost feel like you’ve stepped onto the, into the Caribbean or somewhere. It’s a very beautiful place.
The Écréhous do have a few small houses on the island, which are just inhabited, I believe in the summer months just by locals. So, not really a place where you go and stay, but it’s again a wonderful island to go and explore and discover. So, and you know, when you’re over there, you can always take a dip in the sea as well, which is [indiscernible].
RM: Well, yes, and of course the beaches as well. And I mean, with all that coastline, the beaches must be fantastic. How do they vary across the island?
SB: Oh, the beaches are incredible. We’ve got 24 different beaches across the island, hidden bays, and you know, there are some, such as St. Brelades, which was one of the most popular beaches of the island. Beautiful long stretches of golden sand. You’ve got the five-mile stretch over by St Ouen’s on the west coast. Again, it’s renowned for its surf. It also has one of the oldest surf clubs in Europe. And yeah, you’ll find those surfers hanging out there, you know, much of their day just waiting for that wave.
But there’s other places such as Plemont Bay, which is a beautiful hidden bay that has a natural waterfall. And it’s a lovely place to sort of take the steps down and go and explore. And if you want a coffee, have a nice coffee at the Plemont Cafe. So there are so many places across the island, which are so different for just relaxing and sunbathing or actually just going and kind of adventuring and discover hidden bays and rock pools. What a wonderful thing to do, even, you know, as a kid, I loved it, but as an adult, you’d love it too.
RM: A hundred percent. Yes. Love a good rock rock pool. Now, Carrie, there’s more to the landscape than just the coast there, isn’t there, though? What about the more interior of the island?
CD: Well, not only do you have the wonderfully lush interior, the woodlands of St. Peter’s Valley or Waterworks Valley, and you’ve got over 50 miles of green lanes wending their way around the island, where the speed limit is just 15 miles an hour. Compared to the 40 or 30 miles an hour on our larger roads. These green lanes are really the area for pedestrians, the equestrians, and the cyclists.
So you can really wander on your bicycle or on foot around them and take in the beautiful rural aspect, but you don’t only have that, you’ve got our amazing castles and heritage sites as well. No visit to Jersey would be complete without a romp around our medieval castle at Gorey, built around 1204, so just 800 years ago.
We’ve also got Elizabeth Castle in the bay, our new castle, and that was built in 1598. So that’s our very new castle.
RM: Oh, how modern.
CD: Far more modern. Going way back in time, we’ve got the neolithic passage grave at [indiscernible] as well, which is well worth a visit. And in fact, that is quite incredible because it was once the site of a historical prince’s tower.
So in the early 19 hundreds, an enticing discovery was made underneath the 18th century gothic tower. Built over a chapel on the high mound. It revealed a 6,000-year-old neolithic passage grave. So this is older than the pyramids it is quite sensational, and it’s the best preserved neolithic passage grave in Europe.
RM: Wow.
CD: You can go in it today. You can wander in it and have a look and see exactly what it looked like. The medieval chapel that sits on the top of the prehistoric round and dolmen also dominates this really tranquil and spiritual nature site. It is absolutely beautiful.
And then we have an archaeology museum there, which houses a fascinating display on the coin morts that have been found in the island.
And you can visit a neolithic longhouse. It’s not an original. It was constructed a couple of years ago. But it was built entirely by volunteers, following methods and traditions used in Neolithic times, including mud dorbing, thatching, bark stripping, making cordage, ropes from stinging nettles and brambles and tree branches. So it is quite something to go and see. So there’s a range of stuff on that, just that one site that you can have a look at. So you don’t have to spend your time on the beaches. I mean, you don’t want to miss them, but, you can venture inside in the island and you’ve got all these wonderful sites and Hamptonne, the old Country Life Museum as well, where the farmhouses really haven’t changed since they were built. So they’ve been kept in a remarkable state and you can meet people there who are living history characters who will talk you through it.
RM: Oh, wonderful. I mean, and all that space must give way to lots of good activities as well. Just plenty of outdoor activities to be doing.
CD: Oh, yes, many, many. I mean, you’ve got all the kayaking, coasteering, you’ve got horse riding, you’ve got cycling, you can go jogging if you wanted to. There’s an awful lot going on. You can even abseil from the top of Gorey Castle if you fancy. It’s all possible to do if you’re an adventurous type, and not taken by history.
There’s, there’s so much to uncover by just popping over here.
RM: Wonderful. And Sarah, what about the animals that live on the island as well? What wildlife can visitors expect to see?
SB: Gosh, Jersey’s full of amazing wildlife, but it would be remiss of me to not start with the Jersey Zoo, set up by the famous conservationist Gerald Durrell. A beautiful 32 acre estate. You’ll discover incredibly rare and endangered species such as lowland gorillas, endangered orangutans and golden tamarins. So that’s a wonderful place to spend a morning or a day.
We briefly touched upon those rib tours where you can often see wild dolphins or grey seals, so that’s a fun thing to do.
But on land, if you’re lucky, you may spot a shy, one of our vibrant green lizards, which are out exploring the island. Jersey’s the only area in Britain where green lizards occur naturally, so look out for those. But you may also come across, across our crappord. Did I say that right, Carrie?
CD: Crappaud.
SB: Crappaud, thank you. Sounds a bit rude.
RM: What is a crappaud?
SB: Sounds a bit rude, but it’s the local name for a western toad, so there’s a few toads still on the island. But Jersey’s bird life is also wonderful, so, head to the stretch of the coastline between Grève de Lecq and Plemont, and you may well see Jersey’s puffin population, so that’s lovely to see if you do, and their breeding season is March to July. So, a good time to go.
And then, of course, one of the most famous animals on the island, and I can’t not finish without mentioning it, the Jersey cow. Of course, they can be spotted all across the countryside there, and the Jersey cow is known for its incredibly rich dairy, and the amazing ice creams that can be made from that, the cheeses, the milk, the yoghurts, so always go and take time out and enjoy a Jersey afternoon tea and experience that Jersey cream, which is wonderful. So. Yeah, Jersey’s got an abundance of animals and wildlife to discover.
RM: Well, that leads us on very nicely to the food. I mean, we touched on it also a little bit in St. Helier, Carrie, but, it sounds like the whole island is just ripe with fresh produce. What should holidaymakers look out for? Also how does it vary at different times of the year?
CD: Oh, right. That’s a lovely question. Well, all through the year, we have our lovely honesty boxes populating the island’s lanes. And these stalls sell all our seasonal produce, our vegetables and our fruits. So about this time of year, you’re looking out for some lovely Jersey Royals.
RM: We’re recording this in mid March, aren’t we? So, sort of, yeah, coming into towards the end of March.
CD: Yes. Sorry.
RM: That’s okay.
CD: They’re being harvested now in mid-March and they’ll be hitting the stalls very, very soon.
There’s nothing better than our delightful spud boiled in salted water, draped in Jersey butter and sprinkled with Jersey cheese, hot under the grill for a few minutes to really hit the spot. Coming through into the summer months, you’ve got Joe Freire’s strawberries that will be making their way around autumn and winter.
You’ve got all the [indiscernible]. We’ve got the blackberries and the blueberries burgeoning on the hedgerows and the bushes as well. And there’s always stalls around the island with our Jersey Wonders and some delicious home-baked cakes. So the Jersey Wonder is our favourite cake. Now for those who don’t know what a wonder is, it’s like a donut. It’s light and fluffy, but no sugar on it and no jam in it. It’s usually in the form of a knot and it’s a wonder that it’s a cake that is deep fried. So it’s made of your flour, your milk, your eggs, your butter, and it’s, the dough is deep fried and produces this really delicious, light, fluffy cake, which is great with morning coffee.
But there’s a lovely tale that a good old Jersey girl will only make a wonder when the tide is going out, because if she makes it when the tide’s coming in, the oil will boil over the pan and will spoil the cake. So you’ve got to be very careful when you make them. But they’re available from various roadside stores as well.
But not only that, we’ll have all the fish and shellfish. You’ll find fish vans all over the island selling spider crabs, shanker crabs, lobsters, langoustine, sea bass, bream, mussels, whelks. It’s all there. And of course, the Jersey oyster, you name it, you can find it.
So a great thing to do on holiday is if you’re hiring a car is perhaps take the time to organize a little jolly round the island and find all the honesty box stores, put together a really yummy picnic, and then head off to a lovely picnic spot on a cliff overlooking the sea and feast on your fruits of your labour.
RM: Oh, Carrie, that sounds like absolute heaven. Yes. You made me very hungry. Thank you.
We should just cover on a practical note, you know, we talk about the island being super close to the UK coastline, but also to France, Sarah, how do we get to Jersey? And how do we, how do you holiday makers get around?
SB: Well, the wonderful thing about Jersey is it’s very close to the UK and it’s very easy to get to Jersey from the UK and from Europe as well.
You can actually take a short ferry ride over to the island with Condor Ferries, or you can, from Poole and Portsmouth, I should say, which means you could bring your car as well if you want to have your own transportation with you. Alternatively, there’s flights from all over the UK over to Jersey. So, the flight is in many cases, just under an hour.
So, you just have time for a cup of tea and that’s it, you’re landing, before you know it, over at the airport on the west coast of the island. So very, very simple and easy to get to Jersey. And being a small island, just nine miles by five miles, it’s also very easy to get around. And we always say exploring the island is also part of the overall experience.
So there’s plenty of ways to explore the island. If you do bring your car, as I said, you arrive in St. Helier, in the harbour. And you can easily get around the island. If you don’t bring a car, you could hire an EV, electric car on the island. Or you could actually pick up a hire car, which is located up at the airport.
And one of the companies also does do car drop off from the harbour. But we have 350 miles of road to explore. So you’ll be able to discover all those hidden bays and inland and those wonderful beaches. The speed limit is actually just a maximum of 40 miles per hour. So you take it nice and gently, which is good.
Take the scenic route and you can go and discover Jersey’s green lanes, where the speed limit is actually reduced down to 15 miles per hour. So the pedestrians and the cyclists obviously have priority on those roads, but they’re lush, green, leafy lanes, and it’s a wonderful way to weave your way through the centre of the island.
Alternatively, for those who sort of fancy a day where you wanna hire a bike, you can pick up a range of different cycle routes across the island, and it’s just a nice way to explore different parts of the island. There’s gentler routes or there’s more sort of challenging routes for those more focused cyclists and you can get electric bikes if you just want to sit back and relax a bit more. It’s a easy way to get around, but it’s a nice way to take in the landscape and the fresh air. But the good thing is that it has an amazing bus network in Jersey. So if you don’t want to take any of those alternative routes of transportation, the bus network is fantastic and will get you to most of the beaches, inland to the wine estate. So locations all across the island and also there’s taxis available if you want to head out in the evening and go and enjoy a few glasses of gin or some of the local wine.
RM: Fabulous. It sounds super relaxed. That sounds, sounds right up my street. Now, lastly, Carrie, let’s come to you first. If you had one day free to spend exactly as you wished in Jersey, perhaps you had a, you know, an old friend visiting or something like that, how would you spend it? What would you do? What would be your dream day?
CD: Oh, well, what a question. Well, really depends on the time of the year, but, as a total history nerd, I’m going to have to say a day out to visit the castles. I would begin with Gorey Castle in the east, maybe catch the sunrise, depending on the time of the year.
I’d wander through the ancient village and find its secrets, with which there are many, and up to the castle. There, I’d explore its myriad of hidden rooms, towers, turrets, and secret passages. Maybe go with a guide, because they can show you lots more. After lunch in Gorey Harbour, overlooking the wonderful, sweet harbour on the seafront, I’d take a walk along the Royal Bay of Grouville, where the oyster beds are, and just soak up the atmosphere, before hopping on the number one bus, and heading into town for my next castle, Elizabeth Castle.
Now, getting across here is good fun, because it’s on a tidal island, and it’s surrounded by water twelve out of, or eight out of twelve hours. So, you have only two and a half hours either side of the tide where you can walk out to it. So you go on the duck, which is a, we fondly call it the duck. It’s an old amphibious vehicle that drives out to the castle and then if the tide’s in it doesn’t matter. And once you’re there you can enjoy the exploration of Elizabeth Castle delving into its remarkable history, perhaps, meeting Charles II, who is often strolling around its battlements. A real person, not a ghost, I promise.
So, I think once I’d done that, and it takes a couple of hours to visit each castle, I’d go back and end the day with a wonderful Jersey cream tea on the terrace of the Grand Hotel, overlooking the castle. And, just taking in the views across the bay. Maybe finish the day off with a Michelin star dinner at Mark Jordan at the Beach. There you go. My perfect day.
RM: That sounds pretty good. The same question to you, Sarah. How would you spend your perfect day in Jersey?
SB: Well, I’d join Carrie on her day, first of all.
RM: It did sound good, didn’t it? Can we all come?
SB: And then, I mean, it’s such a difficult question to answer because there’s so many things to do.
I was first tempted to be a zookeeper for the day, which I thought would be good fun. But actually, what I think I’m going to do is I’m going to start off and try my hand at paddleboarding. I’ve done this before, and I think it’s a wonderful, fun thing to do. You’d start off in St. Brelades Bay, one of the most popular beaches and, yeah, I’d enjoy the challenge of trying to stand up, which should be fun.
Afterwards, I’d probably grab a coffee at one of the many wonderful little cafes or kiosks. And then I think I’d take a walk over to Plemont on the north tip of Jersey. We’ve talked about it before, but it is just a beautiful little place with rock pools and fascinating sea caves and fresh waterfalls.
So I’d probably grab a spot of lunch there, or actually, I might be tempted to head over to St. Ouen’s and actually go to Faulkner’s fishery, which is located in an old German bunker where they bring up the catch of the day. And in the spring summer months they have this lovely lunchtime barbecue where they cook fresh seafood and it’s just delicious.
The history buff of me as well would probably tempt me to go to the war tunnels because I think it is such a powerful and immersive experience learning about the occupation of the island. I think it must be on everyone’s to-do list. And then I’d probably sneak into St. Helier if I’ve got enough time before those shops shut and go and grab some of, some Jersey treats to, to take home with me some Jersey fudge, and all those wonderful, delicious things that they make on the island. I might even stop by a hedge veg stall and take some Jersey rolled potatoes home to cook, which you can, if you’re going back to the UK, which is great. And then I think I’d, again, probably head back to St. Oueun’s, go to El Tico’s, grab a cold glass of wine and watch the sunset.
RM: Yes, that sounds perfect. And also these, the good thing about these perfect days is that time doesn’t really apply as it does in normal world. So you can fit it all in. It’s fine.
SB: There’s more I could fit in.
RM: Oh, well, thank you both so much. You’ve given us a brilliant insight into, into Jersey and why we shall be paying a visit there sometime at any point during the year. It’s been wonderful to talk to you both. Thank you.
SB and CD: Thank you very much. Thank you.
RM: To find out more and to book your next holiday to Jersey, visit charitable.travel/jersey and for more information on Jersey, visit Jersey.com, or follow VisitJersey on Instagram and Facebook.
Take a 30-minute long-haul holiday and visit Queensland, Australia in this episode of Charitable Travel’s TIPs! Join us as we speak to Kate Duffy of Tourism and Events Queensland, and Johnny Gaskell a marine biologist and master reef guide, for an insider’s guide to this tropical region and all it has to offer.
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travels Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles. I’m editor of Charitable Travels magazine and the host of this podcast series, otherwise known as TIPs. We are here to give you lots of great travel tips today, but also, we want to take you away from wherever you are right now.
Perhaps you’re walking through the park, or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, and take you to a place that will inspire you. So today we’re travelling to Queensland, home to such international cities as Brisbane and Cairns. It also has a staggering 4,000 miles of coastline, of which lies its most famous landmark, the Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest coral reef system.
To the south of the state, you’ll find the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast, where surfers flock to the vast sandy beaches. Travel further north and you’ll cross the Tropic of Capricorn before reaching the Daintree Rainforest, the oldest living rainforest in the world. While that glorious coastline has a habit of dominating things, venture inland and you’ll find ancient landscapes, remote gorges, and national parks teeming with wildlife.
There’s a lot to cover in Queensland, and we only have half an hour or so to try to do the state justice. So, joining me to share their highlights are Kate Duffy and Johnny Gaskell, respectively, a Brisbane-based marketeer for Tourism and Events, Queensland, and a reef-based marine biologist and master reef guide.
So, let’s hand things over to the pair of them to tell us more about what makes Queensland so special. Thanks so much for joining us, Kate and Johnny. Well, let’s start with you, Kate. You’re based in Brisbane in the south of Queensland. What’s your half of the state like?
Kate Duffy: Thanks so much, Bec, and thank you for having Queensland on the podcast today. You’re right, I’m coming to you from the lands of the Yagara and Turrbal people based here in Meanjin, which is also known as Brisbane. And Brisbane’s located in the southeastern corner of the state. Brisbane is the capital of Queensland, and it’s probably the main airport that most international visitors to Queensland will fly into.
When I think about this corner of the state, it has a really relaxed vibe, while at the same time boasting some pretty stunning natural assets. We have a number of really incredible sand islands that are accessible from the mainland. You might have heard of Moreton Island, which is the third largest sand island in the world, and another island that’s pretty famous as well, which is Fraser Island, also known as K’gari, which is located a little further north off the coast, and is actually the largest sand island in the world.
RM: Ah, that sounds like a really good space to be. And how about you, Johnny? You’re in the north in the Daintree Forest. What can visitors expect when they visit the north of Queensland?
Johnny Gaskell: Yeah, thanks, Bec. Well, I’m out in the Daintree Rainforest actually at the moment, and this is the land of the Irukandji people, the traditional lands, and I’m about, I guess, 20km inland from Cairns.
So Cairns is the most northern, I guess you’d call it a major town or a very small city, about midway through the Great Barrier Reef. And the area up here is very lush, it’s very warm at the moment. It’s about to rain, we’re about to get a big downpour, one of the tropical storms we get this time of year and it’s about 30 degrees and 92 percent humidity all the time this time of year. So yeah, pretty cool place.
RM: Good temperature for that rainforest, definitely. So, Kate, when people think of Queensland, they think of the coast and the Great Barrier Reef, of course, but there’s more to it than that, right?
KD: Yeah, Bec, you’re absolutely right. I think it’s fair to say Queensland is probably famously known as the holiday state. And when a lot of people, I think, picture Queensland in their mind, they’re conjuring up images of, you know, turquoise water, gorgeous white sandy beaches, gorgeous palm trees. And there is no doubt that is exactly what we do have here. But we also have a hugely expansive outback region. And I think something that a lot of visitors don’t know is that Queensland actually has over 1000 national parks of protected area across the state.
So, personally, you know, I’m a super keen hiker. And one of my all time favourite places to hike is actually located right in the middle of the state. It’s in central Queensland and it’s a place called Carnarvon Gorge. And what I really love about Carnarvon Gorge, you can stay there at the entrance to the park itself. There’s these stunning eco cabins and every day you can just head off, head into the park and explore a different section of the gorge. And what’s unique about Carnarvon Gorge, why I love it so much, you’re walking amongst these incredible towering sandstone cliffs. And then there are these different trails that fork off the main track that take you into the most incredible lush green oases, which is in such contrast to the more dry sort of arid section of central Queensland.
And what I particularly love the most about Carnarvon Gorge and what a lot of people probably don’t know is that there’s actually a collection of over 2000 examples of the most amazing indigenous rock art that’s located within the park. So yeah, I think fair to say from my perspective, Queensland is just so much more than beaches and absolutely worth adding more than just beaches to your itinerary when you head down here.
RM: And it’s easy to get around then to get away from the coast.
KD: Oh, absolutely. Absolutely.
RM: So this is to both of you, I guess, but I mean, Queensland shares a similar travel for good ethos as we do at Charitable Travel. What does that mean for you? And what does it mean for the visitors as well?
KD: Yeah, I’m happy to take this one first, Johnny, if you like, from, I guess, a Queensland destination perspective.
At the core of what we believe is the idea that travel is for good, which is what was so exciting when we, you know, started talking to you guys at Charitable Travel, because there was such beautiful alignment. And I guess what travel for good means to us is that travel should be good for the traveller themselves.
So, what we mean by that is that when you travel to Queensland, it should really lift your heart, be good for your mind, be good for your body. But then at the same time, travel should also be good for the world. And when we say that, we’re talking about a trip to Queensland being good for the environment, being good for local communities and more broadly being good for humanity.And I guess in a really simple term, you know, our promise to travellers is really simple, that they will be changed by Queensland.
RM: That sounds great. Have you got sort of practical examples of what people should be looking out for then when they do visit?
KD: Oh, there’s so many examples and I’m sure we’ll get into it more within the podcast.
And I think, you know, Johnny actually, I might even hand over to Johnny to talk about some of the incredible, um, sort of citizen science experiences that visitors can participate in when they head out to the Great Barrier Reef.
JG: Yeah. Thanks Kate. I guess travel for good for me, I’d probably think more on an ecosystem level, particularly in the reef space because my background is in marine biology.
I’m looking more at the marine world, but when you visit the Great Barrier Reef, anyone who visits the Great Barrier Reef in their ticketing price, no matter which tourism operator they go out on, there is an environmental management charge, and that environmental management charge goes towards management, protection and research in the Great Barrier Reef. So, I guess anyone who is visiting a reef are already contributing some of that ticket price towards good, towards the reef.
On top of that, there’s around, at the moment, there’s about 70 high standard tourism operators that operate and take tourists out to the Great Barrier Reef. So, to be a high-standard tourism operator, you either have to be eco-certified or earth check registered with earth check doing your carbon calculator. There’s a movement towards all of the tourism operators doing whatever they can to help the environment as a whole. But also what I’m working on at the moment, my current project is working with 26 tourism operators who will apply to be part of our programme where the tourism operator staff are funded to go out and do site stewardship activities. So, these tourism operators go out and assist with coral recovery. They assist with coral protection by removing predators that are in higher-than-normal proportions, and they do surveys, reef health surveys at their site. So, obviously, this is just a fairly narrow look at the reef space, and there’s lots of similar programmes going on on land as well. But, um, I guess, to me, that’s travel for good. That’s the first thing that came to mind.
RM: That’s really interesting to hear. We’ll cover more on the reef later on. For the moment, I just want to focus back on Brisbane and Kate.
The city sounds fantastic. I mean, it’s food, the river, and also the fact it’s hosting the 2032 Olympics. What’s it like to visit?
KD: Yeah, Brisbane’s a great city. I’m blessed to call Brisbane my home. And, you know, I think if you go back kind of 20, 30 years ago, I think people probably thought of Brisbane and it was generally considered a bit of a sleepy big country town.
I think over the last couple of decades, you know, Brisbane has really evolved. It is absolutely a foodie’s paradise. I’m a big foodie. We have some, you know, it’s an incredible dining scene here. And yes, you’re right. The Brisbane River, it snakes right through the city and the really cool thing over the last few years here, we’ve had just some incredible, sustainably driven development that’s taken place along the river’s edge. And I guess the core of that development has really been all about opening up the river itself for locals and visitors both to be able to just take better advantage of, you know, the subtropical lifestyle that we have here in Queensland that we really get to enjoy, you know, an outdoor lifestyle almost year round.
I don’t mean to rub that in, to folks in the UK, but it’s true. And if I think about, like, one of the coolest new developments that we’ve had probably about five years ago is a precinct called Howard Smith Wharves. These wharves are located just on the edge of Brisbane City, right underneath the Story Bridge, and it’s a really cool new precinct with some incredible new restaurants that are down there.
One of my favourite restaurants down there is a place called Yoko Dining, which offers, you know, a really beautiful Japanese Izakaya style menu. And then if you’re into craft beer, there’s a really cool brewery down there called Felons Brewery. And it’s just a really cool place to head down of an evening, sit right on the river’s edge, as the sun goes down, watching the city lights come on and the lights of the Story Bridge light up. It’s a real kind of pinch yourself moment that you get to live in Brisbane.
And then there’s another development that’s underway actually at the moment, which is called Queen’s Wharf, which is located more in the core of the city. And, you know, I have to say it’s probably, you know, over these last 5, 10 years, the development and the change that we’ve been experiencing in Brisbane, I think, you know, is a key reason why we have been chosen as the host city of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Which, you know, we’re just so excited for, there’s so much buzz around the city at the moment. And, you know, we’re really seeing this as, you know, truly a once in a generation opportunity, I think, to just further raise the profile of Brisbane and Queensland. And yeah, we just can’t wait.
RM: Definitely. It’s going to be good.
So then Johnny. At the other end of the state, we’ve got the Daintree Rainforest and the top of the Great Barrier Reef. I mean, it just sounds incredible where these two fantastic ecosystems meet. What’s, again, yes, what’s it like? Tell us.
JG: Yeah, I was just listening to Kate talk about all that amazing development in Brisbane while I’m sitting here and all I can hear is rainforest crickets. And other interesting creatures of the night.
RM: It must be like the other end of the world.
JG: It’s like the opposite. Yeah, it’s the exact opposite. There’s not a lot of development going on up here. Obviously in, in town, there is some, but the Daintree Rainforest is the oldest rainforest in the world. And there’s very limited development in this part of Queensland. So, I guess one of my favourite spots is Cape Tribulation, which is not far North. It’s about an hour drive North of here or an hour and 20 minutes or so, just past Port Douglas and you cross the river there. You can just put your car on the ferry and go over to a rain forest.
Just, it’s literally like a Jurassic land without the dinosaurs and it’s completely untouched. You can’t see any evidence apart from obviously the road and a couple of little spots that you can stop and get supplies and a few little retreats scattered around the jungle or the rain forest. You really feel like you’re just going completely back in time and that part of the rain forest is roughly estimated at roughly 10 million years older than the Amazon rainforest. So we’re talking a very, very old rainforest. And the amazing part about that section of the rainforest is just off the shore there is one of the closest parts of the Great Barrier Reef to the mainland. So, you’ve literally got this ancient rainforest, which is completely untouched, beautiful beaches, and then about 10 or 15 kilometres off the beach, you’ve got the Great Barrier Reef and some of the nicest reefs that we have on the Great Barrier Reef. It is, apparently David Attenborough’s favourite place in the world, that region, so it’s certainly an amazing part of Queensland, an amazing part of Australia, and I, I could literally go there on every holiday, and I still wouldn’t get bored, I don’t think.
RM: So what sort of, what wildlife can people expect to see?
JG: I guess one of the main things, or one of the main animals that people do like to see out there are the cassowaries, which is a big prehistoric looking bird. It looks like, literally looks like a giant, I guess an emu crossed with a colourful bird that has dinosaur feet. It’s a pretty interesting looking animal.
And there’s an amazing, there’s tree kangaroos up there, which are like a red kangaroo that lives in trees, which sounds made up, but it’s actually true and we’ve got bandicoots, all kinds of different marsupials live up there. Even the insects, the frogs, green tree frogs, red eyed tree frogs, lots of different types of animals, but then also just off the shore, if you go out to the Great Barrier Reef there, or anywhere around here, you’ve obviously got the sea turtles, got manta rays, eagle rays, we’ve got clownfish, we’ve got all kinds of different species of corals as well. So, it’s a pretty amazing place to see wildlife and kind of covers both the land and the sea.
RM: It just sounds, it’s just staggering, isn’t it? I mean, while we’re on the Great Barrier Reef, protecting it is dear to all our hearts and it’s something we’re passionate about. But I understand there’s a few myths that we should perhaps help to bust about it. Is that right?
JG: Yeah, it’s kind of, I guess, I don’t want to say we’re busting myths, but there are, there’s certainly some impacts to the reef that we all know about.
The most, the one that’s having the most impact globally, obviously, is climate change, which I don’t think is any surprise to anyone. But there are, there’s a few impacts at site level that will often, in my experience, put people off or make people think twice about going snorkelling or going to the reef.
And the major one is, um, damage to the reef. When these tourism operators take people out to these sites, they only have a very small area that they’re allowed to let tourism, uh, tourists in the water. And these areas are selected based on the fact that they look really nice. They’ve got lots of coral, heaps of fish, everything going on.
But these operators are obviously making sure that people aren’t going to damage the reef and these, some of these sites that I’ve seen over 15 years of operating at the same location, and they look amazing. So it shouldn’t be, I guess, if there’s one main myth, it’s visiting the reef and swimming around, if you’re worried that you’re going, you being in the water in that ecosystem is going to have a major impact or be one of the major impactors on the Great Barrier Reef, it’s certainly not one of the impacts that we’re worried about here at the moment. Obviously, you need to do your best not to kick a coral or break a coral. I think that goes without saying, but the impacts are extremely low compared to when you hear about impacts to the reef.
RM: Okay. No, that’s good to hear. Thank you.
And also just clarify as well about sunscreen. I know people get worried about wearing sunscreen.
JG: Yeah, sunscreen is an interesting one. So I guess the, the first thing I’d say is if you can wear some other sun protection, that would be the best option. If you can wear reef safe sunscreen, that would be the next best option.
If you find yourself and you only have the sunscreen that you have, the biggest worry to the Great Barrier Reef is different than the worry to, say, Hawaii, where accumulated sunscreen on the surface lands onto the coral at low tide and has a direct effect, almost, you know, immediately. Over here, it’s more the accumulation of the chemicals in the ocean itself.
So it’s still, you know, not ideal, but I guess the big take home is, yeah, we all wear reef safe sunscreen, otherwise cover up just so you don’t get sunburned.
RM: I mean, I find it staggering to think that the Great Barrier Reef is the size of Italy and sort of zigzagging across the country, if you imagine sort of the shoe and the boot of Italy. But, the north of the reef is very different to the south, isn’t it? And the reef is still there in Brisbane as well. So it’s, I just can’t, well, it’s just so big.
JG: Yeah, it’s a long, it’s so hard to get your head around how big that reef is. It’s unbelievable. One example is I’ve done a lot of expeditions. I’ve done the north and the south, and one of the expeditions took us three days just to get to the reef that we were going to. It was 280 kilometers offshore, which is obviously a long, long way offshore. And then if you, if we wanted to travel from one end of the Great Barrier Reef to the other end of the Great Barrier Reef, and we didn’t stop in that same boat, it would have taken a few weeks, so it’s about 2, 300 kilometers long, which is obviously a very long way. But then you’ve also got reef, like you said, out of Brisbane, off some of the islands there. You’ve still got coral reef there. It’s not technically the Great Barrier Reef, but there still is coral down there.
The difference between the north and the south, other than obviously the temperature of the north is like true tropics. It’s like, it borders onto Papua New Guinea, runs all the way into Papua New Guinea. And the south end is heading down towards Brisbane. It’s not that far from Hervey Bay, the south end and Bundaberg, which isn’t too far from Brisbane, the city.
So you’ve got two different ends of the reef. It actually has the same species. Mostly the same species of fish, the diversity is a little bit higher up north, but you tend to get the bigger, more, I guess, the megafauna, the marine megafauna down south, or you see more of it, such as the manta rays, the big turtles, the eagle rays. All kinds of different animals. The humpback whales are quite common in southern Great Barrier Reef. So there’s different animals, but when you look at the corals, you’ve got the same species in the north and the south, but the reason they can live in two different climates is because they, they’ve basically evolved in those different climates, the colder and the warmer, and they’re able to live at both ends of the reef in completely different ecosystem parameters, which is, I find really interesting.
RM: Yeah, definitely. And so, Kate, that must be good for you as well, because it means you can be hopping to the reef for the weekend from Brisbane quite easily.
KD: Yeah, I mean, it’s actually a trip I, one of my favourite trips I’ve done is heading up to an island called Lady Elliot Island, which you can actually do as a day trip, flying up with them in a small plane that hugs the coastline, landing you on the southern end of the Great Barrier Reef. And, you know, in winter be snorkelling with the manta rays and be back home in my bed in Brisbane at the end of the day, which is, which is pretty cool.
RM: Not bad, definitely. Also Kate, so I wanted to talk to you more as well about the history of Queensland. I mean, it’s rich in ancient and indigenous culture. What’s one of your key experiences that visitors should do when they’re in Queensland to experience that as well?
KD: Yeah, I think, you know, I’m not sure if everyone knows that Australia is actually home to the world’s oldest living and surviving culture, which is pretty incredible. And we are pretty blessed here in Queensland.
We actually have two of those cultures that meet only in Queensland, which is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. And for those that don’t know, the Torres Strait Islands is a collection of islands that are located right off the very, very, very tip of Queensland, even further north than where Johnny’s based.
And yeah, if you’re into kind of exploring off the beaten path, if you’re into, you know, really being steeped in culture, Torres Strait is a really emerging tourism destination that you should definitely put on your bucket list, but really right across the whole state of Queensland there are so many opportunities for visitors to engage with Indigenous culture.
I would have to say my all time favourite experiences out at Mossman Gorge, which is located just about an hour north of Cairns, just near Port Douglas, and there’s a tour they do there called the Guided Dreamtime Walk, which is a really immersive experience, that really helps you gain, I guess a deeper appreciation of the connection that the local Kuku Yalanji people have with the Daintree Rainforest. So it’s close to where Johnny’s based.
That tour starts with a really gorgeous smoking ceremony before you head into the rainforest being guided by a local Kuku Yalanji guide. And I spoke earlier about, you know, travel for good and, and being changed by Queensland. And that’s a tour that, you know, you absolutely leave being really changed with such a deeper appreciation for, you know, the world’s oldest living and surviving culture.
RM: No, definitely. Definitely. That sounds really good. One of the things as well, we’ve touched on it a little bit, but would like to, I think it’d be really useful to know more about is the, all the wildlife that you’ve got there and all the animals. How does it vary throughout the year, visiting at different times in terms of what you would see and what you can get up close to? And that’s to both of you, I guess.
JG: I think I can go, Kate, and talk about, talk for the ocean. I think just if I was going to sum it up, any time of the year is great in the Great Barrier Reef, but some of the key times of year, the winter, although it sounds cold, it’s 25 degrees, so it’s really not that cold. If you go, if you go out on one of the boats from Cairns, uh, you can swim with the minke whales.
So the minke whales only come to this, they come from down Antarctica, all the way up the inside of the reef, and then they hang around the Cairns region and the boats, the permitted boats that can take swimmers out there can jump on. Just sit off the back of the boat and the minke whales will actually come to you. They’re a really charismatic animal that are really interested in you. That’s, it’s very different than most marine life experiences. You literally just sit there at the back of the boat, hold onto a rope and wait and can every now and then, you can get anywhere from one to 10 to 12 minke whales just come up and literally hang around you. So that’s in winter. That’s June, July. I would say that’s definitely a highlight.
And then the other marine highlight I would probably mention is the, the turtle hatching season, which is particularly, is much easier to see in the Southern Great Barrier Reef. It happens all up and down the Great Barrier Reef, but if you go to Heron Island, Lady Musgrave Island, even off the beach at Bundaberg, at Mon Repos, it’s called, or Lady Elliot Island, all of these places. In January and into February, you can see the little baby turtles hatching, running down the beach. So, it’s a pretty amazing experience as well.
KD: Yeah, I was gonna just say from my side, I love holidaying up in the north around Cairns, and I really love it in terms of wildlife, I really love being up around the Cairns region in the wet season, which is best between kind of January and March, and what’s really cool about that time of year in the wet season up north, the waterfalls are just heaving, the landscape is really lush and green, and it’s the time of year where the wildlife up there is really kind of at its most active.
And one of my favourite, favourite experiences, it sounds a little crazy, but, um, it’s at a place called Undara Lava Tubes, which is located, it’s about a three hour drive West of Cairns. And it’s another one of our incredible national parks. And going back sort of over 100,000 years ago, this part of Australia used to have active volcanoes that erupted and spewed lava over the earth that today have left behind these incredible underground caves and tube system. And in the wet season, when you go there, there’s this tour that the guys at Undara run, which is called a sunset tour. You go out, you watch the sunset over the beautiful outback landscape, glass of champagne, beautiful cheese platter, and then on the way back they stop you at the, at one of the caves and you head down with a savannah guide who’s really able to share their knowledge of the wildlife that you’re about to see. And you’re standing at the entrance to the cave, there’s a tree in the entrance, and as the sun sets there’s this community of little baby micro bats that start to fly out of the cave. They’re flying out at sunset to go and go and eat. And then at that same time, there are snakes in the cave. These are, these are friendly snakes that aren’t going to hurt you. They come out of the cave, they climb up the tree and they hang out of the tree and they feed on the bats. And all of this is under the watchful eye of very safe Savannah guides and I have to say, I just, this experience is something that has just stayed with me and I just, you know, I think Johnny mentioned earlier, David Attenborough, you just feel like you’re in an absolute David Attenborough documentary. It’s one of the coolest experiences [indiscernible] because of the wet season.
RM: Yeah, that just sounds so incredible and surreal from sitting here in London, just, just even hearing about all those ancient volcanoes and the lava tubes and then, and then the bats and then the snakes. It’s just, I love it. It’s, um. It sounds amazing. It’s just, yeah.
KD: Google it and you can see the footage. I’m just standing here saying that just, yeah, it’s something that has stayed with me ever since I had the opportunity to do that.
RM: Oh, definitely. And you mentioned those, you know, there’s so many national parks, how, what, what’s the best way in for visitors to start exploring those, where do you start? Where do you begin?
KD: Look, a good place to start if you want to know more is actually checking out Queensland.com because we have a huge amount of different content that can help you figure out what national park to head to, but yeah, honestly, there’s just national parks right across the state, over a thousand.
So there’s so many options, depending where you are here in Brisbane. You know, I, I don’t even need to go an hour’s drive and I’m in gorgeous Gondwana Rainforest down on the Gold Coast. Yeah, I’m really blessed. All around us, we’ve got opportunities to really get out into nature.
RM: Yeah, no, it’s very lucky. It’s brilliant. One thing we haven’t touched on at all is sort of any outdoor activities and kind of, yes, being active in the outdoors. Is that something that’s a big deal in Queensland? Because we’ve, we’ve talked so much about the landscape and the wildlife and the incredible scenery, but what about doing stuff in it as well?
KD: Absolutely, I think, Johnny, I’m happy to talk to this one. I mentioned before, you know, I’m a really avid hiker. So, you know, if I think about, like, my dream day, it would be heading out into nature, hitting up one of our national parks based here in Brisbane. So, for me, I’d head down to the Gold Coast, head up into the hinterland where we have a couple of world class National Parks, Springbrook National Park in particular is one of my favourites. One of my favourite trails to walk is Purling Brook Falls. I also really love Twin Falls Circuit. Both of those I’d highly recommend if you, if you’re visiting and you want to get out and do a hike, both of them are about a 2 hour circuit all up.
So, you know, not too, not too hard. You know, and the beauty about Queensland is, you know, I can do that in the day, but then finish it off by being just back down on the coastline at the beach at Burleigh Heads and enjoying one of our world class restaurants, you know, washing down a beautiful meal with a, with a beautiful cocktail and watching the sunset.
RM: That sounds pretty heavenly. Anything you’d add, Johnny?
JG: Yeah, yeah. Around here, there’s certainly a lot of walks. There’s heaps. You can never do them all, along beaches, up to waterfalls. I guess if I was going to pick an activity, though, like, if I was really going to pick something that I could do over nearly anything else, then it would be head out to a very special part of the Great Barrier Reef.
I’ve done a couple of expeditions out there, and there’s a place about 200 kilometers offshore, and it just shows how much there is to do in Queensland and how unexplored Queensland is in a very unexplored part of the Great Barrier Reef and, I’ve been lucky enough to jump in and explore, potentially for the first time, a couple of blue holes, which is a very unique geological formation you get in the fresh or salt water. There’s obviously the famous one in Belize, but the Great Barrier Reef also has lots of blue holes. And I have been lucky enough to explore some, and there’s, they’re all very unique. It’s basically this perfect blue circle that descends down into an ancient sinkhole, and they’re about 10,000 years old, the Great Barrier Reef blue holes. And there’s lots of amazing coral gardens, there’s lots of different animals that live in them. They’re all very different. You can go swimming in some of the ones with lots of fish and corals. And then there’s another one that I’ve been to with I’ll say friendly sharks because they seem friendly, about 30 sharks, which are swimming, literally just swimming around the hole doing laps. They came up and had a look at us and just went ‘oh yeah, we’ll hang out in the hole for a bit’ and then just kept swimming. So, and there was turtles in there, there’s, and it’s just, there’s just so many places on our coastline that are unexplored still, and you can literally find your own adventure if you want.
You can go to the Whitsundays, get dropped off on an island and literally have your own adventure on your own island. Or you can go for a walk along a beach that may not have had anyone walk along it for a long time. It’s a good place.
RM: For diving in the, around the Blue Holes, how experienced do you need to be?
JG: We just snorkelled because they’re a long way offshore. There’s, there’s expeditions that go out and do exploratory expeditions. There’s quite a few and they go to different locations. Most of them, a lot of them go to the far north and there’s some blue holes up there too and also lots of other amazing places. So we only snorkelled those ones because we’re so far off shore. We obviously didn’t want to do any high risk activities or higher risk activities, being so far off, but you can either dive or snorkel on nearly every boat here. There’s, it doesn’t really matter what your experience level is. If you haven’t done much snorkelling before, you’ll just have someone with you that’ll help you. If you’re more experienced, you can grab your buddy if you have someone with you and just go off diving on your own on some of the different operators. So it’s a bit of a range.
RM: Okay. Well, it’s been so good to talk to, to wrap things up, Kate, first to you. You’ve got one day free to do what you like with, you’ve got your best friend in town and, yeah, what’s on the, what’s on the plan? What would you do? What would you do to show off and have the best day possible?
KD: Oh, look, if I could do it out of Cairns, up in the north.
RM: You can be wherever you like.
KD: Yeah, that’s where I’ll base that of. I love photography as well. It’s another real hobby of mine. So, I would head up into the Atherton Tablelands, just out of Cairns, jump in the car, head up there, and I would hit up the waterfall circuit, which is a really cool circuit that you can drive right up to, hit about four different waterfalls on one road. And, you know, jump in and go for a swim, you know, pop into one of the local dairies up there, have a gorgeous meal for lunch and, you know, swing by the Curtain Fig Tree, which is up there as well, which is this amazing fig tree. You’ve got to see it to believe it. Yeah, pop by a chocolate shop, coffee shop on the way back through and finish my day back down in Cairns.
RM: That sounds good. Yeah, I like that. How about you, Johnny? What would your perfect day be?
JG: I would be lying if I didn’t say heading straight out to that blue hole with the sharks. I was literally, I was just thinking, ah, should I think of, should I say my second best or should I just be honest and just say exactly what I was just talking about?
I would just go there. I’d probably like, you can’t live there because it’s in the middle of the ocean, but I would if I could and yeah, there’s, there’s nothing that I would do in replacement of that if that was an option to take a friend out there, that’s just, yeah, it’s one of, I believe one of the natural wonders that we have on the planet.
RM: That’s a pretty good endorsement. Thank you. Well, thank you both so much. It’s been so good to talk.
JG and KD: Thanks, Bec.
RM: To find out more and book your next holiday to Queensland, visit charitable.travel/Queensland. For more information on Queensland, visit queensland.com or follow them on Instagram @Queensland
In this episode, we’re travelling to Spain, a country that needs little introduction. As one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe, if not the world, it’s easy to assume we know all there is to see and do in this varied country on the Iberian peninsula. Yet with a country as diverse as Spain, there is always something new to discover. Join Bec as she talks to Esther and Pedro from the Spanish Tourist Office as we get off the beaten track in Spain.
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles, I’m editor of Charitable Traveller magazine and the host of this podcast series that’s otherwise known as TIPS. We hope to give you lots of great travel tips today, but as well, we intend to transport you from wherever you are right now. Perhaps you’re walking through the park or maybe you’re squished into a crowded commuter train to a place that will inspire you.
Today we’re traveling to Spain, a country that needs little introduction as one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe. It’s not the world. It’s easy to assume we know all there is to see and do in this very rich country in the Iberian Peninsula. Yet with a country as diverse as Spain, there is always something new to discover in shrugging off the beaten track is easy to do here.
Spain has always been a naturally sustainable country. So joining me today on the podcast to talk about what that means for visitors is Esther Rojo and Pedro Medina from the Spanish tourist office. With its wealth of national parks, great food, art and culture and a brilliant train network. We’re going to be talking about how to travel off the beaten track in Spain, support the local communities and make the most of the uncrowded and blissfully beautiful low season.
So let’s have the things I have to compare them to. Tell us more about what makes Spain so special. Thanks for joining us, Esther and Pedro. So, yes, welcome. And Esther, tell me. The great outdoors. It’s a huge, big deal in Spain, isn’t it? And all that fresh air and open space. So tell me, where should people be visiting if they want to explore less obvious National Parks and UNESCO’s Biosphere reserves?
Esther Rojo: Hi Bec, thank you very much for having us here. I’m really excited to do this podcast with you guys.
RM: Thanks for joining us.
ER: Thank you. Well, this is a very difficult question. We we have a lot of national parks in Spain, 15 approximately, and we are indeed the largest We have the largest number of biosphere reserves in the world. We have 53 of them. So it’s very, very difficult to pick one that everybody’s going to like obviously. As you know, you probably know Picos de Europa national park in the north of Spain. But for a totally unknown one, I would like to mention Cabañeros. Cabañeros is in Castilla La Mancha, this is the land of Don Quixote, and everyone knows Don Quixote because of, everyone who has read the book. If you have read the book, which is very very long…
RM: Would you recommend the book?
ER: I actually recommend the book. He [Don Quixote] fights the windmills in Castilla La Mancha because he thinks they’re giants. So this place is very near Toledo you can actually reach Toledo from Madrid in 30 minutes on the high speed train. So I definitely recommend this particular national park, Cabañeros as I said.
RM: So big enough to spend a few days hiking in that sort of thing.
ER: I would say definitely, because you could encompass with a visit to Toledo. So maybe spend a couple of days in Toledo for a couple of days doing a bit of hiking, walking or even cycling to see if you like that kind of thing. And for the Biosphere reserve, I, I, I potentially would do to somewhere which is much less known than anywhere else in Spain, which is the region of Galicia in the Northwest, and this place called area of Allariz, located in the province of Ourense. Beautiful, beautiful biosphere reserve. And they still keep their traditional activities, some practices, they everything that they do helps to conserve the environment. So I must definitely I would I would visit this area.
RM: Yes, definitely. Just going back to Cabañeros, tell me, whereabouts is that in relation to, say, major, a major city like Madrid or something?
ER: So how Cabañeros is actually about 45 minutes away from Madrid on the high speed train. So it’s very reachable when you can add it to a trip to I don’t know if you’re visiting Cuenca, which is in Castilla La Mancha maybe add it to the to the trip. So yes, it’s super reachable and very accessible from Madrid.
RM: Oh, nice. And so you can spend a good few days hiking through it and that sort of thing.
ER: Definitely
RM: Gorgeous. Okay. What can visitors expect when it comes to sustainability? I understand the government’s spending billions of euros transforming the environment. Can you tell me about the current situation and also what plan for the future?
Pedro Medina: Well, first of all, I’m very happy to be here with you. And thank you.
RM: Thank you for joining us.
PM: Well, really sustainability, you can really feel that Spain is trying to to do things in this field. As you may know, tourism is the main activity, economic activity in our country. It accounts for 12% of the employment and the GDP of the country. So tourism is the most important economic activity in our country.
Despite of these figures, we really feel that we need to rethink that model and we need to to go to a sustainable model. Where we talk about sustainability, bare in mind that we understand sustainability in three different ways, in three meanings, economical, social, and environmentally. And we have to bear in mind these three images of sustainability. A program of public investment in tourism, Spain is going to to to invest 3.4 billion in the next years until 2026/27. And there are many ideas and programs that are going to be launched.
RM: Can you tell me some more about those programs?
PM: Yeah, well, one of the most ambitious programs, for example, is a blend of sustainable tourism and also public works in many different tourism destinations, such as [Salto] in Costa Dorada, or Malaga in Costa del Sol, or a little village in Caceres in Extremadura. And it’s a program of public works in order to make the hotels efficient from the energy point of view and to change the windows of the hotels to build more kilometres of cycling routes.
For example, to expand the route of Greenways. In Spain, there is a network of old railways that are now now they are in disuse and they are abandoned. and they are being transformed into Greenway where you can cycle or even walk. So there are a lot of initiatives and public works in order to do Spanish destinations
RM: So it sounds like it’s both sort of large scale major things coming from the government top down and also smaller scale things as well, such as making sure hotels are more efficient.
PM: Yeah, well, the program is very comprehensive. It includes small villages, big cities. But the idea is that actually seeing this transform the country from the 60s, the country has been transformed due to the tourism and these benefits that comes from tourism. This is still going on.
RM: And yeah, definitely making sure that it’s got a long future as well. Esther Now 2023, it’s a big year for art in Spain as the country marks the 50th anniversary of the death of one of Spain’s greatest painters, Picasso. But there’s lots more going on besides the headline events. Where else should people visit for some world class art and culture?
ER: Well, so this one, Madrid, has to be mentioned. I would be remiss not to mention Madrid because this is where most of the museums are. Obviously the Prado Musuem, the Reina Sofia, the Thyssen-Bornemisza. And nobody should actually miss any of any of these museums. They’ve got exceptional works in here, and it would be a shame not to visit any of these museums.
ER: But of course there are many museums in Spain. And as you say, this Picasso is going on. But there’s lots and lots of smaller museums. One I really, really like personally is the Spanish Abstract Art Museum in Cuenca. And Cuenca again is very near from Madrid, you’ve got high speed train that takes you there in 45 minutes. The whole place is actually a gorgeous little town, set atop a gorge and and I think it definitely is worth taking a little visit there
RM: What’s the sort of abstract art involved?
PM: In Cuenca?
ER: In Cuenca?
PM: Well it’s a very interesting.
ER: It’s it’s paintings mainly basically, but it’s also got sculptures. It’s not a massive, a massive museum. It’s a little museum, but it’s actually full of works of art. And
PM: Modern art.
ER: Modern art. Yeah, yeah.
PM: There is a school in Cuenca. One of the main representative of the school is Fernando Zobel, There’s another exhibition of Fernando Zobel in Prado museum so it’s a very famous art school, modern, modern art school in Spain.
RM: And let’s just touch on Picasso a bit as well because where is if if people would really, really want to just you know indulge in pure Picasso where’s best to head to?
ER: I would say Malaga, has the, he was born in Malaga, Picasso and and there is a beautiful museum there, the Picasso Museum in Malaga, which I think is well worth visiting. Of course, his work is all over the world and all over Spain. But I would my my personal favourite would be the one in Malaga.
RM: Hmm. Back to the roots, definitely. Okay, Pedro, can you tell me about how we can make our next city break to Spain more sustainable? Are there perhaps less obvious cities we should be visiting and also friendlier ways to visit them?
PM: Well, everybody talks about sustainability nowadays. I think it’s a very used word, no? Let me clarify when when I talk about sustainability in Spain, you can have that the same holidays that you have usually have in Spain, but sustainable way. You can go to Benidorm and you can have a sustainable experience in Benidorm, also in the Costa del Sol. So when we are talking about sustainability, we are talking about a transformation of all the country sustainable is also linked to this as nationalisation. You can travel to Spain in different part of the year. It also includes to no unknown destinations in Spain, but it also implies that you can have your traditional holidays in Spain in a sustainable way. As you are talking about, less obvious cities in Spain. Definitely. I would strongly recommend to visit Extremadura. It’s a place where every time I go to Extremadura I am surprised. It’s green, it’s green. It is has beautiful landscape, historical villages, nice wine and sadly, one of the not I think even Spaniards doesn’t really know very well Extremadura. And this is a region that we have in the country.
RM: Tell me, where is it? How do we get there?
PM: Well Extremadura, it’s a region that from Madrid, it is like 4 hours by road. It is not very well communicated. It’s between Castilla Leon and Andalusia. It’s in the border with Portugal so you can easily. It has a lot of influences from Portugal as well. Is the region where the well, it has a very rich history because traditionally people from Extremadura went to America.
ER: It’s the land of discoverers, most of the most of the discoverers of America came from Extremadura
RM: Ah, very adventurous
ER: Yes
PM: Yes. And it also has a very rich cuisine, traditional cuisine. I would strongly recommend to Extremadura to visit. For British tourists, this is known to British tourists who want to have the experience of bird watching. They usually go to Extremadura.
RM: Oh, that’s interesting as well. What you say about visiting Spain year-round outside of just the typical high season, just the climate lends itself to that. Is that right? It’s you know, it’s as nice in January as it is in July.
PM: Well, I yeah, I can guarantee that Malaga, Costa del Sol, it has a wonderful weather almost almost year-round, almost year-round, for the most part of the year. Benidorm, Valencia, I would say you can go.
RM: It’s a good way to be more sustainable. Definitely.
PM: Of course.
RM: Esther the food in Spain has always been sustainable as well. It’s local, it’s seasonally sourced. But what does this mean for visitors?
ER: It just means that you’re not going to get fresher food anywhere. Wherever you go in Spain, they all have the local dishes, they all use the local products. This has been done like this for centuries now and its not about to change because in Spain, everything that we do, we do around food, no matter what it is, weddings, the wedding is not important is the food that you give at the wedding that’s important.
So anything that we do revolves around food. So definitely this is not something that is about to to change. As you probably know we have the Mediterranean diet . This is based on olive oil, fresh vegetables, you know, everything that is fresh. And these actually date to the Spanish cuisine. The UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage status. So it’s not just something that we talk about, it’s something that we receive accolades for as well. So, yeah, definitely one of the most important parts of our life in general.
RM: And what about the the green Michelin Stars as well?
ER: Michelin stars, we have many restaurants. We got approximately 228 Michelin-star restaurants in Spain. The first nine of those restaurants were awarded the Green Michelin star for their sustainability practices. Basically, they just reduce waste as much as possible.
All of the products that they use are locally sourced. And a lot of these restaurants, whether they are whether they have the Green Star or not, a lot of these restaurants actually have their own plots and their own farms. So everything that they use comes from like, as they say, kilometre zero
RM: Wonderful.
ER: You know, So also, you know, the one thing that we need to keep in mind as well is that we don’t need to go to a Michelin Star restaurant to eat well in Spain, because otherwise, you know, the be no other businesses.
RM: No, of course.
ER: Everywhere you go in Spain is is good food. Obviously they the Michelin star restaurants are on a different level. But wherever you go, you go for tapas, or you go for pintxos, you’re still going to get a good experience and a good so and there’s still going to be sustainable then they’re still going to be using fresh product because we wouldn’t put up with anything else in Spain.
RM: That’s so good, it sounds like it’s just in your bones.
ER: Yeah, that’s exactly right.
RM: Another big part of life in Spain is the fiestas, isn’t it, Pedro? What are the less obvious ones to see?
PM: Well fiesta is a Spanish word, no?
RM: Yeah, we’ve borrowed it
ER: No translation for that!
PM: Okay. You won’t have time to get bored in Spain. There are a lot of fiestas and traditional events all year round. For example, now, in February we have carnivals, we we celebrate carnivals. I recommend Tenerife, but also for example Extremadura It’s you know, there are very interesting carnival parties. Well, to name just a couple on 29th June, San Pedro and San Pablo, there is the battle of wine, the wine battle.
And this tradition dates back to a possible legal dispute with the nearby town of Miranda de Ebro. Miranda de Ebro is the village where the River Ebro one of the main rivers in Spain is born. It is believed that there there there were legal dispute split between these villages, Miranda de Ebro and Haro, over the ownership of some cliffs
RM: That’s in the Rioja region. Is that right?
PM: Yeah. Yeah, Haro is a little village in. Well, it’s not that little. It’s. It’s also a very interesting village Haro, because this was a main wineries of Rioja are based . So there is a neighbourhood called Barrio de la Estación, the station neighbourhood, where the main wineries of La Rioja, they have their wineries there.
ER: and it’s a bar.
PM: It’s a very interesting route
RM: Sounds brilliant.
PM: And the second fiesta I would recommend to you, well I come Madrid. I was born in Madrid, and I come from Madrid. I would tell you to come to La Verbena de la Paloma in August. It’s a very special festivity, as you know, Madrid, it’s a big city, is one of the main European capital, but also Madrid has a it still has a spirit of a little village.
You can feel this. These are spirit in the very centre of Madrid. And La Verbena de la Paloma is held in this centre of Madrid, this tiny centre of Madrid, that it is like little village. It’s in August and it is held in honour of Virgen de la Paloma, in English we would say the Virgin of the Dove, no?
RM: Oh okay.
PM: It’s a great time to enjoy this part of Madrid, there are a lot of terraces. The Fiesta is celebrated in the street. There are a lot of restaurants that are open to the street in these days. It’s really easy to mix with the local community and to have fun.
RM: Sounds fun, as you say. Tell me, as well. We’ve touched on it briefly, but I’d like to talk about it a bit more is the train network in Spain. It’s fantastic, isn’t it? I mean, how come visitors make the most of it to get around?
PM: Well, thank you for this question. I’m very happy with this question because I really feel that the train is an asset that Spain has and it is not very well known and used.
ER: I agree.
PM: I think it’s Spain is. If it is if it is competitive for something, it is because it’s the rail network. So we have to to bear in mind that you can come from the UK to Spain by train.
You can easily go to Paris and from Paris to to Spain, to Barcelona on a high-speed train, and the train, rail, the rail network that we have in Spain is wonderful. More than 70% of Spain’s population lives 30 minutes from a station. High-speed train station. It’s very easy to move throughout Spain in a high speed in a high-speed train.
The network is centre-based. I don’t know how to say why in English is all the routes start from Madrid, from the centre of the peninsula to the different, to different destinations to Galicia, to Asturias, to Catalonia, to Andalusia.
RM: Oh, so it’s not just everything coming out of Madrid, it’s around the country as well.
PM: Not yet it’s from Madrid.
RM: Oh to get everywhere?
ER: Mostly it mostly does come out of Madrid. So from Madrid you can get anywhere.
RM: Brilliant
ER: By train
PM: In less than 2 hours and a half. 3 hours, you, you are in.
ER: in Barcelona or
PM: Not. Only Barcelona’s only 2 hours so.
RM: That’s so close. That’s brilliant. Yeah.
PM: So it’s not like for example A Coruña I think is very far
ER: the furthest one away yeah
PM: You only have to do it only takes 3 hours and a half to go to A Coruña by train and it’s the furthest, the destination on point you can go now it has to compete with different companies so there is more offers and that that goes that the price of the tickets are lower are decreasing because they are now a competitive market.
So it’s very easy to travel by train in Spain is is cheap. I would say it’s cheap you can go to Tarragona for €9 or to Malaga for less than €20 and is fast.
RM: That’s brilliant. There’s also some benefits, aren’t there, if to you get some discounts on things. Is that right?
ER: Sure. Yeah. You can get some.
PM: For families.
ER: Different cards.
PM: For seniors, for students as well. And now with this in this inflationary context, the Spanish government has launched a program of free tickets. You fulfilled some conditions for certain trains.
ER: Yeah. Oh, wow.
PM: So this as the Australian I think it’s a.
ER: I think it’s for short distance.
PM: Short distance or something like that
ER: So for example if you went to Madrid and you’ve got an AVE ticket for high speed which we call the AVE in Spain you can actually travel from the airport on a train to the airport station where you will get the high-speed train for free.
RM: Oh, that’s fantastic.
ER: I would be including the price of the high-speed train.
RM: Nice. So Esther what advice do you have for people who want to travel off the beaten track? I mean, beyond the destinations that we’ve covered in this podcast and Charitable Travel will help, of course, where can they go for inspiration and to find out more?
ER: Well I would say our website Spain.info. So it’s actually full of good ideas, good advice. We also have a very large network of tourist offices in the whole of Spain in every region, in every city of Spain. You can find the contact details for them as well on our website, but definitely you can get a few ideas from that from from there.
If you want to do something that is a little bit different. But of course, you know, for anything that you wanted to do is going to be different, is not going to the coast even, you know. So anything that you do in the mainland that is you know in the north of Spain, or Castilla Leon, Castilla La Mancha, Arragon, anything, anything that is a little bit less known is going to be on the mainland basically. So yeah, definitely our website is is a good place to start.
RM: And do we need to make sure we brush up on our Spanish or is English fairly well spoken?
ER: Well, I think most people actually have a level of English anyway. And, and I always find that, you know, you can make some gestures and people will understand you anyway. So yeah, I think to a certain extent, you know, there always be somebody around there that will speak some, some English anyway.
PM: So I mean you find somebody who, who doesn’t speak English, he or she would try to communicate with signs or with something.
RM: Yeah. It’s such a gorgeous language to learn. Anyway, maybe we should all just learn more Spanish. Okay. Lastly, Pedro, let’s wrap things up by talking about I love to ask this question. Is so one of your oldest friends say one of your oldest friends is visiting? How What would you do with them for the day to show off the best of your country?
PM: Well, after this this conversation, Bec, you are one of my oldest friends. So what would I do with you on a day in Spain? Where we are, where we are, we were in Madrid, definitely we would go to Museo de Prado, and I would explain to you the history of Spain through the pictures
After that, we would have a short walk through that Retiro Park and then we would visit one of the restaurants I usually go. Retiro neighbourhood now is a gastronomy hot spot. There are a of restaurants around the rest and restaurants. For example, Obama’s wife, Michelle Obama, has been a one of these restaurants I’m telling you, but they are not expensive.
So we can go in the budget at the end of it, but it depends on what we are. If we are in Santander City, I love Santander, I love it. And we can go to visit Espacio Botin, is a modern, contemporary centre in Santander. We can also go to the beach, wonderful the beaches in Santander and we can also have nice pintxos in Santander. Or it depends, Spain is, is as you know, is is is it has a lot of diversity. So it depends on where we are what I think this plan sounds well, no?
RM: Yeah Santander sounds good in particular and Madrid and Yeah all of it actually, yeah, I’d be happy with any of it. The same to you Esther, how would you spend your ideal day?
ER: Again, very difficult. I mean for me, just being with my friends in any, any of the beautiful squares in any city of Spain would be just amazing. Just drinking a tinto de verano, which is our Spanish take on the Italian
PM: Good point Esther, tinto de verano is fantastic
ER: just having some tapas, good conversation that for me that’s, that’s really all I need for an ideal day.
RM: Any particular place that you’d be in.
ER: I don’t know any, any, any square where you can do some people-watching. Which is my favourite pastime
RM: Oh yes, me too. I love that.
ER: Well, Spain is just brilliant for people are watching. So yeah, anywhere, anywhere where you can do. Some people are watching so you can then comment in with your friends. Yeah, that’s it. You don’t need anything else. Yeah.
RM: Perfect. So, thank you both so much for joining me today.
ER: Thank you.
PM: Thank you.
ER: Thank you. Thanks for having us.
RM: Find out more and to book your next holiday to Spain visit charitable.travel/spain. And for more info on Spain visit Spain.info or follow Spain on Twitter and Facebook.
Join us on another 30-minute holiday, this time to Daytona Beach! We’ll hear from the general manager of Rose Villa Restaurant, Patrick Sullivan, and the director of communications at Daytona Beach, Andrew Booth as they talk about their beloved home town. Listen now to learn about the fascinating history, sporting heritage, and nature spots in Daytona – as well as some top tips for places to eat!
Rebecca Miles: Hello, and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles, and I’m a travel journalist and the host of this podcast series that’s otherwise known as TIPs.
Today, we aim to not just give you lots of great travel tips, but we also want to transport you from wherever you are right now, perhaps you’re walking through the park or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, to a place that will inspire you. Today we’re traveling to Daytona Beach on Florida’s Atlantic Coast, just under an hour’s drive northeast of Orlando and an hour south of historic St. Augustine, Daytona is one of the closest beaches to Orlando.
Yet the first thing that most likely comes to mind for Daytona is fast cars. The Daytona International Speedway is a huge deal here but explore beyond the track and you’ll find a lively city with 23 miles of white sand beaches at its heart. Loved by residents and visitors alike, the waterfront, its boardwalk, and all the possible activities are a natural focal point from which to explore the city’s science, arts, and foodie scenes. And at the heart of that foodie scene is Rose Villa restaurant. Built in the late 1800s, the ornate building plays homage to much of Daytona’s history and is currently successfully run by Patrick Sullivan, born and bred in Daytona, and one of the guests on today’s podcast.
Joining Pat is Andrew Booth, director of Communications at Daytona Beach. Andrew’s office is on the Halifax River that runs just behind the beach, so he’s in the ideal spot to share lots of local knowledge. So, let’s hand things over to the pair of them to tell us more about what we should include on a visit Daytona on our next holiday stateside.
Well, thanks so much for joining us, pat and Andrew now, Andrew, let’s turn to you first. Can you set the scene for us? You’re in downtown Daytona, aren’t you? What’s on your doorstep, please?
Andrew Booth: Yeah, that’s correct. The Daytona Beach CVB (Convention and Visitor’s Bureau) offices are located here in downtown Daytona Beach, off of the Halifax River, the intercoastal waterway and Beach Street.
So, there’s a lot of great places to visit for visitors who come to the area right around our offices. Right across the street from my office is the Jackie Robertson ballpark and statue. It’s the home to the Daytona Tortugas, the class A minor league baseball affiliate for the Cincinnati Reds.
But historically, Jackie Robinson Ballpark is the site of Jackie Robinson’s first professional baseball game back in 1946. Also located here off of Beach Street is the Halifax Historical Museum. Great music, great dining spots, a riverfront Esplanade, which is a mile of Intercoastal Waterway Park, it’s a premier gathering space, a botanical garden right here in the heart of Daytona Beach. And it’s got comfortable beaches, swings, all overlooking the Halifax River. It’s a dog park agility course and, it’s just a great place to visit and relax. The north end of the park is open, the south end will open later this year.
So that’s kind of the area around my offices and of course, just across the Halifax River is where the Atlantic Ocean and the beaches are located at.
Rebecca: Now, this 23-mile stretch of beach that you’ve got sounds absolutely incredible. How do visitors and residents make the most of it?
Andrew: The one thing that the beaches here in Daytona Beach have is accessibility. We have designated on beach parking zones as well as, convenient coastal parking areas. So, it’s easy to get to the beach and to enjoy it.
We have, 500 feet wide expansive shorelines at low tide, so plenty of space to enjoy the beach, to relax, to just sit in the chair and enjoy the sun. Or if you want to be more active, you can go paddle boarding, fishing, surfing, jet skiing, there’s just a number of activities you can do on the beach. The beaches really are our top attraction here in Daytona.
Rebecca: It’s just that, that I can’t get over how wide it is. That sounds in incredible. And I guess then as well, there must be so many different sections. If you do want to be more active, there’s space to do that. If you do just want to chill out, you’ve got space for everything, is that right?
Andrew: Yeah, that’s correct. Probably more in the centre of Daytona Beach is where you’ll find more people traffic, but, down by the sea or Ormond Beach or Daytona Beach shores, you’ll find more elbow room for sure. And what makes our beaches unique too is that the sand is hard-packed into the ground. So, it’s great for walking or running. And again, that’s why we’re able to have cars on the beach as well. That’s kind of what makes the, the beach so unique. And to kind of go back to that expansive shoreline, that 500 feet at low tide. There’s just lots of room to do things.
Rebecca: Now you mentioned having cars on the beach. What does that entail?
Andrew: Oh, we have, I think it’s around 11, out of the 23 miles. It’s about 11 or 12 miles that you’re able to drive on the beach or park on the beach. So, it depends on what your fancy is. But again, we also have these parks that are scattered along A1A where you can just park your car there and that’s free of charge and you can just walk out to the beach and all those parks also have like, grilling tables and you’re able to take, showers there as well. So, just a lot of resources there.
Rebecca: Fantastic. Um, pat, how about you? So, you are at Rose Villa in Ormand Beach. What’s, describe to us, what’s your neighbourhood like?
Patrick Sullivan: Well, Bec, thank you very much for having us today. The wide beaches here in Ormond is what gave Ormond Beach the name, the birthplace of speed.
Back at the turn of the last century, cars from all over the world would come here to the sands of Ormond Beach to do land speed records. In 1935, they moved to Utah, but one of England’s namesakes, Sir Malcolm Campbell broke the land speed record here in Ormond Beach eight times over that 25-year period. In the Bluebird, which was a 12-cylinder powered roll hose engine, fibreglass-bodied car assembled in England.
Here at the Rose Villa in Ormond and all around the Ormond Beach area, we become known for our culinary experiences. There’s 12 restaurants in the walkable area, close to the Intercoastal waterway here in Ormond from sushi to steak to fine dining Steakhouses to like, here we are at the Rose Villas Southern Fine Dining. To the Ormond Garage, which has many, many different types of, they have craft beer there as well. Frida’s, which is Mexican, 63 Sovereign, 31 Supper Club, Orman Garage, Kona and Grind. So there’s numerous restaurants here and all unique, no national chains here.
Bec: Oh brilliant, so if you’re into your food, basically base yourself in Ormond Beach
Pat: Yeah, we are foody-centric here and you can have the sea fair, there’s plenty of fresh seafood dining restaurants here in the Ormond Beach area, going all the way down to Ponce Inlet which is one of my favourite spots to drive down to.
Its home to the second tallest lighthouse in the United States and has about five or six different eateries right on the water. Andrew can probably expand on that a little bit more. It’s a little bit out of my neighbourhood, about 30 minutes south of here in Ormond Beach. Ormond Beach is located 10 minutes north of Daytona.
Bec: Okay, brilliant. All right, so Rose Villa, there is one of Daytona’s most historical buildings. Where else should people visit to learn more about Daytona’s roots?
Pat: Well, Daytona, the website for daytonabeach.com has great history about, the history of Daytona and Ormond in the entire area.
Ormond Beach was, at the turn of the last century, people weren’t going to South Florida as much. It was widely undeveloped. Ormond Beach was one of the last stopping points for some of the richest people in the United States. The Rockefellers, the Flaglers. Thomas Edison settled here for quite some time and many more like that. Henry Ford spent a lot of time here for the Ford Motor Company. So, Ormond Beach has some great history. Maybe Andrew could expand on where to find that information.
Bec: Oh, sure. I just mean as well though, if people are visiting and, on the ground, is it possible to take in like a walking tour or something like that? Which of the. and which of the sort of which are the sights that everyone must see?
Pat: Oh, oh geez. Here in Ormond Beach, we have the Casements was with John Rockefeller’s Winter Home. John Rockefeller at the time was the richest man in the world. He owned the standard oil company, and his winter estate is here right in Ormond.
The Three Chimneys, which is where molasses was distilled prior to prohibition. And much of the rum going into the United States was coming from right here in Florida.
Bec: Oh, I see, you’ve always been a bit, naughty, have you?
Pat: [Laughing] That’s the area. Yeah. We do have a reputation for that.
Bec: Sorry, you were going to say about down in Ponce Inlet and the lake down there.
Pat: Yeah, that’s, that’s one of my favourite spots because it’s so unique to Florida. It’s a small fishing village and if friends, if family wants to go down and take a fishing charter out of Ponce Inlet to go deep sea fishing, parasailing, like Andrew was saying earlier, kayaking, everything’s available that’s in Daytona on the southern end of the barrier island, which is Ponce Inlet.
Just a great day trip for anybody that’s visiting to the area, even anywhere in central Florida. Daytona’s only an hour away from anywhere.
Bec: Oh, that’s, yeah, that’s really useful to know actually, because it’s always handy to, it feels like Florida’s huge, but actually when you say about, when you say only an hour from, say Orlando or somewhere like that, that’s handy. Thank you. So, Andrew? Turning to you, the International Speedway is obviously a big deal in Daytona. Is it worth a visit, even if you’re not that big, a car racing fan?
Andrew: Oh, yeah, absolutely, Daytona National Speedway is a must-visit if you come to this destination. You do not want to go home and tell your friends and family that you came to Daytona Beach, and you did not see the Speedway.
So, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a race fan or not. It’s a facility that you’re just not going to find anywhere else in the world. It’s 31 degrees on the high banks. It’s a 2.5-mile tri-oval. It seats over a 100,000 people. It also has a 3.56-mile road course.
It hosts several events throughout the year, beginning in January with the Rolex 24 at Daytona Sports Car Race, the DAYTONA 500 in February. It’s got motorcycle races, a summer stock car race, hosts Go-Kart races in December.
Bec: Oh wow.
Andrew: And they also have other events such as concerts and other different types of conventions and gatherings. But throughout the year they host daily track tours. So even if you come to Daytona Beach and there’s not an event going on at the Speedway, you can still see the facility by taking a daily track tour. And the track tour ends at the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America, which has a plethora of displays.
And the Speedway is also home to the DAYTONA 500 winning car every year. And that car is led directly from the victory lane to the Motorsport Hall of Fame Museum area, and the guests can see the actual winning DAYTONA 500 car. And that’s changed out every year. So, a lot to see and do at the Speedway.
And then right across the street from the Speedway is ONE DAYTONA, and that is a dining and entertainment complex. Lot of great restaurants, movie theatre, the Daytona, which is a Marriott signature hotel. So a lot to see and do over there as well. When you come to the Speedway area.
Bec: And is it, um, fairly easy to get tickets for events that are happening there, or do they tend to get booked up quite far in advance if visitors know when they’re going to be in Daytona.
Andrew: Well, it’s certainly great to, I certainly encourage visitors to make their plans early, but tickets are, they’re accessible. The DAYTONA 500 does traditionally sell out, the last year or two, it’s been selling out about a month ahead of time. But again, I encourage you to make your plans early as well as to secure hotels and accommodations and those kinds of things as well.
But it’s definitely a phenomenal experience. The DAYTONA 500. It was one of those sporting events that you have to see in person. It’s complete with a flyover and the pre-race ceremonies, two-and-a-half-mile race. The action is nonstop.
Bec: Yeah, definitely. That sounds incredible. There was one thing I just wanted to backtrack on a bit. You mentioned about Jackie Robinson ballpark, excuse my ignorance, I’m not a huge baseball fan, but, so for anyone else as well, can you tell us about Jackie Robinson? Because I feel like. Clearly a legend, I’d like to know a bit more about why.
Andrew: Yes, he broke the colour barrier in baseball, and he was the first African American that played in a professional baseball. And that happened right here at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. There is a museum onsite here at the ballpark, and they do daily tours there as well as a statue. It’s a very, he’s a very significant historical figure in this country, and we’re very fortunate to have him make that history right here in Daytona Beach.
It’s a, it’s a beautiful ballpark. I’s not like a 5, 6,000 seat stadium. I think it holds about 1,500, 1,600. It’s got a lot of charm, a lot of unique atmosphere to it. And it’s certainly, even if there’s not a baseball game going on, you certainly want to stop by there and see that ballpark. It’s in a very unique setting too. It’s, it’s right on the banks of the Halifax River and the Intercoastal there. So, a very unique place and something you’d like to see if you’re down the downtown Daytona Beach area.
Bec: Oh, fabulous. Thank you. That’s much clearer. So, Andrew, as we’re learning, the city is about more than cars though, isn’t it? What about the other activities that people can do?
Andrew: Well, we kind of, Pat mentioned it a little bit earlier, which is the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, and I really would encourage guests to not miss that. It is the tallest lighthouse in Florida. As Pat mentioned, it’s 175 feet tall and it’s 203 steps to the top of that lighthouse. It really is one of the areas hidden gems, and from that view, a atop that lighthouse, the Atlantic Ocean is just stunning. There are other, a couple other little spots there around the lighthouse to hit and great restaurants down there.
The other area, other thing that I would suggest visitors to do when they’re visiting Daytona Beach area is that we have 70 miles of hiking and biking here in the area. A great place to go to is just a little bit north of Ormond Beach and that’s Tomoka State Park where you can go canoeing, you can walk the trails, ride the bikes, and there’s some great things to see there inside of State Park. So that’s another thing I would encourage just throughout the entire destination here in Volusia County, a lot of hiking and biking available.
Bec: Oh, fabulous. I had no idea. And how about the arts and the sciences? What about the cultural side of Daytona Andrew?
Andrew: Oh, yeah. We’ve, we’ve got a great cultural side here in Daytona. It really begins with a Museum of Arts and Sciences. It’s a Smithsonian affiliated museum. It’s Central Florida’s primary art, science and history museum. It’s a 100,00sq. ft facility that sits on 90 acres here in Daytona Beach. 30,000 objects inside the museum. The finest collections of American art in the Southeast, the sub-Saharan African artifacts, Chinese art, and the largest and most comprehensive collection of decorative arts here in the south.
Another unique thing about the museum is it’s got a massive Coca-Cola artifact and museum display of collection of there as well. We’ve got great Cuban. paintings, they have a lot of art talks, and there’s also a planetarium within the Museum of Arts and Sciences. And right next door to the Museum of Arts and Sciences is the Cici & Hyatt Brown Museum of Art. It’s the largest collection of Florida art. And over in Ormond Beach there is the Ormond Memorial Art Museum in Gardens. Another place to see beautiful art. I mentioned earlier too, here in the downtown Daytona Beach area, the Halifax Historical Museum. That’s a great destination to find out more about the history of Daytona Beach, its origins, and where we’re at now.
Bec: Oh, fabulous. You mentioned Coca-Cola. Is there a local connection then with that huge company?
Andrew: Yes. The Root family, which is local, they had a strong involvement in Coca-Cola and a lot of those artifacts are from their collection.
Bec: Pat, let’s come back to you. As general manager at Rose Villa Restaurant, you must have your nose to the ground when it comes to eating and drinking in Daytona. You touched on your local neighbourhood, but where else is there that’s brilliant and people and visitors must check out.
Pat: Sure Bec, one of my favourite restaurants in Florida is located in downtown Daytona Beach, and that’s the Cellar restaurant and that was Warren Harding’s, former home. Warren Harding was our 29th president, and he lived there, prior to becoming president, in the winters, with his wife and his in-laws. Now the restaurant is one of the best, like I said, in Florida, it’s great Italian food. It’s located. What would describe as the cellar, you actually walk down to getting into it.
And Chef Sam Moggio is one of the best chefs in Central Florida as well. As well as my chef, chef Sylvia Herrera. There’s a new spot and one of my favourite spots here in this area, going down to New Smyrna Beach. It was a great day of walking and dining and eating, and that’s the Avenue. It’s a new restaurant, three stories overlooking the, you can see both the river and the beach from the Avenue, and that’s located on Flagler Avenue. Down in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, which is about 20 minutes south of here. So all these restaurants, oh, another one of my favourites by the way, is Martinis Chophouse, and that’s on South Ridgewood, just south of the core tourist area here in here in Daytona. It’s organic fine dining. Some wonderful spots here, here in the Daytona Beach area and along the beach side in your core tourist area. There’s some wonderful local and national chains all serving the, what Florida’s known for the all the fish and the shrimp and scallops, all the local fresh seafood. So you certainly can find that anywhere. One of the best steakhouses in the area is located inside of our largest hotel, which is the Hilton Daytona Beach, Ocean Walk. And Hyde Park has some of the best steaks in central Florida. So, and that’s also dining al Fresco if you so choose right along the sea line coastline.
Bec: Oh, gorgeous. I can just imagine like lovely summer’s evenings, looking over all this water and just had such a brilliant pick of food. Tell us about, as well, the menu at Rose Villa though, and also, I want to hear more about the building there as well. From the pictures it looks gorgeous.
Pat: Yeah. Yeah. Well, the Rose Villa can be located at rosevillaormondbeach.com. We have a great gallery on there, but the house was built in 1901 by Henry Flagler. So many of your listeners maybe that have visited the area before, have heard the Flagler name. He was an initial investor in the standard oil company with John Rockefeller making them both the richest guys in the country at the time.
Flagler was not a big fan of the oil business, and he used the proceeds from his business to build a railroad here along Florida’s coastline and along the way, built hotels. One of them was here in Ormond Beach, the Ormond Hotel, which he basically he built this house in 1901, he had that opening at the same time, so he was going back and forth.
The Rose was a 10 room guest house for Mr. Flagler. And it had such a cool life, history. A lot of the drivers that broke the land speed record here in Ormond stayed here. And then in 2006, well, Mr. Flagler passed in 1913 and part of it became a boarding house for about the next 75 years.
Then Bill Jones, a local businessman, bought it in 2006 and turned in what it is today, which is one of Central Florida’s best dining restaurants. We just had a visitor from a popular TV show here in here in the United States, Guy Fieri has a show called Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, pretty unique character.
And he visited the restaurant a few weeks ago and fell in love with the Bouillabaisse and the pork chop. Those were his two favourite things.
Bec: Oh, nice.
Pat: Chef Herrera graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. And you wouldn’t think that a seaside tourist town like, like Ormond Beach. Would be known for its bouillabaisse, but he fell in love with it.
So no, we, we have southern fried chicken, the best fried chicken I’ve ever had, the best pork chop I’ve ever had. A couple great steaks. It’s just a really cool atmosphere. It’s very unlike anything. It’s a Victorian style building. 32 patterns of wallpaper, two bars, one being a whisky and bourbon bar, and a lot of great Irish whiskey as well.
And it’s one of the best bourbon collections in central Florida, so it’s a must for any bourbon aficionados coming from the UK. And then downstairs, as I mentioned before, we have the Bluebird Bar, which is a full bar. Dedicated to Sir Malcolm Campbell and the Bluebird and all the drivers that drove in that you’ll see pictures of three of four drivers that did pass driving it along with Sir Malcolm Campbell.
Bec: Oh, fabulous. Brilliant. Now Andrew, one of the things that caught my eye was the self-guided tours of the city that visitors can do. Can you tell me some more about those please?
Andrew: Absolutely. We created something called the Ultimate Daytona Beach Trail Guide, and it’s a guide to the most beloved car, craft, and culture themed attractions, iconic places, photo worthy spots all here in the destination. So those trails include hiking and biking. We talked about those 70 miles of hiking and biking trails here. Craft and artisan spirits, motorsports, iconic sites, African American history such as the Jackie Robinson ballpark, and the statute we talked about. Murals. We have a lot of street art all throughout the destination, and then statues and monuments, so they have a trail for each of those categories.
And those trails really are, it’s really just a collection of theme tours that help guide the visitor through the area. And the many cultural, historical, natural attractions, the great places for food and spirits, it really is just served as a kind of a way to find those different spots. It’s self-guided. You don’t have to do them all. It’s really just a way to find kind of, make your plans and decide what you want to do.
Bec: And are they downloadable from your website or where do people find them?
Andrew: Yeah, absolutely. That’s on daytonabeach.com and if you go to ‘things to do’ and click on ‘trails’, you’ll find all the different trails there that you can explore.
Bec: Oh, brilliant. Sounds like a great introduction. So, we’ve touched on it a little bit, but I want to go into a bit more detail. Daytona’s location. You know, Pat mentioned it’s an hour from many places, but Andrew, it sounds like it’s a great base to explore the rest of Florida. Where else should people see and do if they’re staying in Daytona for their holidays.
Andrew: Absolutely. Daytona Beach can kind of be like your base camp just a little bit south of Daytona Beach. About an hour south is the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral area. And of course, that’s where the America Space Program got its start back in the 1960s, and it’s still having active launches today. You might be fortunate if you visit this area, it’s not uncommon to see a launch. At any time during the day, you might be lucky enough to get something at night. Those things are just stunning to watch. Just about an hour west of Daytona Beach is Orlando. That’s where we have Orlando International Airport.
So that’s a great airport to fly into. And you can take Interstate 4 East to Daytona Beach. Interstate 4 connects here in Daytona Beach with Interstate 95, which runs north and south. And of course, there’s great attractions in the Orlando area such as Walt Disney World, SeaWorld, and Universal Studios.
So those are all the things you can do in Orlando. Now, just north of Daytona Beach, about 45 minutes to an hour is St. Augustine, one of the oldest towns in the United States. And of course, they’ve got a several different forts there and a lot of great Spanish history and some great restaurant and dining there.
So Daytona Beach can be a great place where you can make a lot of day trips throughout Florida during your visit.
Bec: That sounds perfect. Yes, definitely. Well, lastly, Pat, let’s just turn to you, Let’s say one of your oldest friends was visiting, how would you spend your ideal day in Daytona Beach with them?
Pat: Well, that’s a great question, and let’s go back to the boozing that I seem to be doing all the time. One of my favourite spots here is the Ocean Deck. So picking up a good buddy, I’d probably hit the Ocean Deck, which is located just south of the pier, here in the core area of Daytona Beach. And then after that, maybe, depending on the weather, round of golf at one of the wonderful golf courses here in the greater Daytona Beach area.
And then to top the night off, if I wasn’t going to the Rose Villa for dinner, I’d certainly be going to Hyde Park for a seaside steak dinner with one of my best mates.
Bec: Mm-hmm. Sounds good. Andrew, how about you? How would you spend your dream day?
Andrew: If I had a visitor who was joining me here today in Daytona Beach, I would probably kick off by going to the beach to see the sunrise. Probably grab a quick breakfast at Donny’s Donuts. That’s a great gourmet donut establishment that we have both in Ormond Beach, Smyrna Beach, and at ONE DAYTONA near the racetrack.
And speaking of Daytona, I would probably take them on a track tour of the Speedway because I want to make sure that they see one of the America’s greatest racetracks. And of course, I would make sure that we see the Motorsports Hall of Fame and that’s where they’ll find the Bluebird 5. I forgot to mention earlier, the Bluebird 5, Malcolm Campbell’s great land speed vehicle, maybe catch the archives, which is also, um, across the street, it’s a great site for NASCAR memorabilia. After the track tour would probably try to cash a Museum of Arts and Scientists on our way down to Ponce Inlet, where we would see the lighthouse and kind of wrap up our day and probably have a nice seafood dinner somewhere along the way there in Ponce Inlet. That’s probably what I would do during the day.
Bec: They both sound like pretty nice days, to be honest. Well, thank you so much, both of you for joining us today. It’s been brilliant to hear more about Daytona Beach.
Andrew: My pleasure. Thanks for having us.
Pat: Thanks, Bec.
Bec: To find out more and book your next holiday to Daytona Beach, visit charitable.travel/daytona-beach and for more info on Daytona Beach. Visit daytonabeach.com. Follow them on social media. And to learn more about Rose Villa Restaurant, go to rosevillaormondbeach.com.
Take a 30-minute holiday and Visit Lauderdale, Florida in this episode of Charitable Travel’s TIPs! Join us as we speak to Tracy Vaughan and Paul Mason of Broward County Tourist board, for an insider’s guide to the region and all it has to offer. Home to a diverse, welcoming community and more than 300 miles of canals, as well as a stunning stretch of beach, Greater Fort Lauderdale is well-loved for its active outdoors lifestyle, enjoyed with a hint of luxury – and of course the Everglades!
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles, and I’m a travel journalist and the host of this podcast series that’s otherwise known as TIPs. Today we aim to not just give you lots of great travel tips, but we also want to transport you from wherever you are right now.
Perhaps you’re walking through the park, or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, transport you to a place that will inspire you. Today we’re traveling to Greater Fort Lauderdale, a city on Florida’s, southeast Atlantic coast, and the county of Broward.
Easily accessible with its own international airport, Greater Fort Lauderdale is 45 minutes north of Miami. and an hour south of West Palm Beach and has great train links with the rest of Florida. Home to a diverse, welcoming community and more than 300 miles of canals, as well as a stunning stretch of beach, Greater Fort Lauderdale is well loved for its active outdoors lifestyle, enjoyed with a hint of luxury. But also, within Broward County is the Everglades, covering two thirds of the region.
So where else could you be enjoying some glamorous al fresco dining downtown one minute, and up close and personal with all the gators, birds and wildlife in the everglade the next. Joining me to share the secrets of Greater Fort Lauderdale and Broward County are Paul Mason and Tracy Vaughan from the Broward County Tourist Board.
So, let’s hand things over to the pair of them to tell us more about what we should do on a visit to Fort Lauderdale on our next holiday stateside.
So, thanks so much for joining us, Paul and Tracy. Tracy let’s start with you. Can you set the scene for us? Tell us about your downtown location and what’s on your doorstep, please.
Tracy Vaughan: Absolutely. Yes, I am here in downtown Fort Lauderdale and just steps away from our main street called Las Olas, which translates into the waves and is known as our street that takes you from the beach to our entertainment and restaurant district. Along Las Olas, you’re going to find lots of restaurants, some interesting shopping cause it’s all local restaurants and stores that are there.
So, it’s beautiful area, certainly for our visitors to experience. And behind Las Olas, is actually the new river which is has a wonderful river walk. It’s such a beautiful area to go to and on the new river you’re going to find the water taxi, which actually is the first stop of our water taxi.
And if you think about our water taxi, think about your hop on, hop off bus, but instead of having buses, we have boats. It’s a great way to experience our whole area. Actually, you can pick up the water taxi right there along the new river and it can take you out to the beach area, both south of our county and north of our county as well. And what’s so wonderful about it’s, you’re kind of getting a behind the scenes view of where people live because along the way, as you’re on the new river, you get to the intercoastal, but there’s waterways all along there as well, we have over three new miles of waterways and you’re going to see beautiful homes, the beautiful yachts. Quite amazing, quite a great experience to have and such a good way just to get around and experience all of our entire county essentially. So that’s kind of an overview of what we can see from here in, in downtown.
Rebecca Miles: That’s fabulous. So those canals sound incredible. Do you say there’s 300 miles of them?
Tracy Vaughan: Yes, 300 miles of canals. So, it’s quite spectacular. Like when you fly in you can kind of see how all these canals connect all the way out west. I mean, we’re big county and quite frankly in the western side of our county is everglade. But, these canals, they do travel back into the western side of our, our counties, and I should mention that, you know, we’re the yachting capital of the world, and you’ll go by these homes and you’ll see these beautiful boats and yachts behind the homes, but Bec, you’ll see that throughout because we are connected by these, these waterways. And we’re also known as the NIC of America. With all those waterways, we’re certainly known for our water.
Rebecca Miles: Amazing. So, people just get around by boat much more than they do buy a car or on land?
Tracy Vaughan: Well, I mean, it’s certainly an option. It’s certainly an option for a lot of folks here.
It’s, you know, you live here, and you’ll want to have a boat some form of, it doesn’t have to be big yacht, can be a little power boat, a paddleboard. There’s lots of ways to get around. I mean, quite frankly, I’m a big fan of getting around on the waterways and a kayak.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, wonderful. So if you’re visiting it’s easy to rent something to get on the water on?
Tracy Vaughan: Absolutely. Lots of options for being able to rent kayaks, jet skis as well. You can take a tour where you’re going around on a jet ski, so it’s quite interesting. So, lots of ways to, to experience our waterways, absolutely.
Rebecca Miles: Gorgeous. Paul let’s turn to you for a moment. I’d like you to tell me a bit more about the coast, please. You’re, you know, you’re right up against that Atlantic Ocean. You’ve got eight beach villages, is that right?
Paul Mason: We actually have 31 beach towns and inland communities that down along the Atlantic Ocean, and of course Intercoastal waterways. But yes, there are eight main actual beach communities. You can go from Deerfield, which is our furthest, most northern part of the beach, all the way down to Hallandale, which is our southern part of Broward County and the Greater Fort Lauderdale region each have their own very distinct vibe to them as well as lots of activities that you can do in each one.
To give you a couple of examples, Hillsborough, it’s just three miles long, in terms of length and 900 feet wide, that’s all it is. It’s nestled between the Intercoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, and one of the things that we love most about Hillsborough is its historic lighthouse. You could take a tour and you could actually see during, from March through October, sea turtles nesting.
That’s the, the great thing about Hillsborough as well is it’s, it’s very quiet. It’s a very calm, relaxed, relaxed community. Pompano, I was just there on Monday, got to walk around the pier. The name Pompano was named after the Pompano fish and the actual pier is shaped like a fish. And divers especially love Pompano as well, you can actually literally go diving and see 18 shipwrecks, including the SS Copenhagen, which ran aground in 25 feet of water in 1900. You also walk literally just a hundred yards off the beach and see beautiful coral reef as well.
Rebecca Miles: Fantastic. You don’t expect to find Coral Reef on that sort of coast. That’s brilliant.
Paul Mason: Well, and actually we’re very, very fortunate with that. We’re, I mean, literally one of the questions that I know we’re going to talk about later on is, is our water sports and sports in general, and that’s what makes us such a unique sporting destination is all of the different types of water activities we have, as Tracy mentioned earlier, as well as other sports activities.
Even our communities like Lauderdale by the Sea, it’s got that old Florida vibe. You’re not going to see a lot of high rises in, in Lauderdale by the sea. It’s, it’s the older hotels that make up what the old Florida used to be that are still very, very much in existence and thriving right on the beach.
Then of course we have Fort Lauderdale, which is the heart of the greater Fort Lauderdale region. It’s known for our, our swanky restaurants and shops, and of course some very beautiful hotels, which of course dot the coastline as well.
And then of course Dania Beach, which I actually really enjoy because it’s very quiet, it’s really known for its solitude – terrific restaurants as well. And then last but not least, I’d love to talk about Hollywood, which is also known for its walkable path, or what we call the broadwalk here, not the boardwalk, so you have to make sure you use that R in there. And it’s a great mix of 30 architecture modern hotels; Margaritaville and the Costa, as well as restaurants like Gigi’s. And one of my favourites La tub, which is a, it’s a hamburger joint, right on the intercostal.
Rebecca Miles: Oh fabulous, Margaritaville sounds fabulous.
Paul Mason: It is! It’s right on the Boardwalk, Jimmy Buffet and of course, Margaritaville, the song, that’s where it comes from – they have a variety of restaurants on property, and it’s literally right in the centre of the Broadwalk in Hollywood beach.
Rebecca Miles: lush. Fabulous. And now I understand you as well love your sports memorabilia and history. Why is Greater Fort Lauderdale such a good place to be for sports fans?
Paul Mason: Well, one of the things that Tracy had mentioned, and I alluded to it as well, a few minutes earlier, is that it’s, it’s water sports, water sports, and water sports for the most part. I mean, if you want to go fishing, we are the place to go fishing. It’s a fisherman’s paradise here you can hook Pompano, as we talked about earlier, mackerel, Jackson and even sometimes shark. You can do that off of our piers and our waterways or out in the ocean on a yacht if you’d like.
One of the things that’s near and dear to Tracy’s heart is cycling and of course skating. We have so many trails and areas that you can cycle on. It is one of the things that we are known for. And incidentally, we were voted among the top 10 places to skate by rollerblading here in Greater Fort Lauderdale. There is other, some great scenic bicycle routes as well, which Tracy also talk about if she would like the Hollywood Broadwalk is one of them. The Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard, Elmar Drive in Lauderdale by the Sea, and Rio Vista as well.
And other things that we’re known for, which we’re very, very excited about is our champions that play here. We have the Florida Panthers, which play at Florida Live. It’s a HL hockey team and we did very well last year. That’s located right out in Sawgrass Mills. I’m off of Sunrise, another one of our communities as well, and very close to the Everglades. So, we have a professional hockey team here.
We also have the Miami Dolphins now. Yes, they are in Miami Dade, but it’s literally touching us right on Broward County. And of course, a lot of our fans will stay in Fort Lauderdale and our region and go to one of the games as well.
We also have the soccer team, it’s the Inter Miami Club, and the biggest part is Formula One, which we have a lot of the teams that come here to perform at Formula One and compete. They actually started this past year in May, and they’ll be with us for another nine years.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, fabulous and there’ll be a great buzz when they’re in town then.
Paul Mason: Oh, it’s amazing. And, and one of the two other things I also want to mention about our sporting too, and Tracy already talked about it a little bit, but we of course, are known as the yachting capital of the world.
It’s all about our yachts and the 300 miles of waterway. And as she said, we are the Venice of America and the yachting capital of the world. So, you can do a lot of sporting off of that as well. Jet skis throughout our intercoastal and our waterway, as well as the ocean.
And last but not least, I would be remiss in my duties if I didn’t speak about our golfing. We have some of the best championship golf courses here and we regularly host the PGA, the USGA and the FSGA events.
Rebecca Miles: Wow, lots going on. So, for visitors arriving in Fort Lauderdale, where’s best for them to find out about the all the cycle paths, the walking paths, the, where should they head to?
Paul Mason: Well, you can go to our, our website, visit lauderdale.com, which of course will mention a lot of this as well. And, Tracy, did you want to talk about that as well?
Tracy Vaughan: Yeah absolutely, the website, visitlauderdale.com is the place to go to learn about all that we have. So, and it’s recently been revamped and it’s great. It’s very user friendly and so cool.
Rebecca Miles: Excellent. We’ll check it out. Tracy, Fort Lauderdale, Greater Fort Lauderdale is a huge cruise destination as well, isn’t it? Not just for sort of visiting yachts, but also visiting cruise ships. What can visitors expect when they arrive by ship?
Tracy Vaughan: Well, we are in fact a big cruise destination here and people come in, fly in here or drive in.
Most of our international travellers obviously are flying in and it’s so convenient. Our airport and our port are side by side. So, when you fly in, you actually can see the ships. We’re the third largest port in the world actually. We’re not only a cruise port, but a, a cargo port as well.
So, it’s big business here, needless to say, on both ends. But, yes, and so we, but we aren’t just such a great destination itself, so it’s wonderful for our travellers to come in and make themselves, plenty of time to arrive here and do a pre and a post-cruise stay. We highly encourage that, our port is right in the heart of Fort Lauderdale, very close to our beach.
One of our main roads that leads to the port is 17th Street and along 17th Street there’s plenty of hotels there. Quick, easy access to the port, and most of those hotels are going to provide you transportation to the port. But you’re also just very close too, I mentioned downtown Fort Lauderdale, you’re, you’re literally a 15-minute drive into downtown, to the beach and there’s lots of properties that are right along the beach.
So, it’s just a great opportunity for people as they’re coming into cruise to certainly take some time here and post-cruise trips. A lot of times we’ve suggested our, our travellers that are taking their crew, you know, keep that shopping option until you get back because we have Sawgrass mills, one of the largest outlet malls in the country.
And you know, it’s just great like, then you just come here and you actually, you know, spend a little bit, few more days and you go and, and, and shop before you leave. And we see a lot of people doing that. We are so pleased to have our port here. It’s such a wonderful port. We have eight different cruise lines that are currently, that cruise out of there. And we’re getting a new one starting in. Disney is moving service to here. So, we’re very excited about that. They’re going into Terminal four and it’s being renovated now to certainly look like the Disney brand. So, we’re very, very excited about that.
We’ve recently had Princess Cruises and have announced their largest ship ever. The Sun Princess is going to be sailing out Port Everglades in the fall of 2024. So just lots of exciting things happening here. In 2023, the Ascent Celebrity, which is an Edge class ship, will be spending its inaugural season operating out of Greater Fort Lauderdale.
Wow. Okay. Yeah,
Rebecca Miles: Wow, okay! Definitely plenty to get out on the water. Then also what I, what I’m loving about the sound of the place is the, this understated luxury. Tracy, how does that play out on a day-to-day basis for visitors?
Tracy Vaughan: Yeah, you know, it’s very interesting here. I think we just traditionally have not been known as that luxury destination. We have destination to the north of us and to the south of us that maybe have more of that reputation, but we certainly have it here and it’s, we consider it to be a casual luxury. And the fact that we are the yachting capital of the world. I mean, it tells you, you know, there’s yachts here which certainly resonates luxury, but it’s really understated.
But there’s so many activities and things to do here that have that feel of, of that luxury. I mean, we have our Broward Centre for Performing Arts where you can go and see Broadway shows and opera and ballet and, and concerts, and that’s right along that new river that I was talking about earlier in downtown.
What’s so cool about it is people actually arrive to the centre in their boats or in their yachts, which you might want to call them.
It’s in our little entertainment district and close by, is also the NSU Art Museum. Beautiful, beautiful museum. It’s so wonderful, and the Museum of Discovery and Sciences in that area as well. But you really get this sense of this opportunities to, to enjoy our arts and our culture, that it’s just really understated and it’s all very accessible. I think sometimes you go into these areas that are kind of known for the luxury and, and you may be intimidated to some degree, but here you just, it really is casual and it’s comfortable. But there are opportunities, obviously, you know, for some fine dining, rooftop dining, al fresco dining. So, it’s all here, but it’s kind of understated and, and we love it for that reason because we like to think, you know, we’re everyone under the sun we welcome everyone. We want everyone to feel comfortable here and find your place here. And we really feel like we do that. We do it well.
Rebecca Miles: That’s good to hear. Where in particular do you like to go for dinner? Where do you seek out?
Tracy Vaughan: I, it’s interesting because, I’m very fortunate where I live, I have things right around me that I can literally walk to and I love anything where I can sit outside and that al fresco dining, and so much of that is near body or water, whether it’s the intercoastal, the waterways, or actually, you know, Beachside. So, I’m a big fan of having that opportunity. So, I have a place near me that’s called Shooters. That’s right on the, intracoastal you can get there by water taxi. So, it’s very, very cool and in that little district, that little area where it is, there’s lots of little places that, you know, little local restaurants that you can go there, but then you can walk out the door and there’s options to go hear some entertainment and so forth.
So, but there’s lots of these places all over. It’s hard, it’s hard to nail that one down. And as I mentioned earlier, there’s lots of restaurant, all of our communities do, and I think what’s really interesting here, because we are such a diverse community, the options for different types of food is incredible.
Whatever you’re looking for, you’ll find it here and throughout the county – and I love that, you know, small places that run by locals cooking with where, you know, wherever they may have come from. So, lots of different ethnic food here that’s just absolutely incredible. And again, it’s almost like that understated. It’s not like showing off, it’s just this is real.
Rebecca Miles: That sounds great. So, it’s just sort of naturally inclusive, naturally. Everyone’s welcome.
Tracy Vaughan: Yes. Absolutely.
Rebecca Miles: Paul. Now, you’re so close to the Everglades, aren’t you, in Fort Lauderdale. How do you recommend seeing the best of that delicate ecosystem?
Paul Mason: Now one of the great things about, our region and I think we’ve alluded to it as well a little bit earlier, is that literally you can be in saltwater and then 20 minutes later you can be in freshwater with the Everglades. That’s how close it is.
So, the best way to see the Everglades and, and, and one of the things, it’s, it’s one of my favourite parts of living here in Fort Lauderdale. My family just came down a few weeks ago and one of the things that we did right away, the first thing they wanted to see were the Everglades and, and how do we get around the Everglades?
We took them on an airboat ride. Now that’s just one part of the Everglades. But again, one of the reasons why the Everglades are so popular and why we want people to go on experiences you’ll never see anything like it, it is an ecosystem unlike anywhere else in the world, the wildlife you will see in the wilderness, wilderness you won’t find anywhere else in the United States.
So, it is a must when you are here. So, as you know, we are the gateway to the Everglades. We have several parks that do provide services such as airboat rides, and you have a chance to see some of that wildlife and wilderness that we spoke. Possibly seeing alligators and Florida Panthers, which for lot of Florida panthers are, that is their natural home right in the Everglades.
We also, you know, work with companies such as Everglades Holiday Park, and Sawgrass Recreation Park, where you can get around and enjoy those airboat rides, a seminal village, a live alligator show, and reptiles and birds of prey exhibits. You can also do camping and boating and fishing in the Everglades as well.
So that’s something to also keep in mind. There are private tours and that kind of adventures that are also available, so lots of ways to get around. One of the things that I prefer though, I would always recommend to anyone that is coming to our region to definitely do an airboat ride, to feel the air in your face as you’re, as you’re moving through the waterways. It’s just amazing, you know, but you make sure you have to bring your earplugs, and if you don’t have them, they’ll provide them for you. But that’s an experience like nothing else. They, they talk about the history of the Everglades and, and how the ecosystem actually works. So, it’s not just about, you know, adventure and, adventure touring and all of that. It’s also a bit of education as well.
Rebecca Miles: That’s cool because it is, as you say, it’s such a unique place, isn’t it? It’s unlike anywhere else.
Paul Mason: Yeah, unlike anywhere else in the world. Or in the United States at least!
Rebecca Miles: Not bad, now you’ve spoken previously about that hard to put your finger on feeling of Greater Fort Lauderdale. Can you try and describe what it is for you about the various communities that make the place so vibrant?
Paul Mason: It’s funny, when we spoke about this earlier prior to the interview, it’s that the vibes are so different everywhere. It’s so hard to put your finger on just one vibe. And honestly, that’s why we are really everyone under the sun. That’s what we’re all about here. You’ll see it in all of our information. Everyone under the sun.
We welcome visitors from all over the world, not just domestically here in the States, or not just Europe and England, but everywhere. Everywhere in the world. One of the great things about our region is how many multicultural residents we have. We have over 180 languages that are spoken right here. So, if you think about that, that vibe and it’s, it’s amazing. So just that alone and all of the cultures that are here, that live here, work here and thrive here. That in itself is a vibe that can offer, you know, anything that anyone could possibly want right here in our region.
So whatever culture, whatever, creed, origin, ethnicity, and how you identify yourself, you’ll find here as well. One of the other great things too about our vibe is our LGBTQ plus presence. We are the capital of LGBTQ Plus community here in Florida. And hundreds of LGBTWQ+ owned and operated hospitality businesses including hotels, bars, clubs, and restaurants in our, our own, CVB here, we do have someone that represents this community and represents it all over the world. We have an incredible pride event here, that happens once a year, annually. So again, we’re very, very open to everyone under the sun, and that vibe carries through every community that we have.
Not just in our culture and in the languages that we all speak and the different backgrounds that all have here, but also in the types of beach communities that we have. Some are more relaxed; some are more vibrant and exciting. With a little bit of a nightlife, you have a great restaurant presence, as Tracy mentioned earlier, as well as a luxury presence, which in the past we weren’t really known for, but now we are.
So, you, you have those different vibes – if you want sports and yachting we have that vibe too. So tough to put it on just one, put my finger on one point of it. It’s literally 180 different types of vibes in the language that we speak, and over 140 cultures that live here. So, think about that as a vibe and that’s how much we have.
Rebecca Miles: That’s brilliant. It’s great to hear how important that is to you as well. It’s really makes it sound so welcome. It’s brilliant.
Paul Mason: You know, you just said you have the water sports, the beaches, the Everglades, a cosmopolitan lifestyle with luxury, professional sports and world class shopping all in one place. It is everyone under the sun.
Rebecca Miles: Now, Tracy, tell me about these tiki boats please. They have a special place in Fort Lauderdale’s history, don’t they?
Tracy Vaughan: They do. They’re so interesting. So, we do have these tiki boats. They look like a tiki, interesting story behind it – a couple here. The gentleman was retiring, and his wife was like, I want a tiki in the backyard.
And they happened to live in of these waterways and, and he thought about it, and he was an engineer when he thought about it, he thought, well this is going to take up too much space in the yard so I’m going to put in the waterway and so he did. And its coastguard approved anything with, you know, any water or vehicle would need to be. And so, you know, they decided to put a motor on it, and he said, you know what? This, we can go, when I talked about the Al Fresco dining, well we can 15th Street Fisheries, on our tiki, and cruising along their, in these other boats and yachts. And people are like, wait a minute, where did you get that? What is it? Yes. What, what is this? And so, he was encouraged because people were like, well, we want one. Well, he had, you know, built this himself. So, he did that. He started building them and selling them, and it became a franchise. And they’re actually all over the country now. Different cities around the country with waterways and rivers. You find these tiki boats there. But it’s such a cool way to experience here.
Six people. It’s got, it’s a little bar. Just as you would imagine to have in your backyard – a little bar with, with the bar stools, it’s the bring your own whatever beverage and snacks that you might want, you bring those with you. Six people. You go out for a couple of hours; you decide where you want to go. It’s just such a fun way – So if you got a group of friends or you’re here with your family and you just want to create your own bespoke experience of being on our waterway. It’s such a fun way to do it.
They did tell me that this fun story, they have a client that’s a regular, that has a group of girlfriends, and he literally picks them up at her home takes them to, I mentioned shooters earlier, takes them to shooters with a happy hour and that’s their whole thing. They, they bring their own and then they Uber home, but it’s like a regular, you know, girls get together once a month and this is what they do, and it’s like, how fun is that? I mean, it’s just such a unique, and you just create your own experience. So, we highly encourage it. They’ll pick you up where you like along the waterway, but they do have a, a regular pickup in downtown as well.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, fabulous. Yeah, that sounds just, as you say, perfect fun, what a unique experience. So, lastly Paul, if one of your oldest friends was visiting, how would you spend your ideal day together in Greater Fort Lauderdale? Where would you go? What would you do? Where would you, what would you eat? What would you want to see?
Paul Mason: It’s, it’s, it’s an interesting question because I think everyone has different types of friends… It depends on the friends. I, have friends of mine that would be very happy going shooters as said earlier and just sitting there all day and enjoying themselves,
Rebecca Miles: I meant more for a shake, showcase this, it’s more about what’s available… beyond shooters!
Paul Mason: Exactly, But you know, the typical time that we have with friends that come to visit us, and of course, Things that I could definitely tell you I’m a north easterner, but when I moved here, I found a whole bunch of new friends I never knew I had from the Northeast that wanted to come down and, you know, spend time in the area, which is really, it’s fantastic.
I think one of the main parts of a day would be literally showing them the beaches and enjoying that part of it. I know that my friends, one of my best friends from home came down with his wife and family and we took him to Hollywood, and we walked on the, on the broadwalk and had a great time, and later on in the morning we went to the beach after we had breakfast and just enjoyed the beach atmosphere.
Later on in that day, and one of the things that I highly recommend is strolling around Las Olas and enjoying that. You can have a, a great bite to eat as, as Tracy had mentioned earlier around Las Olas, whether it be for lunch… And then of course there are some great shops, which of course, people love to shop, at least that’s what I’m told by my wife and family, such a cliché, sorry!
Tracy did mention that as well, you know, if it’s a rainy day here, you can go up to Sawgrass Mills Mall, which is the second largest attraction here in Florida. So, you know, and just walk around and, and enjoy the mall and, some of their higher end stores as well as the, the regular stores that you’ll find anywhere – but here they’re outlets.
So, at the end of the day, my favourite thing to do is just that I love the beach. I love giving a chance to go out in the water. Taking, you know, a, a boat on, on the in Intercoastal and going up and down and seeing those beautiful million-dollar homes and, and all of the beautiful hotels that that thought both the in Intercoastal as well as the ocean.
So that is something that I enjoy doing as an ideal day. And then of course, at night, finishing up with something that I love called the Ale Trail, which I kind of alluded to I think a little bit earlier, where we actually have an ale trail where you can take a look at the map and, and follow it and we actually are, are getting quite well known for our craft beer and micro-breweries here.
So, you can enjoy that and have a card and make sure that you, you get notified or, notice for your stop at that bar. And then last but not least, and Tracy, I would be remiss if I didn’t ring up Jackson’s for ice cream at the end of the day. Jackson’s is in Dania Beach and it’s, right off of Route One. It’s, I believe established in 1956, and it’s known for its incredible ice cream, which is all made right there on premise. It is a huge, huge tourist destination as well as locals love it. Great menu. And of course, the scenery, it’s like old Americana with license plates and things hanging from the ceiling and the walls.
So, it’s, it’s a lot of fun. And if you, you know, are with, with friends that have come into town, I highly recommend that, especially if they have kids.
Rebecca Miles: Oh yeah. And who doesn’t live a bit of ice cream.
Paul Mason: Oh my God. It’s, it’s the best. And, and quite honestly, you know, for an ideal Day, beach, a little bit of water sports and finish it off with a nice restaurant and some ice cream at.
Rebecca Miles: Perfect. Tracy, how about you? How would you spend your Dream Day in greater Fort Lauderdale?
Tracy Vaughan: Well, Paul alluded earlier that, biking is very important to me. I’m a cyclist and regularly, most days I get up early and take a ride. Along our scenic highway, A1A that hugs, hugs the Atlantic Ocean so that I can see the sunrise.
And I’ve been doing this for quite some time here and I never tire of it every day it’s different. I caught it this morning. It’s just amazing. I love it and it’s just such a great way to start your day. And I was thinking about it when I was riding this morning that it’s amazing to me too how many mornings I can get up and do it. I don’t go out when it’s raining and storming! But it’s the motivation that gets me up in the morning, see the sunrise.
But I was thinking about it. You can do it almost every single day. I mean it, you know, we do get rain obviously. That’s why it’s so beautiful here in green and beautiful. We have over 3,000 hours of, of sunshine every year here. And so, I feel so fortunate because we are an outdoor destination year-round.
And so that’s how my day starts and if I was spending all day with a friend and hope they’d want to bike with me and go catch that sunrise.
Rebecca Miles: What time do you typically need to be up to catch the sunrise then?
Tracy Vaughan: Well, right now it, you know, it varies. Right now, the sun’s rising a little after 7:00 AM. So, I go out, I typically go out a little bit after six and so it just depends what time I’m catching at because, you know, earlier, it was rising of six 30 and so forth, so I make a six o’clock. So, I’m either catching it on the front end or the back end of my ride, but I’m catching it for sure.
Rebecca Miles: Where’d you head to after seeing the sun?
Tracy Vaughan: Well, you know, the thing about, you know, if it’s on the weekend, and Paul mentioned this earlier, but, you know, you got to go jump in some salt water , and unfortunately right here, close to where I live, Lauderdale by the sea, it, it does have shore diving, but I go snorkelling and I would go, it’s about a hundred metres off and you, you come to the first reef.
So, it’s easy, you know, if you love to snorkel and be in the water and can do that. It’s just such a refreshing way – a great way to start the day, right? And you know, I got to fuel up and so forth. And there’s a great little restaurant called The Alchemist. It’s over in Maynard that Paul mentioned earlier, which is what Maynard is known as our LGBTQ community.
But it’s such a wonderful community with so many wonderful places to eat. But the Alchemist is known as a kind of a great place to go for that morning coffee. And they have some wonderful breakfast, and brunch type foods are definitely going to fuel up and go there. And I am just a big, you know, I love the outdoors and I love the flora here.
And so, I would want to take my friends out to Flamingo Gardens of just such a unique place. They have over 3,000 species of plants and trees. And they had the largest collection of Florida wildlife as well. So, it’s just such a great experience and it’s just a way just to kind of chill out and, and just be amongst nature, but you’re still right here in this community and it’s just a cool way to spend an afternoon leisurely.
And what’s really too, because I live here, there’s a lot of interesting nurseries out there. And I just like to go and walk through the nursery – I would drag somebody with me and buy some plants. I’m about that, but yeah. You know, like just wrapping up the day, I mentioned earlier the alfresco dining and, and some really cool areas.
Pompano Beach. Paul touched on that as well, but it’s just a great, there’s that pier there, there’s several restaurants that are right on the beach, and there’s some little, there’s some little shops in there as well, so it’s just a great place just to take a walk about. And then have a nice dinner and you can go have dinner at one of the restaurants and then have an after-dinner… There’s a little new rooftop bar there that opened up the last six months in one of our hotels. And again, it’s overlooking the ocean. It’s high up that you can now look to the west and see the sunset. It’s, it’s actually a true, a Hilton, so it’s, that hotel just opened up about six months ago. So, it’s, it’s the rooftop bar that sits on top of that, that hotel. It’s very, very, very cool. And it’s a large space too, so quite interesting, and sometimes they have music there. So, it’s just a great to close out, fun, relaxing, kind of day.
Rebecca Miles: So, from sunrise to sunset for you.
Tracy Vaughan: Absolutely.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, fabulous. Well, thank you both Paul and Tracy so much for joining me today. It’s been great talking.
Paul Mason: Oh, thank you very much.
Tracy Vaughan: Thank you.
Rebecca Miles: To find out more and book your next holiday to Greater Fort Lauderdale, visit charitable.travel. For more information on Greater Fort Lauderdale, visit lauderdale.com and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter under the handle @VisitLauderdale.
Discover the beautiful Greek islands in this episode, as we speak to Eleni Skarveli, Director of the Greek National Tourism Organisation, Anni Mitropoulou of the Cyclades Preservation Fund and Victoria Turner of the Ionian Environment Foundation.
Learn about initiatives in place to preserve these beautiful islands so we can enjoy them for years to come, and be inspired by the wonderful natural offering that the islands present to tourists.
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles, and I’m a travel journalist and the host of this podcast series that’s otherwise known as TIPs. Today we aim to not just give you lots of great travel tips, but we also want to transport you from wherever you are right now.
Perhaps you’re walking through the park or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, to a place that will inspire you. Today we’re travelling to the Greek islands and in particular the Ionian and the Cyclades Islands. The Ionian Islands are to the west of mainland Greece and are where you’ll find among those Corfu, Paxos, Zakynthos and Kefalonia.
The Cyclades are in the Aegean Sea and are under the southeast of mainland Greece. Home to many tiny islands, some of the most well-known are Mykonos, Naxos and Santorini. Idyllic Mediterranean Islands known for their white sandy beaches, warm hospitality, and ancient history, they are justifiably popular holiday destinations.
But behind the beautiful Instagram sunset pictures, there’s another side to the islands that we want to uncover, and that is to talk about all the incredible conservation work that local charities are doing. So joining us today are Annie Mitropoulou from the Cyclades Preservation Fund, and Victoria Turner from the Ionian Environment Foundation, as well as Eleni Skarveli from the Greek National Tourism Organization.
So let’s hand things over to these three and hear more about life on the islands and the conservation efforts that are underway to protect and nourish these islands for future generations.
So thanks so much for joining us, Anni, Victoria, and Eleni. Anni, let’s start with you. Set the scene for us please, tell us where are you based,
Anni Mitropoulou: First of all, thank you for inviting us, Bec, it’s a real pleasure and honour joining this Charitable Travel’s Insider Podcast.
As a representative of the Cyclades Preservation, where am I based? Well, I used to live with family in Athens the capital of Greece, but during the pandemic, we decided to offer ourselves some quality of life, and we moved to the island of Naxos in the centre of the, of the Cyclades, in the heart of the Aegean sea. So I’m honoured to say that I’m now a real islander, you know, living the real experience of the Cyclades, which is amazing.
I would like to say not only in the summer, but also during autumn, spring and even during the winter. Imagine, we saw snow last year on the mountains! As the CPF is not only me, my colleagues are also based on some of the islands, on on Syros, on Naxos, on Santorini at the moment.
So we’re between Athens and all these beautiful places.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, you lucky thing. Victoria, tell us where are you joining us from and where’s your organization based?
Victoria Turner: Yes, hello. I’m a member of, well, the director of Ionian Environment Foundation, and I’m based in Paxos, which is a very small island, about 10 kilometres long, and about an hours hydrofoil away from Corfu Island.
It’s a beautiful, precious, and picturesque island. My home has been there for about 40 years. It, it’s a, a very romantic story about how that entered into my life. But consequently, to cut a very long story short, I have a home and a lovely, dynamic Greek family there so I’m very much part of that island.
But that said, the Ioninan Environment Foundation represents all of the Ionian islands, and as such, I guess you couldn’t really say it has a single base. We’ve, supported projects in Corfu and Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Lefkada, Ithaca… so you could say we’re based everywhere, but my place of preference because of my personal ties is, has to be Paxos.
Rebecca Miles: Beautiful. Yes. Annie, tell us more about the Cyclades Preservation Fund. What, what do you do?
Anni Mitropoulou: Wow. Yeah. Thank you. We do a lot of nice things. Actually, a lot of friends of mine say that they’re jealous of mine somehow because I have this dream job and I really feel lucky because this, the CPF gives me the opportunity to be in contact with such a beautiful place and such beautiful people.
So what is the Cyclades preservation fund? The CPF is a Greek registered not-for-profit association, which was set up to support sustainable initiatives and promote the preservation of the exceptional, breath-taking, I would say, beauty and the natural value of course of, of the Cyclades Islands.
So what we do is we try to raise funds locally and internationally from both, I would say, people and businesses and other organizations that care and rely on the Cycladic Islands wellbeing and future. And we ensure that these funds are directed appropriately to local effective and sustainable initiatives and organizations which have a measurable impact on land and at sea.
Let me just say that we are members of a global family, which is called The Conservation Collective, which is a global network of local philanthropic funds focused on protecting, preserving, and restoring the natural environment. And from our end, in the five years that we have been operating in the Cyclades, we have invested more than 400,000 euros in more than 65 environmental initiatives and collaboration with more than, I think 40 or more local partners in 20 islands of the Cyclades.
Rebecca Miles: Wow. So that’s a huge reach you’ve got covering all the islands. Getting involved really in the Grass roots?
Anni Mitropoulou: That’s exactly what we’re doing. We try to be as hands on as possible. We offer capacity and expertise where needed. And actually this is exactly the heart of the CPF. The fact that there are guiding principle is as bottom up as possible.
This bottom up approach that makes us somehow listen to and help the people of the Cyclades islands with initiatives that they themselves are starting because this is exactly what makes a difference. We’re not here to set the agenda, but we are providing support and guidance for conservation projects that the local communities have embraced.
I think this is exactly what makes the CPF different.
Rebecca Miles: Can you give me some examples of those specific projects?
Anni Mitropoulou: Absolutely. As I mentioned, there are more than 60 projects at the moment. So the main focus, I would say goes on, biodiversity and wildlife cause we are so lucky. And so to have such a beautiful and, and, and, and reach, uh, biodiversity, for example.
There are associations and initiatives working for protection and rehabilitation of wild animals. We have, um, sea turtles or dolphins or even this rare Mediterranean, monk seals that I’m sure that our visitors coming to the Atlantic Islands have seen during their sailing trips. We are protecting these animals by providing measures and capacity to the people on the ground to have the means to do so.
We work a lot with schools in the Cyclades. We run a lot of environmental education programs, either they have to do with the plastic use or they have to do with the local flora. We are creating botanical gardens and we are installing composting systems within schools for the new generation to get more familiar with the right waste management.
We are running campaigns to reduce single use plastic, or we’re working a lot with fishermen for them to do their best in order. Protect our seas, for example, by promoting fishing trips where in this case you see the fishermen can fish less. So put less pressure to the fish stocks, but at the same time earn more money.
And what’s the best is that we have super happy visitors experiencing the real, you know, like life of a fisherman and tasting this local fish. You know? Too many examples, I would say, where we target different locals and local groups. Either we, we will be working with, with fishermen or the schools or local entities, or even the women’s associations.
Rebecca Miles: This just sounds win-win for everyone involved. Tell me though, why are the Cyclades so important to you? What drew you them to you? What drew you to them?
Anni Mitropoulou: Yeah, well, apart from the fact that I’m married to an Islander, so the connection is obvious right now, and my family lives there, right? No, seriously, I genuinely believe that in this old saying that nature isn’t just a place to visit, that nature is home. And I think that, especially with the pandemic, but even, even apart from that, you know, like more and more we, we all find ourselves detached from nature. It’s like turning your back on your own elders, you know?
So we miss out on a lot of important life lessons. So I think that I’m privileged to have been reunited with, with nature during these, you know, like five years when I moved to Naxos, and especially the last three years when I moved to Naxos and mainly experiencing everything natural that the Cyclades have to offer.
Thanks to the CPF and the milestones we celebrated on the ground and the people, these local heroes, you know, all these, all these people who struggle, I would say right quietly to make sure that they will preserve their land. The sea of the Cyclades. So I’m really privileged because the Cyclades for me is now important, not only cause of its nature, but also cause of, of the people that I’ve met, all these partners we have, and this beautiful relations of, of trust that we have built all this previous years.
Rebecca Miles: Fabulous. Let’s turn to you Victoria. What does the Ionian Environment Foundation do?
Victoria Turner: Very similar setup to the Cyclades Preservation Fund in that we obviously are, are one of the Conservation Collective foundations. We essentially work very hard to raise funds initially from, from an array of businesses, individuals, philanthropists that care for this environment. And, and then as Anni explained, we, we seek out action groups or scientists, conservationists on the ground at a local level in the Ionia region, who need those funds. They need those funds to, to deliver worthwhile and impactful projects.
And what we aim to do is to allow our funds to really turbocharge those actions into good results and sustainable results. We often also work with, with other NGOs to group support such projects in order to make sure that that the relevant expertise and relevant fields of marine conservation, for example, are as best as they can be.
And we then very often work collaboratively to build a project that is, as I said, as impactful as possible with the main. Being to change mindsets and attitudes, both locally and arguably nationally, if we can never reach policy level about the importance of protecting these really pressure beautiful islands that we all love so much.
So essentially in that respect, I would say that what a lot of what we do is in a capacity building and, and a supporting. Other than just financial injections, we really try to build the best projects possible. It’s a huge part of, of what we do.
Rebecca Miles: And it sounds like there’s a real long term nature to your projects and having that vision to be thinking not just five, 10 years ahead, but way, way into the future. Is that right?
Victoria Turner: Exactly, because often small action groups or concerned environments lists locally will come to us with a problem. They’ll say, this beach is covered in litter. What can we do about it? Or, this farm fish farm is polluting. What can we do about it? We want it to be cleaned. We will always work hard to build a project that thinks about what?
What can we do to address this problem? But what can we do to address the cause? Only then will you really have a long term and an impactful project.
Rebecca Miles: And tell me, um, what attracted you to the Ionian Islands? I want to hear more about this romantic story from 40 years ago…
Victoria Turner: Well, what, what, what attracts anyone to the Ionian islands?
I mean, they are, they have this beautiful dynamic landscape. The mountains, the seed, the olive grows. Kofu and Paxos in particular have a very dramatic coastline. With the Venetian town tumbling down towards the water, it combines a lot of pleasures for the eye and the minds and the soul in my mind, obviously also the charm of the people and the easy-going laid back case of life.
These are all things that attracted me here. But I suppose what kept me here and what keeps me here, and as Anni said, what is such a privilege to be working here with is this deep desire and, and now ability to help protect these incredibly precious landscapes. And also to promote this awareness about, about their fragility, because if they’re lost to overdevelopment or, or overfishing or obliterated by the growing amount of, of waste, for example, who will come.
So it, it really does feel like a privilege to be here and, and be working with these projects during covid, during lockdown, for pretty much the whole of that year. And a bit like Anni said, it was, it was really then that you really reassessed what was important and how precious this environment was because all of a sudden on Paxos, there were no people, there were no planes flying over, there were no tourist boats, and the islands became pristine within a matter of months.
It was, it was really incredible how quickly the environment changed for the better. And I would, I would go on these, these stunning runs along the west coast of Paxos and look out to sea, and it was then that I spotted, a good hundred metres below me, the monk seal swimming. And as Anni said, these are a really endangered species, uh, most of which are found in the Iron Islands now, and part form, part of the projects that we, we work with to, to, to promote their conservation. But it was really that, that triggered me into thinking we have to do all that we can to ensure that this pristine environment is protected.
Because during the high season periods with crowded tourist folks crushing into those caves, they disturb the monk seals and they disappear, or they, they can’t even breed effectively. So a number of things really that, that make me feel excited about this role. And there’s much to do and I’m, and I’m thrilled if we can engage the tourist industry as far as possible with protecting the environment that they come to see.
Rebecca Miles: Eleni – turning to you, it sounds like Greece is really taking the lead on some strong conservation initiatives from improving this sustainability and waste management to wildlife rehabilitation. What’s the thinking behind of all of this?
Eleni Skarveli: Well, I feel very proud for all the initiatives that Anni and Victoria mentioned. And they’re doing an amazing job. I have to say. I also learn along, this is of course an ongoing work, but the most important thing is that we have started as a country, our sustainable journey, and this is what we are doing actually today. We, we want your help to start it out, and it’s of course it’s a great opportunity for Greece to show that we’re not just a sexy girl, you know, just a beautiful sea and sun destination – we’re more than that.
With a safe and sustainable choice for travellers, especially let’s say for the travellers that they’re looking more than just relaxation. They’re, they’re thinking more the choice of, of holidays. And actually Visit Greece are launching a new platform, Sustainable Greece, where we will do exactly that. We will be showcasing all the great sustainable activities that are happen in Greece or there will be happening in the future. And, actually one of those, many of those, they, they’re one of the ones that Anni and Victoria are having in the programs.
But the one that I have to say that I liked most and I find it very funny, is that Pick the Alien Initiative!
Rebecca Miles: Sorry, Pick the Alien?
Eleni Skarveli: Exactly, yes. Well, the girls, they could definitely say more about it. What it comes down to it is that we have a lot of alien fishes coming to the, to, to the Greek sea the last few years.
So we want to educate the people to, to learn about it and, and eat them because they’re edible aliens not, not aliens that we don’t want them. Um, so in order to do that, you have to educate the fishermen. They’re doing an excellent work. And they also do that with a, with a restaurant. So what I like it more is that the tourists themselves can really learn about it and they can be part of that sustainable journey.
Rebecca Miles: That’s really important. That’s something I wanted to talk to you both Anni and Victoria about. Um, Anni, let’s go to you first. How can visitors and holiday makers get involved in the work? Is it possible?
Anni Mitropoulou: Absolutely. Apart from, uh, taking part in the pick the alien campaign with, you know, like their fork, you know, like they can really fight back to these alien marine, alien species, which are not that friendly after all, but they’re tasty, which is fantastic.
As I explained, there are truly many ways that the visitors in our islands can be really supportive and I could say, you know, like that’s every visitor should always keep in mind that there are limited resources. There are, that there is a lot of pressure on the natural resources.
So, of course, number one rule, we try to minimize, of course, ecological footprint, right by, by following simple things. We can refill our water bottles. We don’t buy new plastic bottles. We try to recycle as much as possible. We try to reduce the use of single use plastics. We try to save water to minimize the energy consumption.
I think these are the basic things that each of us should do anyway as a citizens, not only as a visitor to, to a new place, but especially on the islands. Where you understand the pressure. If you do something, it’s going to be a win for all. But apart from this basic and simple advices that one should have in mind all the time, there are more practical ways where people can be really engaged and involved.
And I would say, number one, if you visit a place, try to identify who are the environmental associations, the local players on the ground on that island, and play a role by doing something actively. This can be something very simple like organizing, you know, like clean-up events. You just go and, uh, join a clean-up event, or you may join some efforts that a lot of our partners are doing to maintain and protect the ancient walkways for hiking.
Or you may look for more active partners. In Paxos especially, we have a hospital which is called the Greece Wildlife Protection hospital. Could you even imagine that in that popular island, you can go and really give a hands to a hospital that saves lives and that releases rehabilitated animals around 500 or 600 injured animals, you know, back to their natural environment, how beautiful this can be as an experience for someone. So just to make the long story short, I would say that there are a lot of opportunities. Some of them have been already included in one initiative that the CPF has kicked off, which is called uh, the Green Volunteers. So you can become all green volunteers either in the Cyclades or in the Ionian or elsewhere.
And this means a lot. By becoming a green volunteer, as we say, people may experience new perspectives. They may, they may experience new ways of operating, while engaging in, in mutually beneficial learning exchanges with the hosting communities, people who can discover the deeper environmental problems that exist in an area, in a region, in an island.
And at the same time, our visitors may, may learn more about the history and the unique culture, but if you join and, and experience along with the local community and the local partners we have on the ground, you can really understand how it looks like to be an islander on the Greek islands.
So there are so many things that one could do, either that just supporting even with the financial support, you know, like either to the CPF or directly to one of the local organizations that are working on the ground or make a further. You know, be more hands on, you know, get involved in, in specific activities that are organized either during the summer, but I think even better in the springtime or in the autumn, when the high season is not that, you know, like challenging and crazy!
Rebecca Miles: Yes, definitely. And how about you Victoria? What are the opportunities for holiday makers to make a difference while they’re on holiday?
Victoria Turner: Yeah, many, many things. Like Annie said, the, the main thing that I think visitors can do is just to arrive with a consciousness about what environment they’re coming into.
It’s a different environment to where they’re coming from. It’s an environment that has water shortages. It’s an environment that, that when they’re on a small island, for example, that might struggle with things like waste management. So make sure. That understanding of the context into which you are visiting informs the way that you behave.
Don’t, for example, brush your teeth with a tap running for five minutes. There is not the water on these small islands to cope with that. Don’t insist that you want to sleep with a duvet they so that you have the air conditioning on full just so that you can sleep with a duvet like you do at home, you know, turn it off – it uses vast amounts of energy and sleep with a sheet.
And in addition, small actions, like when you go into bars and cafes, and if they put a plastic bottle on your table, just say to them politely, I don’t want the plastic bottle, thank you. I don’t want the plastic straw. Same in shops. When they give you a plastic bag, just say, I have my own bag thank you.
I, I think that leading by example is a really key thing, you know? Like I said before, changing mindsets and habits and attitudes towards the environment is, is key, and that’s a part that we can all play. This is something I noticed particularly. In addition, I think that tourists can be responsible about the, the holiday company they choose.
You know, look, look at the website and think what is that company doing to invest in or protect the environment that they are essentially making their money from? I think should people be looking for, You know, in this current age, I think that most websites for a holiday company should have some sort of environmental credentials.
And it might be in the form of a blog. It might be in, in the form of a partnership with environmental organization. It would be on their websites, and if it’s not, you could always ask. The responsible of activists and ask, what is your organization doing to protect these environments that we visit? I mean, there’s a sort of slightly self-promotional thing for the Ionian Environment Foundation as we just established a Villa Alliance where we have six, upward of six, quite big villa companies operating in the Ionian Islands that are signing up with us in order to promote and share our projects and explain that the, the fragility of the environment in the I region and, and offer examples of how villas can actually adjust the way that they operate to tread more lightly on the environment.
That’s one example. We offer a toolkit if you like, and information events where we give advice about how to install rated showers to reduce water consumption or how to, uh, you know, separate your waste more effectively or equipment for composting. So all of these things that are obviously important for bigger companies to realize that your clients, your tourists, they want to see these changes are happening. They are discerning environmentally more and more. So I think it’s important for the visitors to, to research before they choose their, their holiday options and make sure that there’s some responsibility there from the organization.
Rebecca Miles: They do choose definitely, and they’re all such relatively simple changes, aren’t they?
Victoria Turner: And you know, it’s nothing too taxing. Exactly, and again, this idea of leading by example and just changing habits that the, the villas for example, if, if the villas are beginning to make these changes and then, you know, you’ve got a whole infrastructure of people working around those villas. You’ve got gardeners and cleaners and housekeepers and people that maintain the pools.
And if they see that these changes are important and are happening and are actually quite straightforward. That they’ll start feeding that down into the local community and, and their domestic homes and their way that they.
Rebecca Miles: So, so important. Definitely. Well, we should sadly start to wrap this up, but before we do, I’d like to ask you all about how you would spend your Dream Day on, in, around the Greek Islands.
We haven’t heard much from you, Eleni, so let’s start with you. Please. You know, say you’ve got a friend visiting or you’ve just got, yeah, you’ve got a rare day to yourself where you have no ties on your time at all, where would you go? What would you do?
Eleni Skarveli: Well my origins are from two small islands in, so I’m an islander myself.
And I think to be honest, that changed you also as a personality. So my choice, it will be definitely swimming . Maybe also sailing. So if I had to spare a day, I will start my sailing trip from Kos Island, which is directly connected, of course, with the most airports in Europe and sail up of course all the beautiful small islands on the way, which is so easy to go. And because the most important thing is that you have distances that they’re no more than one and two hours. So you can definitely do a lot island helping within one day. And even if you don’t like sailing, you will definitely enjoy it in Greece.
Rebecca Miles: What would you be wanting to eat while you’re on this day? We haven’t really touched much on food, which is always such an important part of wherever you visit, where, what would you be eating? What would you be seeking out?
Eleni Skarveli: Well, yeah, home cooking is always, of course, the best. And I know that a lot of people have the, the classic ideas about the, the great, cuisine, like moussaka or maybe the Greek salad or even calamari when we’re talking about seafood.
But for me, I would say, It’s definitely the fresh fish that you can find in, in most of the islands. Now It’s simple, you know, with just a virgin, Greek olive oil and some lemon just, just freshness and a real tomato that it will definitely be the top combination.
Rebecca Miles: Delicious definitely. Um, Victoria, how about you? How would you spend your ideal day in the Greek island
Victoria Turner: Oh, I have so many, uh, varieties of an ideal day. Okay. So I would wake up super early, of course, when it’s still cool and, and before the cicadas start chirping that, that’s a good sort of test as to what’s early in Paxos -have the cicadas started yet? No. Okay, great. It’s still, it’s still early. I would then walk down to the village and go to the bakery when everything is fresh out of the oven and warm and yeah, delicious. I’d buy a spinach pie. These are my favourite with feta and spinach and crunchy pastry.
And I would probably sit in the cafe, because at that time, at around half eight, nine in the morning, it’s, it’s just all the old ladies and the fishermen, the people that are best at gossiping. And I will sit and, and chat with them while I eat my spinach pie and have a fresh orange juice and that’s a lovely way to, to start the day and watch the world go by wee bit.
And then the water, of course, like Eleni said, it’s why would you not want to be in the water? So I’d probably hike over to the West Coast like I said before, it’s just so dramatic and beautiful. There are some cliffs that you can jump from into the. And actually these are, are limestone cliffs and if it’s, if it’s rained, you know, previously, or you can dig deep into the cracks of these cliffs, you can pull out this amazing clay, which you can then smother all over yourself and it, it acts like a natural sun cream and a body mask. And so you then lie on the rocks and let that bake on you until you can’t move or smile and, and you feel frozen like a rock.
And then, I would leap off the cliff into the water and exfoliate it all off in that beautiful, pristine water. And, and then you come out feeling so silky soft and your hair is, is all like, it’s been deeply conditioned and you, you just feel fabulous. So that’s my sort of swim activity. It’s uh, and then in the evening I might sit in one of my favourite tavernas and just, I love sitting in the bustling village squares and watching the world go by maybe with some bouzouki music. And before you know it, it’s three in the morning. It’s just heaven.
Rebecca Miles: And you have made the most of those 24 hours. That’s great. Um, how about you Anni?
Anni Mitropoulou: Yeah, the description by Victoria was magnific, but obviously this is a fit person, right? Just to say about food, anything local in season. I mean, you know, you just get advice from the local people and they know what to recommend. So, either fish or meat or vegetables, and as we said, olive oil and, you know, like it’s, it’s just, you know, there is such a quality and variety of this, uh, greek cuisine and Mediterranean cuisine in general.
So, oh my God. And then, yeah, I mean, like, my personal taste would take me somehow to the mountains. I would prefer to walk around. I would prefer to hike and check out all this beautiful nature, sometimes underestimated because everyone says, oh, it’s rocky here, but it’s, it’s the forest of the Cyclades, all this green that you see. If you imagine how hard it is for this, uh, local flora to survive, you know, or if you can, Take a look at these dry stones, the old dry stones, you know, which are very visible in on all the islands, at least, you know, and you can understand how much effort all these people have put in the past to create all these.
I mean, it’s, it’s a beauty. It’s, iit’s a real museum of, of life and of history, the nature. And of course I would, I would end my day with some sailing, you know, for the sunset. And now here a good opportunity for a new lesson. Please be careful when you are sailing. You know, we need to protect our poon medals, which is this fantastic Mediterranean plant.
We run campaigns in the Cyclades and the Ionian, you know, we try to protect it mainly from anchoring cause there are so many people who, who come to visit our islands and they don’t realize, they don’t know, they don’t have the knowledge. And because of the fact that it’s uncontrolled in these areas, you know, there are no law protecting, uh, at the moment, you know.
We need to be super careful and responsible as visitors. So that’s the last advice from my end, you know, on how we can become so easy, uh, responsible and at the same time as, as visitors. And at the same time, uh, enjoy all this, all this beauty, all this, all this, all this beauty of the nature, either on the land or on the sea.
There are so many things to see and to, and to join.
Rebecca Miles: Definitely, just on that practical note, you’re talking about protecting the protecting the seagrass. Where would, where can people find out information about knowing where to anchor and where not to anchor?
Anni Mitropoulou: Both on our websites, I guess, you know, on the Ionian Environment Foundation website and at the CPF, we’re currently running a campaign, which is called the CPF Alert, where we’re trying to map all the, let’s say seagrass.
And we try to work with port authorities in order for them to start controlling somehow the situation. And, um, we try to raise awareness also to all these keepers and you know, like, uh, owners who don’t know, you know, they really don’t want to hurt the seagrass, but since there is not enough information, we try to create this data for them to make sure that they won’t harm the seagrass when they visit our island.
Brilliant. Ah, thank you. Thank you, Anni. Thank you, Victoria. Thank you, Eleni, for joining us today. It’s been brilliant to talk to you all. To find out more and to book your next holiday to the Greek Islands, visit charitable.travel/greece.
Join us on the Gulf Coast of Florida, in the coastal city of Sarasota. Two and a half hours drive southwest of Orlando, and an hour south of Tampa, its beachy vibe, artsy background, and strong sense of community make it well worth a visit.
Among the keys lining Sarasota Bay, our host Bec Miles, finds Aaron Virgin, the CEO of Save Our Seabirds, a wild bird learning centre that’s next door to the Mote Marine Aquarium and provides sanctuary to over 5,000 birds a year. Amongst Save Our Seabirds’ thirty aviaries, visitors can see blue jays, cardinals, songbirds, and herons, plus many more.
Also joining is Muna Abanour, the UK Trade account manager for Sarasota, and a very knowledgeable advocate for the city, a huge fan of its outdoors, lifestyle, and arts & culture scene.
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles and I’m a travel journalist and the host of this podcast series that is otherwise known as TIPs.
Today, we aim to not just give you lots of great travel tips, but also to transport you from wherever you are right now; perhaps you’re walking through the park, or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, to a place that will inspire you.
Today we’re travelling to the Gulf Coast of Florida and the coastal city of Sarasota. Two and a half hours drive southwest of Orlando and an hour south of Tampa. Its beachy vibe, artsy background, and a strong sense of community make it well worth a visit.
Among the keys lining Sarasota Bay, we find Aaron Virgin, the CEO of Save Our Seabirds, a wild bird learning centre that’s next door to the Mote Marine Aquarium and provides sanctuary to over 5,000 birds a year. Amongst Save Our Seabirds’ thirty aviaries, visitors can see blue jays, cardinals, songbirds, and herons, plus many, many more.
Also joining us is Muna Abanour, the UK trade account manager for Sarasota, and a very knowledgeable advocate for the city, a huge fan of its’ outdoors, lifestyle, and arts and culture scene. Muna is never short of something to do in Sarasota’s varied neighbourhoods. So let’s hand things over to the pair of them to tell us more about what makes Sarasota so special.
Thanks so much for joining us, Aaron and Muna. So Aaron, let’s start with you. Can you set the scene for us, please? Tell us about where Save Our Seabirds is based.
Aaron Virgin: Absolutely. Well, thank you for having me. We’re located in the city of Sarasota, on City Island, and we’re surrounded by the beautiful turquoise waters of Sarasota Bay. Only about a 5-10 minute drive from downtown Sarasota. A hop, skip, and a jump away from the beaches, our world-famous beaches, and, just a beautiful place on the Gulf of Mexico.
Rebecca Miles: Yeah, sounds pretty good. So what can visitors expect to find when they come to Save Our Seabirds?
Aaron Virgin: Well, we have a very lush three-acre sanctuary. A lot of native plants, Florida-friendly plants as well. We have over 120 non-releasable birds who came through our facility. We have an avian hospital on site, uh, fully staffed: veterinarian, wildlife rehabilitator, and several support staff. These 120 birds were injured; wing injury, eye injury, leg injury and, um, they will live the rest of their lives out here at our sanctuary, and it serves as a living museum so the public can come in and view the birds up close. We have a lot of amateur photographers that will come and photograph the birds and learn about them, and they learn about the stories and it really assists the public to learn more about birds.
The importance of birds as indicators of our ecosystem, the health of ourenvironment. It’s a nice collaboration that we are right next to the Mote Marine Aquarium, which you learn a lot about fish and turtles and that sort of thing.
Rebecca Miles: So I guess it gives a really good, it paints a really good picture then of the wider environment. Is that riht?
Aaron Virgin: It really is, a lot of people come to this area to see the wildlife. We are in the tropics down here, so the diversity of wildlife and plants is fantastic. It really gives you that well-rounded experience. I mean, people when they come to Florida and they come to Sarasota, they want to be outside and so our living museum, our three acres is completely outside. We, we don’t have any structures or any buildings that you would go into like a nature centre at the moment, it’s pretty wide open. So it’s a nice open air facility if you will.
Rebecca Miles: Wow. So these aviaries are just next to the water?
Aaron Virgin: They are, in fact some of the aviaries are right alongside the bay and the mangroves, so have a nice little buffer. The pelicans and the herons and egrets often encounter other birds, wild birds, in our facility because of the close proximity.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, wonderful. So I guess you must be quite well known then along this stretch of coast? This is a real hotspot for the sanctuary, is that right?
Aaron Virgin: Yeah, we really are. And one of the cool things about our facility, there are people who will come, who are just getting into bird watching and we have such a diversity of birds here that it’ll excite them to want to see these birds in the wild.
Recently I saw a bird. It was the last native bird of Florida, the Mississippi Kite, that I hadn’t seen in the wild, but we had here at our facility. I finally saw it and I thought, I can only imagine when new people come to Save our Seabirds and they see all these birds… like, I had no idea there were this many owls! We have five of the six owls that, that are residents in Florida, and it can be overwhelming, of course if you’re a Harry Potter fan you know all the owls we have!
So this part of Florida too, we are right on the Atlantic flyaway, even though we’re on the Gulf of Mexico. Birds come along, they fly along there so we’re a magnet for, for seeing birds in migration, within the trees too, in the bushes of our facility, they’ll be passing through. During the summer, we have a lot of birds that come up from south and Central America to stay here and breed and raise their young, And then probably the hottest time, hottest in terms of bird watching, is the winter. That’s when we have all the birds that come down from the north, the true snowbirds if you will, they’ll come here and it becomes, it becomes really crowded, I would say, at some of our popular birding sites, including Save Our Seabirds, because this is the season when everyone’s down here.
Rebecca Miles: Sounds like you’re in the ideal spot!
Aaron Virgin: Couldn’t agree more.
Rebecca Miles: So, Muna, let’s come to you because Sarasota’s not just about the wildlife visitors, despite the fantastic location we are in, what can visitors expect from the city?
Muna Abanour: So you are right. Sarasota is known for its award winning beaches, world class visuals, performing arts, and great sense of community. As some people may know, Sarasota’s only an hour away from Tampa and it’s just over two hours away from Orlando, which makes Sarasota the idyllic beach bolt-on to a Florida twin-centre holiday. It has an incredible coastline and has a few islands like Lido Beach, Long Boat, Key Beach. You’ve got Siesta Key, Venice Beach… there’s so many islands that make up this amazing destination. You know, it’s a destination that offers rich cultural downtown with amazing hotels from all ranges, from luxury to affordable hotels. Even homes on many of the other islands as well, like Siesta Key and Venice Beach as well.
The great thing about Sarasota is you won’t need a car. It’s accessible by using Sarasota Bay Runner, which is a free trolley service for all guests and visitors. And I’m just going to name a few things that visitors can really utilise when they’re in Sarasota, to make the most of.
You’ve got, St. Armand’s Circle, which offers plenty of restaurants and boutique shops. You can meet a couple of VIP manatees on a boat tour from Sarasota Bay Bo Shark comes in from Venice beach, and you can explore the world famous John and Mabel Ringling Museum of Art, or you can go inland and reconnect with nature in the Myakka River State Park. And one of my favourites as well, you can go and enjoy and help the community’s favourite spot, which is Sarasota’s Bay Project. It’s a park that allows a public to build a free, welcoming, accessible, and eco-friendly space.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, fabulous. So it’s a wonderful mix of both the waterfront stuff, but also plenty of downtown activities as well?
Muna Abanour: Correct. Yeah.
Rebecca Miles: So that sense of community sounds really strong, can you elaborate some more on sort of how visitors can experience the best of it?
Muna Abanour: Of course. Sarasota has something for everyone, it really truly speaks to the word community and inclusion. There’s so much that I can talk about, that to name three… Sarasota’s Bay Project is the signature parks and service, where 40 neighbourhoods have come together to build this wider community for visitors and for locals as well. The bay areas are spacious, with an amazing walkway. It’s accessible and wheelchair friendly, so it allows all types of visitors to enjoy the beauty of its trail. You know, customers can take it as fast as they want and they can ride bikes or, hire a segway, or they can take it as chill and as relaxed as they like by hiring a paddleboard or kayaking through the mangrove.
One of my other favourite places is Bizarre. It’s an indoor market place where over 40 local creators and curators offer award winning eateries, live music, classes… and everything is locally sourced. You know the artists that work there as well, they work day and night to produce their products, so it really does bring in that sense of community.
My all-time favourite is Rise & Nye’s coffee and ice cream shop. It’s a coffee shop located in the heart of downtown Sarasota and what makes it special, and I would 100% recommend to all visitors travelling to Sarasota, is that it’s a charity project and it’s run by people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. So if you know that is a true definition of and action of inclusion, acceptance, and opportunity. If that isn’t then I don’t know what is.
Rebecca Miles: Definitely! Aaron, how does Save Our Seabirds get involved with the local community? Are there regular programs of art projects or cultural events that you work alongside?
Aaron Virgin: Oh, absolutely. We’re a member of the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, being that we are a living museum. We do a lot of different programs involving both STEM and STEAM, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics. So we’re, we’re bringing a lot of problem solving to classrooms. We’re bringing the groups of students here to our facility doing public programming, that sort of thing. Specifically some of the arts groups we’ve done in the past, a collaboration with the Sarasota Opera, where we had arias for the birds. So it was a joint fundraiser that we had that was very successful and, and brought the, the two, um, stakeholders together, right? It was a lot of fun.
We work regularly with photographers and wood decoy, uh, makers who make birds out of wood decoys. Another, uh, we had a painter at one of our fundraisers that actually painted our flagship bird, the Brown Pelican during the event, and then we auctioned it off. So it was, again, a way to highlight some of the kind of burgeoning artists in our community. It seems like by the month there’s more and more. We’re looking to do some more collaborations with different artists because it’s just natural – the environment here, and the arts community are both very bold.
There are a lot of organizations that can be found in, in each camp, and as Muna brought up, the Bay Project is doing just that as well. They’ve actually designed, similar to something we’re looking at a, almost like a sculpture slash playground of white ibus. Which is, is kind of a nod to what we’re doing over here because we are right across the bay from it, so that collaboration of intertwining the art and sculpture and playing and youth and the environment is just one of the great things about Sarasota.
Rebecca Miles: Yeah, that does sound fabulous. So, if visitors want to find out about these sorts of events when they’re actually there in town, where’s the best place to go to?
Aaron Virgin: The Arts and Cultural Alliance Sarasota County website would be a great place. That’s kind of like a clearing house for all the different events. Of course, saveourseabirds.org, that’s our website. Visit Sarasota County has a great website, has a lot of events on it. SRQ magazine’s another great one. I mean, you can go. You can go on and on. That’s the great thing about this, this community is we are supported by the local media. And the other office holders, uh, the municipal government and all that it’s just fantastic.
Rebecca Miles: And that’s great, isn’t it? As well as if you are visiting a place like Sarasota and you can actually get involved with these sorts of events, it really makes you feel like you are experiencing the real city rather than just seeing the sort of surface of it.
Aaron Virgin: Oh absolutely, and post covid, I think one of the things that really came out of everything being stripped down was that you have, our tourism has really picked up, and not just ours. You know, we are the wintering grounds for a lot of folks who are kind of putting their toe in the water trying to figure out, do I want to move to Florida full time? Do I want to do three months? Do I want to do six months? That sort of thing. And what we’re noticing now is this has definitely been one of the busiest summers in recent history. And I think it’s a trend of things that are going to happen that are going to continue. We always had a lot of Europeans visiting here in the summer, but now we’re seeing more people from the north saying to themselves, you know what, I just want a change of atmosphere. It’s hot up north so I want to go down, you know, and see family or, you know, explore all the different opportunities Sarasota has that we’ve been discussing. So, um, I think there is a little change at work
Rebecca Miles: That’s fab! So, what does the future hold for Save Our Seabirds?
Aaron Virgin: That’s a great question. Our facility is about 30 years old, meaning a lot of our buildings are wooden structures, and both our aviaries where we have all of our resident birds, our hospital and our offices are in need of, basically capital improvement. So, one of the first things we’re doing is we’re changing out a lot of the wooden structures of the aviaries and going into more of an aluminium steel with a concrete barrier around them, so it’ll be really modern and kind of state-of-the-art type homes for them.
At the same time, we need a larger hospital. Our intake is increasing by about 15 to 20% a year. And as more people move here or even visiting here, we are having an uptick in calls and birds being brought in. So, we need a bigger facility. So that’s more of in the five-year range, is building something that can also withstand sea level rise, hurricanes – category fours and fives. So, something really solid, almost a bunker! And that will combine our offices in our hospital. And uh, you know, it will be, it’ll be more of an attraction too, to come in, see what’s going on, learn about the type of avian care that we do.
We are the only ones in southwest Florida are specifically dedicated to helping, injured, native birds to Florida. Other places will do turtles and mammals and that sort of thing, but we are specifically dedicated to that within our own avian veterinarian who has spent her career working strictly with birds. So that’s, that’s the bigger plan. And, uh, the city’s, uh, supporting us on this. Our board is excited about it, and now that we’re moving away from being shut down for 16 months, this is our five-year goal and we’re very excited.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, brilliant. So Muna, how about in the city itself as well, what are the latest developments and what’s in the future?
Muna Abanour: So, there’s a lot that’s been happening in Sarasota or in the 941, as they call it. Those that don’t know, 941 is Sarasota’s phone area code so you’ll see that a lot. But yeah, like I was saying, there’s quite a lot that’s been happening.
Downtown is becoming more and more upscale. That’s a luxury, lively area with new restaurants, opening plenty of art galleries and theatres. Nightlife is amazing in and around downtown or on hotel rooftops. You know, one of the ones that I say that was Westin. Gorgeous, gorgeous views, and amazing rooms as well. You have the opera and an array of new and updated hotels for all types of visitors and talking of hotels, one of the updates is there will be a brand-new hotel opening in 2024, which is the St. Regis Long Boat Key Club Hotel. It’s going to be situated on the coast only minutes away from St. Armand’s Circle and it’s just a perfect luxury getaway for a week, or more.
I suppose one of the other things which happens on an annual basis is, if you are a massive foodie or just want to show off to your friends on Instagram, one of the other things I would definitely recommend is at the beginning of June is visiting for Savor Sarasota. It’s an annual event where dozens of restaurants feature multicourse lunches and dinners, which are all sourced locally. So going back to that community, everything’s done within the destination. I mean, naturally it doesn’t have to be for June, Sarasota is a destination known for its rich culinary all year round, so definitely visit! I mean, I was sold when I heard food
Rebecca Miles: Completely! Yes… multi-course meals served by lots of local chefs? Yes, please. Thank you very much. How does Sarasota fit into a larger trip to Florida?
Muna Abanour: Sarasota really is a destination for all types of holidays. Whether you want to escape for a week on a single centre, spend a weekend there, or a luxury beach holiday, or even as a twin or multi-centre.
We understand customers come to Florida and visit Orlando for a week and most go into the parks, especially with kids and families, but for a trip of just two hours away, I definitely would recommend traveling down to Sarasota for a week or a few days. There’s plenty of types of accommodations that customers can utilise, whether they stay in hotels in downtown, or whether they stay in homes in one of our islands, there really is an accommodation and there’s something for everyone.
Rebecca Miles: I was going to ask about staying out on the Key. So, it’s possible, is it to actually stay out on the coast? Right on the coast?
Muna Abanour: Yeah, definitely. We’ve Longboat Key, which is a wide strip full of all types of hotels. You’ve got the Sandcastle Hotel, which is your lead in all the way up to the resort at Longboat Key Club which has also got its own golf course. And of course, the up-and-coming new hotel that’s going to be opened in 2024 – the St. Regis, as well. If customers were looking for more of a self-catering accommodation, one of our many islands like Siesta Key, has the self-catering condos or villas that they can book themselves into, or even Venice Beach as well. So there really is an accommodation for whatever the need is.
Rebecca Miles: And you mentioned that there’s plenty of public transport? Other than lots of ferries and things across the water as well.
Muna Abanour: Ferries, it’s definitely an option. You can do boat tours, you can do private boat tour hires as well. Depending if you can drive them if that’s great, and of course you’ve Sarasota Bay Runner as well, that runs from downtown Sarasota through the Keys and the coastline as well. There’s plenty of ways of getting around. Absolutely.
Rebecca Miles: The city does definitely attract a lot of wildlife fans, particularly bird watchers, but do you find that families want to visit as well? If they are visiting Orlando, they will happily spend, come down here and spend a few days at the beach?
Muna Abanour: Yeah, definitely. We love Orlando, we love the parks, but I think customers want to wind down and after the hustle and bustle, and take it at their pace and it’s like I said earlier, you really can take Sarasota at your own pace… You can go as fast as you want, you can go as slow as you want.
If customers want go the opera or have vibrant nightlife, by all means, an upbeat night life. There’s something for that. If customers want to go and walk around a State Park or you know, make use of the Sarasota Bay Park, there is an option for everything. Like Aaron said there’s Save our Seabirds, there’s Mote Marine Aquaroum, there’s a two-hour boat tour, if you just wanted to kick back and relax. So, it is a destination that considers all types of holidays for everyone.
Rebecca Miles: So lastly, Aaron, last question for you. If one of your oldest friends was visiting, what would you do with them for the day? What would be your dream day in Sarasota?
Aaron Virgin: Oh, definitely depend on the friend, but I think time outdoors, I mean, Muna brought up a lot of really good points; transportation, the Bay Runner so we would probably start downtown – grab a coffee, maybe walk around a little window shopping. Hop on the Bay Runner which brings us over the over the bay. Cross the Ringling Bridge. Maybe either go to the beach, the beaches are great. I’ll tell you from 07:30 in the morning, I find when I walk for work, there’s really good birding before they get too crowded. Birds are feeding along the rack line. Either hop back on the bay runner or you can hire a little scooter. Electric scooters are now great way to get around the community. And, definitely I got to plug Save our Seabirds, take them to Save our Seabirds and probably go next door to Mote Marine Aquarium. So, you have, basically looking at, you know, sharks at one minute and go next door and look at the owls and hawks, that sort of thing.
And then I love the idea of having lunch at St. Armands, going back over there, having lunch, and then maybe doing some shopping there. It’s great shopping. And, finding our way back to the, let’s say the marina jack area, which is the city public boat dock, and maybe go out on a sunset cruise and having a little champagne toast. Making the day of it like that makes sense. But there’s like, there’s so many things to do. You can go out and do some fishing, hire a boat, very walkable community as well. So, you could just do one aspect of what I said downtown, or just the beaches. So, so much to do.
Rebecca Miles: You mentioned, uh, you’d have to get an early start for the best bird watching. How early are we talking?
Aaron Virgin: I mean, I would get, I would get somewhere a half hour before sunrise because the sky is already lit enough to see you’re not like, stumbling around in the dark. But, yeah, and I’ll tell you that those, the beaches and a lot of the bird spots, that’s the best time because, you know, we do get very crowded down here, at times in the, in the winter, crowded in a good way – it’s a fun crowded.
Rebecca Miles: What’s your favourite birding spot to go?
Aaron Virgin: I have a couple near where we are, right on the, the barrier beaches. There’s an area called South Lido Beach, and it’s a county park. It’s just fantastic. The birds that are there are always changing, you know, whether it’s shore birds, seabird, hawks will come in from time to time. And then the other spot is further inland, not quite out towards Myakka, but it’s an area called the celery fields, which is a storm water management area. So, there’s always water out there. And I mean, you can go out there on a good winter day and see over a hundred species if you spent the day, you know, that’s, you’re not going to get any more bang for your buck than that.
So, I’ll often, you know, bring people out there and do some walks. There’s a great nature centre out there, great partner of ours. We have a lot of the same volunteers and it’s also a thought where we’ll release birds that are, are rehabilitated at our facility, will bring ’em out there.
And I mean, what a great home – to live amongst, I think it’s close to 120 acres of just open, varied habitat.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, lucky things. Same to you then Muna. How would you spend your ideal day in Sarasota?
Muna Abanour: Well, I’d be starting in the art innovation. It’s a luxury autograph hotel in downtown, and there’s this thing that puts a smile on everyone’s face – it comes with a ukulele in each room. So, I’d definitely will be serenading my friend with a little musical. For breakfast, I’ll be heading to my favourite coffee shop, Rise and Nye’s. It’s about a five-minute walk but everyone needs coffee, and then following that make my way to for some exploring! Update the Instagram of course, and kind of make most of you know, the arts and culture in the morning. And then for lunch, I’d head to Bizarre. It’s a great market – you can really just relax and do a bit of shopping. Who doesn’t love a bit of shopping?
And then probably following that, just to continue on with the relaxation, I’ll probably go towards Sarasota Bay for a two-hour boat cruise and watch some dolphins and manes. And then, I mean, you can’t go to Sarasota and not visit the beach. So, I’ll be heading to Lido Beach just in time to watch the sunset before ending the night with a lovely dinner at Drift Kitchen Bowl, which is one of my favourite restaurants, brand new as well on the eighth floor of Lido Beach Resort as well.
Rebecca Miles: That sounds absolutely perfect. Thank you so much, both of you, for joining us today. To find out more and book your next holiday to Sarasota, visit www.charitable.travel/sarasota, and if you’ve been inspired by the work Aaron and his team are doing at Save Our Seabirds, visit www.saveourseabirds.org or find them on social media to find out more.
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Join us as we travel to the town of Enniskillen on Lough Erne in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland in this episode of Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast series, in partnership with Tourism Ireland.
Lough Erne is the second-largest lake system in Northern Ireland and is rich in history, wildlife and outdoor activities. Among the 150 plus islands of upper and lower Lough Erne, we find Barry Flanagan, owner of Erne Water Taxi. Based in Enniskillen, Barry and his team spend their days helping visitors explore this fascinating landscape from the water, and share stories of the people, castles, traditions, and food that have made this place home over the past 5,000 years!
Rebecca Miles: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles, I’m a travel journalist and the host of this podcast series that’s otherwise known as TIPs. We want to give you lots of great travel tips today, but mostly we want to transport you from wherever you are right now… perhaps you’re walking through the park, or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train to a place that will inspire you.
Today we’re travelling to the town of Enniskillen on Lough Erne in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. An hour and a half drive west from Belfast and its international Airport.
Lough Erne is the second-largest lake system in Northern Ireland and is rich in history, wildlife and outdoor activities. Among the 150-plus islands of upper and lower Lough Erne, we find Barry Flanagan, owner of Erne Water Taxis. Based in Enniskillen, Barry and his team spend their days helping visitors explore this fascinating landscape and sharing stories of the people, castles, traditions, and food that have made this place home over the past 5,000 years.
But Enniskillen isn’t just rich with history. It’s also fast becoming a great destination for an active and adventurous outdoors holiday with plenty to do both on and off the water. So let’s hand things over to Barry, the expert in the area to share with us what makes Lough Erne and Enniskillen so special.
Well, thanks so much for joining us. So paint the picture of where you are for us please. Where are you based and what’s your current view?
Barry Flanagan: Sure, Rebecca! We’re here based on Lough Erne and I’m looking out at the water as I sit on one of our boats here at the moment. It’s a beautiful day. You can see the water just shimmering on the top of the surface here, and I’m looking across it a little in the middle of our town here. Yeah, beautiful day. Blue skies, so I can’t complain.
Rebecca Miles: Sounds gorgeous. Tell us some more about Erne Water Taxi. What do you do there and what can the visitors expect?
Barry Flanagan: Sure. Well, Lough Erne is a beautiful waterway and I’d spent a few years travelling around the lough when I worked as an outdoor instructor and I was teaching kids how to kayak and canoe.
I realised that the lake was quite quiet and it seemed to be too quiet, in fact. So I thought to myself, wouldn’t it be great if more people can see this landscape? Cause it’s an absolutely wonderful landscape and I wanted to share it with people. So we set up a business in 2016 to try and promote Lough Erne and showcase it and bring people to these far-flung islands across the lough and tell them the history about the place.
So we bought a couple of boats with a cabin on top, and they’re quite nice, luxurious boats that have got leather seats, mohair carpets and wooden floors, and they’ve got a nice roof and cabin and they can travel a high speed, which is key to the whole business because we can show people quite a lot in a short space of time.
Rebecca Miles: So Lough Erne is actually pretty big, isn’t it? Tell us a bit more about the size of the water…
Barry Flanagan: We have a river which is around 100 miles long, and it flows from County Cavan, which is south of here. It flows through County Cavan as a river, and then it flows through Fermanagh as a lake. It widens out and becomes this beautiful Lough Erne, and then it flows as a river again out into the Atlantic and Donegal.
So we have about 60 miles of that is navigable and yeah, it’s a landscape which is covered in islands. There’s 154 islands across the whole lake, and they all have a story to tell. So it’s a pretty amazing place.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, fabulous. And as Erne Water Taxi, you are offering guided tours and that sort of thing?
Barry Flanagan: That’s exactly what we do. Yeah. We do guided tours of Lough Erne, bespoke guided tours across the whole lake. So you get into one of our water taxis with a tour guide who then tells you all about history and it’s very relaxed. It’s quite conversational, the tour because you have your own private boat to yourself.
So if you have a family group or a group of eight people, friends say they can go out and explore this landscape together in a very relaxed atmosphere.
Rebecca Miles: So it just sounds, as you say, it sounds incredibly rich with history. Can you give us, I mean we’ve, we’ve only got half an hour or so. Can you give us a potted history of the area?
Barry Flanagan: Of course, yeah. I suppose the landscape, it was always used as a means of travel. The lake was the main highway through Ireland. If you know the geography of Ireland, you’ve got the Shannon River, which is the longest river. Well, it connected up with the Erne. And the Erne and the Shannon were known as the ancient highways of Ireland.
So people were travelling this landscape. From way back from when the very first settlers arrived in to the country, they arrived into the mouth of the river and would’ve brought their boats onto the lake and would have made their homes across islands on Lough Erne. We have bronze burial, we’ve monastic sites dotted across islands all across the, we have beautiful plantation castles, which are overlooking Lough Erne all the way around the lake as well.
There’s a huge amount of history and the landscape can really help to tell the story of the history of Ireland because this was the means of travel.
Rebecca Miles: So how long, how far back are we talking?
Barry Flanagan: I mean, you can go back. I mean we’ve stone carvings on islands on Lough Erne, they’re said to be back from 3000 years ago.
But the first settlers probably settled on islands as far back as 5,000 years ago on Lough Erne. And we have beautiful stone carvings all around. Which tell the story actually of how these people made their home on islands here on Lough Erne.
Rebecca Miles: And they lived out on these, these tiny islands? Are so some of them sort of literally, you know, just little rocks in the water? What’s, what’s the sort of scale of things?
Barry Flanagan: They’re quite sizeable. The islands, for example… our town Enniskillen is the centre of Lough Erne, and the town itself is actually built on an island. So all our shops and businesses and churches are all based on this one island in the middle of Lough Erne. So that’s very unique in itself. But if you go further up or down the lake, you’ll see islands that are about maybe a hundred acres.
Some of them are smaller, 20 acres. They vary in size. You only have to go back about a hundred years ago when there was people living on a lot of these islands. So I would always say like, every island tells its own story and he can actually discover a huge amount about islander living and how people lived here by just going to an island and talking about the people who live there.
Rebecca Miles: I mean, there must have been some really interesting characters based here over time. Can you tell us about a few of your favourites?
Barry Flanagan: Yeah, of course. There was a man called John Rehill who I had a real fondness of. He was a real character. He had an island on Lough Erne and they called him the last of the islanders of Lough Erne, because he was one of the men who lived on an island without a bridge at the last surviving island, and he lived on the island with his wife Sheila.
And they would’ve farmed the island and fished like a lot of the islanders. But they also had a little café and they used to welcome people off, the lough, people that were cruising up and down the lock in their boats, and they used to come in and visit John and Sheila and John used to love to entertain, so he would take out the fiddle and play them a song, and Sheila would cook them a big slap up meal, and they would then sit maybe into the wee hours discussing the history of Fermanagh over a, over a drink or two.
So he was a really nice man. Yeah, there was a great place to visit. Yeah. Another person I suppose that comes to mind is a woman called Peggy Elliot. Her nickname was Orange Peggy. She lived on an island on Lough Erne and she lived to 108… The oldest living islander on Lough Erne.
Yeah. So the story behind Peggy Elliott was, or Orange Peggy seeing was really big into the Orange Laws and the Orange Orders, and she had her own big drum that she used to play on the 12th of July and march around the island, but she used to welcome people into the island as well. And she brewed a bit of an illicit alcohol poitín, as we call it!
And people used to come in and her and get a little bit of dram off her as well. So she was quite a popular lady on the lake. The good thing about the islands where the customs man could never find where the poitín stills were because the islanders used to notify each other by boat and tell them if the customs men were on the way, so they would move the still quickly.
Rebecca Miles: Brilliant. Yeah. There must have been some great hiding spots.
Barry Flanagan: Oh, definitely. Yeah. No, no shortage.
Rebecca Miles: How about the must-see sites in the area? You’ve mentioned castles, ancient stones, monastic ruins. What’s what’s top of the list for people to see?
Barry Flanagan: I suppose when people come to Fermanagh, they always, when they go out in the lake, they always go to see one site in particular, and that’s Devenish Island, which was a sixth-century monastic site with one of the best round towers in the whole of Ireland.
Totally intact, and you can go inside and around the tower as well. And it’s, it’s just a wonderful structure, about a hundred feet tall. We also have a few other monastic sites with beautiful stone carvings, high crosses, and facial carvings of monks dotted all around the lough, So there’s some really unique sites, but one of them I always love to bring people to is a place called Crom Estate where there’s a castle, a 19th century castle overlooking the lake.
And it’s got its own boathouse down by the shoreline. You can also see a few of the islands that the estate owned and they had their own Foleys on the island, so the little, little small castles on, on islands as well. So it was a brilliant place for sailing. And again, we love to tell the stories of that landscape and, and what went on down on Crom Estate, including the big sailing and regatta days…
Rebecca Miles: Oh wow. Yes. I mean, as you with all this water around, it must be a great place to spend lots of time outdoors and just being active on the water. What activities are available and where are visitors best basing themselves to explore that?
Barry Flanagan: Yeah. Well, if you wanted to go into Enniskillen and our main town, it’s a great base because you can get a bus there from either airport, Belfast or Dublin, very easily about an hour and a half, two hours up the road.
You can also go in out into the countryside and there’s a huge amount of activities strewn across the whole of Fermanagh, a lot of it is water-based or around the shoreline. And activities you can do is like day boat hire, so you can hire your own boat and skipper it yourself. You can also do the guided tours.
You can also do plenty of your own personal water activities. Paddleboarding, kayaks, you’ve got canoes. You’ve also got these new hydro-bikes, bikes that you cycle on the water.
Rebecca Miles: How do they work?
Barry Flanagan: They’re just a little bike with a propeller on the back and a couple of floats and you paddle them around the island. You can actually circumnavigate our island town of Enniskillen by hydro-bike.
We also have electric boards. These electric stand-up paddle boards. If you don’t want to paddle that is, and you can just stand and use a little accelerator and you can be motored around the lough on your personal watercraft.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, it sounds wonderfully peaceful on the whole. So no jet skis or anything like that, much more paddling yourself.
Barry Flanagan: Well, around the town Enniskillen and it’s very, yeah, very peaceful. Everything, everybody has to slow down around the towns and marinas was, you can only do five knots, so your speed restricted and once you get out onto the lake, the faster boats, like the speed boats and the jet skis, they can open up.
But it’s such a big lake. You never feel like it’s, it’s busy. You never feel inundated with boats or you never feel like you’re going to get stuck in a traffic jam. It just doesn’t happen.
Rebecca Miles: The lough sounds fabulous. Is it all about the water? Are there any other sort of adventurous activities you can be doing on land?
Barry Flanagan: Absolutely. There’s huge amount of walks around the shoreline, up into the mountains. We have a really unique mountain trail, Cuilcagh Mountain, and it’s been nicknamed the Stairway to Heaven. So you can actually climb from the bottom of the mountain all the way to the top on a boardwalk. And that’s attracted a huge amount of people in the last few years.
We have mountains that you can drive to the top of and get views of the lake. You can walk around the shoreline. We’ve got beautiful shoreline walks all the way around the lake. Beautiful stately homes that people can visit and go inside and see what it used to be like. And the stately homes, National Trust properties, there’s a huge amount in Fermanagh, and you could easily fill a week or two here on a stay.
Rebecca Miles: Sounds gorgeous. How about the wildlife? What’s uh, what can visitors expect to see?
Barry Flanagan: Yeah. Well, mostly when you’re on the lake, you see a lot of bird life. We see a huge amount of grebes and moorhens and coots in the reeds, making their nests and the reeds. We see swans and cygnets of course we have grebes [unintelligible] migrating birds such as the Canadian geese, and we also have a beautiful bird called the kingfisher.
And we often see the kingfisher flying up and down the banks of Lough Erne on our trips. So it’s a real treat per customers when they look out the window and they see this turquoise flash going. Or a kingfisher diving off a branch and catching a fish. They always love that.
Rebecca Miles: Is there a particularly good time of year to visit and or time of day even to get out on the water?
Barry Flanagan: Yeah, I suppose. The best time of year is June and July. August. It is always a good time because Fermanagh is quite a small county, although there’s more visitors in the summer, it never feels like it’s too busy, but if you wanted that peaceful, quiet, relaxing break, the shoulder seasons are perfect.
I mean, you can visit right up until November and we have quite a mild temperate climate. People come here all year round really. I mean, you can get a lovely peaceful break and you can get a boat trip on Lough Erne all year round as well.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, brilliant. Yeah, that would be good. And you mentioned as well about people being able to take their own boats out. Is that available year-round?
Barry Flanagan: Yes, indeed. Yeah. You can hire your own boat to skipper a boat and head out and explore some islands all year round. And in fact, in the wintertime, a lot of the fishermen will come here, take a boat, or maybe have a guide with them, to show them the best fishing spots. And so it’s a fantastic place to get out in the water, just really and go and explore.
Rebecca Miles: You’ve recently launched a food tour. Can you tell us some more about that, please?
Barry Flanagan: Sure. There’s a gentleman in Enniskillen here who runs the Enniskillen Taste Experience. His name’s Mark Edwards and he does a fantastic food tour, a walking food tour around the island town of Enniskillen. And so his tour has about 11 stops and it brings you around the island town and, and tell, tells you all about the different history, the food history.
You get to sample all the local produce, food and drink, and you end up in a really beautiful restaurant in the town, 28 At The Hollow where you get to experience some of the likes of Fermanagh and how local our produce can be here. And we’ve teamed up with Mark to produce this lake lander food experience.
So it’s not just on the land, it’s also on the lake. And we have a pre-starter on the boat with free drinks lined up for our customers for when they arrive. We have an hour-long boat trip that tells you all about the history, and in particular, the food history. And then we go up into the town with Mark and he tells us all about the town.
And you get to stop off in a restaurant, for your starter, another restaurant, for your main course and dessert. So it’s a real treat and a way to see the landscape through food.
Rebecca Miles: Brilliant. What would people, what can people expect to eat on it? What is the local food?
Barry Flanagan: Yeah, we’ve got, well, we’re well known for pork and beef cause a lot of animals are reared here on islands across Lough Erne.
And the difference between, I suppose, mainland cattle and island cattle and pigs is, is what they’re eating. They’re eating wild herbs and plants. They’re drinking the lake water. Quality of beef we have and the quality of pork is phenomenal. One product called Fermanagh and Black Bacon, which is always part of the food tour.
We’ve got some lovely gin, a local gin called Boatyard Distillery have started brewing gin, and that’s part of the food tour. We’ve got another beer called Inish Max St. Beer, and then we have game as well. Like duck, for example, is always part of the menu in 28 At The Hollow. So there’s some beautiful food to be had on the tour.
Rebecca Miles: Yes, you’re making my mouth water. Thank you. Tell us a little bit more about Enniskillen as well. If people are basing themselves there, it sounds like there’s fantastic food. What else can people expect?
Barry Flanagan: Yeah, well, with Enniskillen being such a unique town, it’s, it’s actually an island. As I said before, you know, you can walk around the shoreline of Enniskillen island and you really get the experience being on an island.
You understand, although you cross the bridge to get onto it, you can understand that it’s an island when you walk around that shoreline. So I would always say that’s a great way to orientate yourself. Do that first of all, then get up into, into the middle of the town. The town is a beautiful English market town layout, which was designed after the plantation of Ulster.
And so when people walk up into the town, they’re walking through streets. They haven’t changed much in hundreds of years, and we have loads of family-run businesses. If you’re into your shopping, it’s a great place for getting into these lovely little unique shops, which are all family-run.
We’re really lucky because the island town hasn’t been affected as much as other smaller towns that where people have seen shops closing and such. Like we, we’ve all our business are, are thriving.
Rebecca Miles: That’s good to hear. We should cover a few practicalities as well. Are there places that you’d recommend people to stay and how easy is it to get around Fermanagh?
Barry Flanagan: Yeah, there’s any amount of places to stay. We have, you know, we’ve got really unique places you can choose to stay in, like a bubble dome, for example. We’ve got a place called Finn Lough
Rebecca Miles: What’s that?
Barry Flanagan: Well Finn Lough is a beautiful little resort that has a forest spa where you can walk through this forest spa, which is mostly outdoors and you walk from treatment to treatment through a forest trail and you can stay in a bubble dome overnight on the site and you can be looking out at the stars while you stay there.
Rebecca Miles: Yes please, that sounds gorgeous
Barry Flanagan: Another place we have, you’ve got plenty of glamping pods all over the county now that become very popular and because we’re in a lake land, the glamping pods just aren’t any old ordinary glamping pod. They’re overlooking the lake. You’ve got these wonderful views. Lake shore walks your own personal hot tub outside overlooking the lake as well.
So fantastic places to stay. We’ve got beautiful hotels like five-star hotels with their own golf courses like the Lough Erne Resort, manor houses along the shoreline. There’s a lot of choice actually when it comes to accommodation, but I would say book early because in the summer months, Fermanagh is always booked out of its accommodation.
Rebecca Miles: Be organized people! And do you tend to need a car to get around when you’re there or is it cycling possible or public transport?
Barry Flanagan: A car is definitely available because if you want to see the county, really you need to get out into the countryside locations outside the town itself.
The likes of the Marble Arch Caves, which is a very unique cave system, requires a car to get there, although there is now a bus service from Enniskillen as well. But there’s a huge amount to see around the county if you do have a car, but you can get the bus and base yourself in Enniskillen as well.
Rebecca Miles: And what’s the Marble Arch Caves? Can you tell us more about those?
Barry Flanagan: Sure. Well, we’re very lucky to have this Marble Arch Caves, Global Geo Park here in county Fermanagh. So people come here and they get to see the Marble Arch Caves, which is this, the most unique and the best show caves in Europe. So when you get down underground, you get to see these stalactites that have taken thousands of years to form.
There’s a little underground walk, which brings you through your cave system and includes a small boat trip as well underneath the ground. So it’s really unique and the Geo Park is a much wider, expansive part of the landscape. And it includes islands on Lough Erne. It includes shoreline walks, but there’s loads of great infrastructure for people to experience when they’re here.
So, walks along the shoreline, walks up in the mountains, bike trails are all part of the Geo Park as well, and you get to understand a lot more about the county because you have personal guides that will take you around and do that with you.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, wow. I mean, it sounds like you could spend weeks and weeks exploring as, as you are lucky enough to do!
Barry Flanagan: Yes. Yeah, definitely. Without a doubt.
Rebecca Miles: Let’s wrap things up last with a final question. If one of your oldest friends was visiting for the day, hadn’t seen for ages, how would you show off the area the best and sort of how would your dream day pan out?
Barry Flanagan: I suppose there’d be no surprise that it would be on the water.
Rebecca Miles: Of course. I was hoping you’d say that.
Barry Flanagan: So I would definitely take them out, probably take them out on a, probably a canoe or a kayak trip early in the morning and get to see the sunrise across the lake. We could head out to one of the islands for lunch, go for a picnic, maybe in the water taxi, or maybe go out in a sailboat.
You know, there’s so many ways to experience the water, but definitely an island picnic is the way I would spend the day. Plenty of food and just graze over a few hours while looking out across the landscape and, you know, maybe go for a hike later in the evening, go up to one of the hills overlooking the shoreline.
There’s lots of experiences that you can do with friends across the lake, so I always love to treat new friends too when they come to Fermanagh. Take them out on the boat and, and show them the place because I love it. I love the landscape. You know?
Rebecca Miles: Definitely. I mean, how do you choose which island to stop at?
Barry Flanagan: Oh, exactly. That’s the tough part. It’s very seasonal as well. You know, it depends on the season. If it’s May, I’ll take people out early May to an island called Bluebell Island just covered in bluebells and you’re just walking through this forest of bluebells, which is amazing. You can go to other islands at the height of summer and they have, and they have their own little bars and restaurants, so you can go up there for a little bit of entertainment as well.
So, There’s a huge range and a huge choice. If you’re into your wildlife, there’s islands just to see the wildlife as well. So, so much choice really. It is hard to choose with 154 islands. Definitely. Yeah,
Rebecca Miles: Absolutely. Well, people just need to get on a boat with you and start exploring it sounds.
Barry Flanagan: Yeah, no, definitely. And they’re always welcome. We’d love to have more folk visit Fermanagh and I’d love to take them out and show them.
Rebecca Miles: Thank you so much for your time today, Barry. It’s been great to chat
Barry Flanagan: Thank you, Rebecca. Appreciate your time as well. Thank you very much.
Rebecca Miles to find out more and to book your next holiday to Lough Erne and Enniskillen, visit charitable.travel/the-island-of-ireland and for more info on Erne Water Taxi, visit ernewatertaxi.com or follow them on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
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Episode 5 - Sustainable Ireland
Join us as we visit an impressive spot on the Wild Atlantic Way, on the West Coast of Ireland in this episode of Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast series, in partnership with Tourism Ireland.
Positioned between the Atlantic Sea and the Killarney National Park, Derrynane is home to John Fitzgerald and his wife Kerryann, who own and run the Atlantic Irish Seaweed company in this remote spot. Bec wants to know what makes this place so special, and how seaweed is revolutionising Ireland’s sustainable dining scene…
Rebecca Miles: Hello, and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles. I’m a travel journalist and the host of this podcast series that otherwise is known as TIPs. We hope to give you lots of great traveller tips today, but mostly we intend to transport you from wherever you are right now, perhaps you’re walking through the park or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, to a place that will inspire you.
Today we’re travelling to the West Coast of Ireland to the county of Kerry, and a spot between the Atlantic Sea and the Killarney National Park. Derrynane is on the ring of Kerry and is part of the pristine coastline you’ll find on the Wild Atlantic Way.
Here we find John Fitzgerald and his wife Kerryann, who own and run the Atlantic Irish Seaweed company in this remote spot by the sea. The pair run seaweed discovery courses and workshops, allowing and encouraging visitors to the area to learn more about the many incredible benefits of seaweed. This rugged stretch of coastline at the western edge of Europe has a temperate climate, and in the sea beneath the nearly 2000 feet high cliffs and crashing on the Goldie Sandy beaches, you’ll find over 600 of the world’s 10,000 seaweed species. With views out to the Skellig Islands, 13 miles offshore, and its 6th century monastic ruins.
Visiting the Kerry coast can feel like travelling to a different time. But fortunately, Cork Airport is actually only a two-hour drive away and Kerry airport is even closer with direct flights to the UK. But I’m not going to tell you all about this. I’m going to let John do the talking and paint the picture of visiting this very special corner of Ireland for us.
Thanks so much for joining us, John. I’m sure a lot of our listeners will have heard how stunning, the West Coast of Ireland is, and that may have even seen it for themselves, but could you tell us what makes your patch around Derrynane so special?
John Fitzgerald: Sure, Bec. We’re blessed with an incredible rugged coastline. We’re right here at the edge of Europe with the magnificent Northeast Atlantic. We’ve also got the gulf stream washing up here. So we’ve got almost a temperate kind of hint of a climate here. So we’re way different than if you were to travel a few hours north. We’re blessed with milder winters.
We’ve got a larger and more diverse range of fish species and seaweed species, and plant species because of our situation here. So, the water’s warm enough to swim all year round, my wife tells me.
Rebecca Miles: You’re not a fan yourself.
John Fitzgerald: I do swim but I’m more of a warm water swimmer.
Rebecca Miles: I understand you grew up in Cork but used to holiday on the coast. You’ve now lived near Derrynane for 30 years. What is it that drew you back to the sea and convinced you to stay?
John Fitzgerald: Well, I guess in all my travels, I never lived too far from saltwater. But I guess there’s some magnetism here, with the Skellig Islands in the distance, it’s just one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever visited.
We were lucky enough to be brought here as children from Cork City, which is two hours away, and we would’ve spent all our summers here. And then wherever I was in the world, North America, the UK, I kept getting pulled back to here… and we were lucky enough to settle here and eke out a living from the ocean.
Rebecca Miles: Fabulous. Tell me where here is exactly. What can you see? Are you in your study at the moment? What can you see out the window?
John Fitzgerald: I’m in the kitchen. I’m in the kitchen of our house and we’ve got the ocean, literally a stone throw away. And we’re also surrounded by… we’ve got a lovely little river rowing and flowing nearby the house.
And lots and lots of trees and the mountains up behind us. So as farmland goes, this is designated as disadvantaged, but it’s not the ginormous rolling fields that you might see further north or further east in, in the golden veil around. Like in Cork, Tipperary, and Milford, with the large, large farms. This is more mountains and bog and rock, trees, and of course ocean. It sounds incredible.
Rebecca Miles: So it’s right on the tip. We’re talking right down on the tip of the southwest, aren’t we?
John Fitzgerald: Yes. So leaving here. First stop 12 kilometres off you have the Skellig Islands, and then the next step after that is North America.
Rebecca Miles: Crikey. Okay. Now tell me, seaweed, it’s a very specialist thing, isn’t it? How did you become such a fan of this incredible plant?
John Fitzgerald: Well, I had studied science in university before taking off for America and going on my travels. When I came back here, I would hang out in, in the ocean all the time fishing, swimming and snorkelling and all the rest.
So I would’ve been grazing all along, and just there was an increased interest in seaweed starting maybe 15-20 years ago. There was a lady who I was actually in college with who wrote a big book called, The Irish Seaweed Kitchen, and that became an international bestseller. It was being mentioned on the radio a lot and she was being interviewed and my ears pricked and I started to pay more attention and more attention, and then start researching and reading, and researching and reading. And I guess, it just started to bloom naturally then.
Rebecca Miles: Literally. Seaweed, it’s such an incredibly sustainable resource. I’d love to know more about the benefits of seaweed. I understand it’s having a big impact on the local food scene.
John Fitzgerald: Sure, we had a French chef here the other day now who’s running a five-star restaurant in a big fancy hotel, and we had him at the shore for a few hours.
If you go back 10 years, I would’ve gotten, one call a year from a chef. Now we’re getting, a few calls a week. It seems certainly if you’re going up the food chain, no pun unintended towards Mitchelin and Stars and stuff, you got to have seaweed on your menu. You know that the whole foraging thing is so on trend also.
But I guess part of that might be driven by people being less trustful of large corporations and how they may or may not have had our best interests in heart, at heart all along. So they’re kind of trying to look for more sustainable, but more honest foods, if you like. And then of course there’s exponential research going on into seaweeds and their benefits, which are vast and, and we’re finding out more and more stuff everyday about, about how good these plants are for us.
Rebecca Miles: Can you tell me more about those benefits? What is it? Is it simply from eating it or are there other benefits too?
John Fitzgerald: Well, let’s say seaweed has a lot of active compounds and molecules, which aren’t present in in any land plants. And these, can do some amazing stuff.
Say take Bladder Wrack fucus vesiculosus a really common, brown seaweed that you’d have there all over the coast of the UK. It’s the one with the paired air bladders that the kids tend to pop. This contains a substance called a Fucoidan, and it’s a sulfated polysaccharide.
In Japan, they’ve, they’ve published the medical papers, the research has taken place, and they learned that the Fucoidan in the Bladder wrack binds Helicobacter pylori bacteria in the gut. So H. Pylori is really harmful for bacteria around. One in 10 of us in the West are unlucky enough to be afflicted by it. We go to the doctors, they put us on antibiotics, and antibiotics and more antibiotics.
And then if we’re unlucky, we can’t beat it. We go to get triple bypass surgery. Whereas in Japan, if you go to a medical doctor, she or he will send you down to the local shop to buy this fucus vesiculosus, which is one of our most common seaweeds, like there’s billions. Theres tons of them around the coast.
If you take that twice a day the doctor will say, come back and see them again in a month. And what it does is it continually flushes out. So right there in that common plant that we would’ve traditionally use as fertilizer, maybe a bit of animal feed, if we’re using it at all, that contains a remedy for something that’s really harmful to us.
Rebecca Miles: That’s incredible. And it’s just growing there, right on the shore, hiding in plain sight, in vast abundance. It’s incredible. Any other specifics?
John Fitzgerald: Sure. There’s got Egg wrack, another really common one that’s the traditional one for fertilizer. This would be the giant single air bladders in a row.
It’s a brown seaweed that lives near Bladder wrack on, between the high and the low water mark. You’ll always see it when you go down to the shore that contains a substance which softens black and tarter on your teeth and gums. So, there’s a company in Sweden with a subsidiary actually in the UK and another subsidiary in Ireland.
And they, they figured this out because their dog started eating the young shoots of this when they took them for a walk at the beach. And the dog was really old and with bad teeth and gums. And after a few weeks, they noticed there was a vast improvement here. So they took a chance and they brought it home, they dried it, powdered it, and sent it off for analysis, and they hit the jackpot because there’s an active compound in there that softens plaque and tartar on your teeth and gums.
So for about seven or eight years now, I’ve been showing their product on our walks just because I love the fact that they stopped and then they paid attention to the dog and they said, there’s something going on here. And then they said let’s take a chance. And they’ve spent a few hundred bucks checking it, having it analysed, and now they’ve made millions supplying this product, which is just that seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum or Egg wrack just dried and powdered.
So they sell it in a little tub for your dog or a bigger tub, or a little tub for your cat. And after about six or seven years, they brought out a human version. So that’s the exact same thing, that it’s inside in a cell loose capsule and you just take a capsule in the morning and a capsule in the evening. It dissolves in your gut.
It appears in your saliva, but it’s colourless, tasteless and odourless so you don’t know it’s there and it’s working night and day on your teeth and gums. So again, yeah, so clever and they’ve made an absolute fortune. And I show the product. I don’t sell it, but I show it because I just love the fact that they paid attention, and it paid off.
Because we, a lot of the time we go out into nature, but our eyes are, might only be half open or we’ve pre preconceived notions about what’s actually going on there.
Rebecca Miles: That’s so true.
John Fitzgerald: We’re very arrogant. When it, when it can come to science, we have a tendency to think we’re the smartest guy in the room.
Rebcca Miles: Yes, you’re right. Cause you sell on your, on your website you sell cutlery. That’s right. Is that right? From, um seaweed.
John Fitzgerald: Sure. Yes, that’s right. At one stage I went back to university in Northhampton. The British School of Leather Technology there in the University of Northhampton, who, who were very good to me. And I, I had this, um, totally normal obsession with attempting to turn the skin of fishes into leather. So…
Rebecca Miles: Oh, I mean, everyone does that, don’t they?
John Fitzgerald: Yeah. Everybody goes through that phase, right? It’s like, you know, getting an earring or something. So this cost me about three years, but I went back and forth to Northhampton with the loads of salted salmon skins and eventually, I came up with an amazing formula and we used to make wallets and handbags and belts and dog collars and so, and shoes at one stage.
The same principle when I looked at the, the giant kelp rods being washed up after the southerly gales in the wintertime. These are obviously, this is the forest kelp, Laminaria hyperborean. So I was going, looking at this saying, right, this is the ancestors of the forest here on land. Could we do anything with these rods. Is there a way of curing them? Stabilizing them?
So, the same principle is tanning. You take out what you don’t want, you put in what you do want you, you lock it down, and then you polish it up and you, if it looks good…you might find a purpose for it. So, we did this and my wife and I, we messed around with some cutlery pieces and we made the most beautiful handles, which look a bit like deer horn.
So, at the moment as we speak, my wife is out in the workshop working on a commission for a Norwegian restaurant called Under, Under.no I know is their website, and it’s a Michelin starred underwater restaurant. So, it’s under the ocean, it’s under the Atlantic. You go in at sea level, you walk down, you’re sitting there eating.
If you can get a table, I think there’s something like an eight-month waiting list, and you’d have to sell your car to eat there. So, we’re hoping to deliver that, that order in November. But what we’ve got then is this amazing story, whereby seaweeds come up out of the Atlantic, thrown up by the storm, their storm cast onto our Skellig coast here on the Wild Atlantic Way.
We collect them, we repurpose them, and six months later they go back where they belong back under the ocean. This time in the, in the, the best restaurant in Norway.
Rebecca Miles: Gosh, So gorgeous. So cyclical. It’s wonderful.
John Fitzgerald: Yeah.
Rebecca Miles: I get the impression that seaweed has been really important throughout Kerry’s history. When did people first realize the importance of seaweed?
John Fitzgerald: Well, we’ve got evidence here of early settlers down there in the harbour. We’ve got what’s called a shell midden. This is listed in the national monuments as an archaeological find and on the north side of Abby Island in Derrynane Harbor.
And what’s there is basically the soil is peat, so it’s acidic, so it’s brilliant at preserving. What would’ve happened way back in the day, they would’ve gathered seaweeds and shellfish, sat around in a circle, chatted about the big game or whatever. Then they would have thrown through the empty seashells into a pit or a hole in the ground. Then they would’ve covered that in so they weren’t annoyed by vermin, which back then would’ve probably been seabird, seagulls and such.
Because the rats didn’t arrive from the West until thousands of years later. They haven’t carbon dated the shell midden, but they say it could date back up to 10,000 years, which was when Ireland was settled first after the last ice age.
So we, we knew that after the last ice age when Ireland was first settled, they came across the ice bridge from Central Europe. They came across the ice bridge, then into Britain, and then across from Britain, into Ireland. And they always stayed by the coast. And this is repeated all over the world. They stayed by the coast because they had a ready supply of food in the form of shellfish and seaweed all year round.
Every day of the year, there’s a variety for you to choose from. It’s kind of no special tools or skills required, which is what attracted me to it. And they thrived because they had a fantastic diet. They also had shelter in the sand dunes which they would borrow into like rabbits. They had fire and they had freshwater streams running down from the mountains.
So they had everything they needed right there.
Rebecca Miles: Sounds like we could learn a lot from them.
John Fitzgerald: It’s funny that in North America, the same thing happened when they came across the icecap over from the north. They went down the Pacific side and the Atlantic side, and they hugged the coast all the way down.
So, they pinched in and then they# repeated the process and went all the way down both sides of South America and it’s referred as the Kelp Highway. Same thing happened on both main islands in Japan. They hugged the coast and if you think about it logically, the country would’ve been covered by forest back then. And if we remember old fairy tales if you went down to the woods, it never ended well.
Well back then, if you went back 6,000-7,000 years and you went off into the forest for 15 minutes and were sat there laughing.
Rebecca Miles: Yeah.
John Fitzgerald: You’ve got bears, wolves, wild boars, and other tribes to worry about. And you quite simply would just get lost because you’ve never been in one before and you have no idea how to get in or out. And you haven’t figured out the whole compass business, and your Google Earth isn’t working.
Rebecca Miles: No. Incredible. So, coming a little bit more recent by a few thousand years. How about the, the monks, they were important weren’t they? On the coast and, they really understood the benefits of the seaweed, didn’t they?
John Fitzgerald: Well it’s almost as philosophical a question as scientific. If you take the monks on Skellig Michael, the UNESCO heritage site, that’s 12 kilometres offshore. These guys went out there in the 6th century, and they stayed there from the 6th to the 12th century. But the word Skellig, translates from the Irish and from the Gaelic.
It even sounds like if the word Skellig translates as chard or jagged rock, because that’s essentially what it is out in the ocean.
Rebecca Miles: Yeah.
John Fitzgerald: It’s not farmland. It’s jagged, almost bear rock. So, their diet out there was really, really tricky. They didn’t have a goji berries, blueberry, citrus grove, or Amazon deliveries.
So, their source of vitamin C was hugely important, especially during the winter.
Rebecca Miles: Mm-hmm. So, they ate one particular seaweed called Dulse, every day. So they gathered it when they could, but this was their sole source of Vitamin C, so they wouldn’t have survived one winter out there on that bare rock without it.
Remember, at the time, this is the 6th-7th century. If you went past Skellig Michael, you went over the edge and down in, into the abyss because the world was flat. So, so it was the most remote place known to man.
Rebecca Miles: Of course. So I’ve got to ask what on earth attracted them to this barren rock on the edge of the world?
John Fitzgerald: Oh its quite simple really, the question is really what pushed them out. And it, it’s warfare in Europe. It was the dark ages, so Europe was perpetually at war. It was just bloodshed the whole time. So, they swapped our image of the, the happy monk with his wine, women, and song. And they swapped that for the peace.
They needed peace to be able to do their stuff. They’re meditating, they’re praying, write their annals, practice science, all that.
Rebecca Miles: Mm.
So, they swap the convenience, if you like, of the mainland for peace, to get on with what they wanted to do. So, they went to the most remote place they could possibly get to, which was Skellig Michael, like that was more remote for us. Obviously, we’re thinking of the Moon and Mars and wherever else.
Back then this was more remote than any desert or, you know. So, it’s ironic then that in the early 9th century, the Norse Vikings started raiding Ireland. They raided Skellig Michael first in 814 AD and they continued to do it throughout the 9th century.
But the irony is that the Vikings carried the same seaweed, dillisk or dulse on every voyage for the same reason, for vitamin C to prevent scurvy.
Rebecca Miles: These people were so wise.
John Fitzgerald: Yeah. They, no, they couldn’t write down say, the molecular structure of vitamin C. They didn’t know how to spell it, but they knew if we eat this, our teeth stay in and if we don’t eat it, our teeth fall out. It’s that simple.
So, the monks were the ones who always accumulated knowledge. I think the rest of us just accumulated grudges. That’s the various churches were so deeply rooted in education is because they were the custodians of civilization or their version of it.
And they were the gatherers and purveyors of knowledge. So, they knew this. But again, I’d say it’s almost more of a philosophical question than a historically one, because it’s almost like you know who ate the first oyster?
Rebecca Miles: Yes.
John Fitzgerald: The answer of course is, I don’t know because I wasn’t there, you know?
But yeah, it’s just interesting from a historical perspective then, that the monks were going to all these places, not just Skellig Michael, by the way, you’ve got places like Lindisfarne, et cetera. All of the remote monastic settlements to get away from the warfare and do their business.
But you’ve also got the Vikings then opening all the trade routes. Cause if you look at all the Irish coastal cities; Cork first, then Milford, then Dublin, then Limerick. These were all Viking trading posts. And the cities were essentially founded by the Vikings. The same happened, I believe, with the Danish Vikings in the UK.
St. Brendan, the navigator and Irish monk left Brandon in North Kerry, about two hours northwest of here, and he voyaged West. As far as North America, in the year 501 AD. There’s a fabulous documentary made by the BBC and RTE TV documentary, you can look it up. It’s called the Brendan Voyage.
A British adventurer called Tim Severin, who sadly is no longer with us, he re-enacted the voyage. They rebuilt the boat using animal hides and using all the old tools. And they completed the voyage landing in Canada after leaving North Kerry.
So, the Vikings did the same thing. Now, so that was early 6th century. The Vikings did the same thing some 200 years later. The Vikings also went east as far as Russia and south as far as the Mediterranean. They opened up all these trade routes, like half the genetics of Iceland are from Scotland and Ireland. The Vikings, they have great PR, but they weren’t the nicest. They stole women basically and brought them to Iceland as slaves.
By opening all these trade routes, it really shaped European history, that one particular seaweed. Because it allowed all those voyages you must remember. This is before the compass. It’s before Google Earth. It’s before any of this, and it was dilisk or dulse. That particular seaweed, by giving them vitamin C to prevent scurvy that allowed all that to happen. That’s why it’s all so tied to seaweed. It allowed the monks to survive. They wouldn’t have survived one winter, never mind, 600 years out on those islands. It’s all tied in.
And then if you want to just jump forward over a thousand years later, the largest navy in the history of the world, that’s the British Navy.
They figured out in 1747 that you’ve got to give your crew vitamin C every day to prevent scurvy in the form of citrus fruit. Hence earning the nicknames Limeys and Limey Land. So, it was over a thousand years earlier, but the custodians of civilization out in Skellig Michael and Lindisfarne and places like that, not just Skellig Michael and the marauding men from the north, the Norse and the Danish Vikings. They had the same knowledge. They couldn’t explain it, but they knew you eat this your teeth stay in, you don’t eat it, your teeth fall out.
So, it really did, it shaped hundreds and hundreds of years of history.
Rebecca Miles: And is it possible now to visit Skellig Island and see and sort of retrace those footsteps of the monks?
John Fitzgerald: Absolutely. I was in the harbour this morning delivering a small boat to a pal of mine and I saw our friend driving out there. There are trips daily in the summer months, and weather permitting, you can land, but it’s very limited. So, if it’s on your bucket list and I believe it should be on everybody’s bucket list, it’s an incredible place to visit. It’s staggering.
Rebecca Miles: And you mean there’s no sort of harbour built there or Marina?
John Fitzgerald: There’s a small landing on the north side. No, they didn’t get planning for the marina. In certain conditions, there’s a good chance most days in the summertime that you can land there. The boats are limited. The amount of boats, the quote, I believe there’s, 12 boats can carry 12 passengers each. It’s well worth trying to book in advance trips to Skellig. It’s absolutely spectacular.
Rebecca Miles: Gorgeous. So, tell me, what does a typical day look like for you? I imagine a typical day doesn’t really exist, but…
John Fitzgerald: Thankfully not. I get up have breakfast, get on the tube, try not to fight with anybody and then I get up sneak home again and mow the lawn for a bit. Then I’ll watch Come Dine with Me and Desperate Housewives.
Thankfully there is no such thing as a typical day, but it would always involve going down to the shore at least once, if not two, or three times. I think I’ve been there four times today. Now I have a tour after this and I will go to visit two sites at low tide to check what seaweeds are there. Everyone gets to taste the seaweeds and learn about those particular ones, what they were used for in the past, what they’re used for now, and also learn how to find them, how to identify them, how to sustainably harvest them. And they learn whether they like them or not.
I like the taste of them. I have to start every tour by saying two things. First of all, there’s no seaweeds in Irish waters that are toxic or in UK waters either. So, once you’re at a clean site, you’re pretty safe. There’s two things you’ve got to be a little bit careful of. One is that kelps contain a lot of iodine.
And Sea Lettuce, which is a green seaweed that looks like lettuce. You can’t mistake it for anything else. If there’s loads of that somewhere, it can mean that there’s pollution. So, you better go somewhere else to do your experiments and you’re harvesting. So, and obviously stay away from population bases, industry, and intensive farming.
And thankfully we’ve none of the above here.
Rebecca Miles: So, when, if visitors are joining one of your tours, is this the sort of thing you cover?
John Fitzgerald: Absolutely. It’s basically a stroll on the beach, right? So, people find the concept daunting. They wonder do I need a wetsuit, you don’t even need wellies.
You’re just going to walk along the beach. I might have wellies, or I might be barefoot, and I’d go in a bit and grab the bits that are there. But we work with the tides, so we try and get their low tide which is when we see the most stuff. They get to, like I say, learn how to find, identify, and sustainably harvest say 16 of the seaweeds.
We get to see 14 or 16 of the seaweed and we get to learn what they’re for, then at the end of each tour, everybody gets a pair of postcards. And on these postcards on the front is a seaweed image, but on the back is our website and our email. Then if they, if they send us an email, we send them on a coloured identification chart, the nutritional chart, and the synopsis of all the lies I told at the shore.
Rebecca Miles: Fabulous. So, if you are visiting, what else beyond obviously spending some time with you, what else is there to do in the area?
John Fitzgerald: Well, I’m very lucky to work adjacent to Derrynane House and Gardens. Now, Derrynane House is a museum. It’s an old house that’s owned now by the state, but it was the ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell, the liberator, one of Ireland’s most important statesmen.
And that would’ve been the best way to describe him. He would’ve been our Gandhi. So, when he was born as a Catholic, he couldn’t vote, own land or get an education. He was quite lucky to be raised by his uncle at Derrynane. His uncle had a smuggling business, and he was smuggled to France with his brother Fred to be educated.
And he received a fabulous education and became an incredible lawyer. And then he entered politics. So, by the time he died in 1847 those acts had been repealed. So, Catholics could own land, they could vote, and they could get an education. And he was a lifelong passivist. And very importantly he was an abolitionist. So, an incredible, incredible guy. There’s a lovely museum to him there. There’s a lovely cafe there, and there’s a national park with beautiful gardens and plants from all over the world. A lovely, lovely place to visit. Um, just up the road there’s Staigue Fort. Dating back around 3000 years.
Rebecca Miles: Wow.
John Fitzgerald: It’s in the top two or three in the whole country. It’s a huge stone fort. It’s an incredible structure in great condition. Believed to have been owned by one of the top chieftains in the whole area that he would’ve brought his people into if there was danger coming in from the sea. So that’s an amazing place to visit also.
And then you can just go in, on or under the ocean.
Rebecca Miles: Oh, brilliant. Okay.
John Fitzgerald: Always a must.
Rebecca Miles: Yeah. So, it’s all part of the Wild Atlantic way, isn’t it? How easy is it to get around?
John Fitzgerald: We’re on a strip of the Wild Atlantic Way, in fact, on our business card. That’s what it says. It says graze along the Wild Atlantic Way. Don’t just look at it. Get out of the car and walk along and go one step further and start to eat it because they’ll tell you it’s a roadway, but it, it’s the rocks with the seaweed detached that is the actual Wild Atlantic Way. So you get to graze seaweed on the Wild Atlantic Way and eat it.
To get around you can hire a car. There are some really good coach tours that go around. We’re on one loop. Killarney, Kenmare and Cork are all very close by. Kerry airport is about an hour and a half away and Cork airport is about two hours away.
And then of course we have Rosslare Ferry, which is maybe four hours away. So, you drive across yourself if you’re coming from the UK or you fly in and rent a car or come with a reputable tour operator that stops and allows you to do the seaweed walk.
Rebecca Miles: Yes. You don’t just want to rush past all this, do you?
John Fitzgerald: No.
Rebecca Miles: So lastly, if you had one day free to spend exactly as you wished in Kerry what would you do?
John Fitzgerald: I guess, I’d pretty much do a lot of the stuff I’d be doing anyway.
Rebecca Miles: Ha, you are so lucky.
John Fitzgerald: But people get so jealous when I start the tour by saying, okay, I’m working from home again today.
Rebecca Miles: What a spot.
John Fitzgerlad: Yeah, just incredible. So, I guess it it’d all be under, or on the water. We’d probably take an early morning boat trip out, say hi to the Dolphins, maybe land on one of the islands out in Derryanne Bay and have a picnic, maybe visit some old archaeological sites out there.
There’s one spectacular island just there in the bay called Scariff, which is 365 acres with an amazing history. It was occupied up until the 1930s and its beautiful farmland. It was basically a dairy farm that was just cut off from the mainland. So, the two families that lived out there were working as dairy farmers. The butter came ashore then. And was exported out through Cork all over the world.
But on the 23rd of June, 1653, an amazing guy called the Red Monk of Scarriff was murdered out there by Cromwellian Bounty Hunters because he was the head of the Franciscan order. So there, there was priest hunting at the time, if you like, but his body’s still out there and his skull is in a friary in Killarney, there’s just an amazing history on the island.
You can go back 350 years just by standing out on the island and see how amazing times must have been back then, you know? But yeah, the place is packed with stuff to do. Like, absolutely. And of course, a trip to Skellig is a must.
Rebecca Miles: Definitely. Oh, fabulous. Well, thank you so much, John. It’s been incredible hearing more about it. Thank you for joining us.
John Fitzgerald: Wonderful. We’ll expect you to pop around the corner any day.
Rebecca Miles: We definitely will. Thank you. If you’ve been inspired today and want to find out more and book your next holiday to Ireland, visit www.charitable.travel today.
For more information on John and the work he does, visit www.atlanticirishseaweed.com or follow Atlantic Irish Seaweed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you enjoy this episode, don’t forget to rate and subscribe. You can also follow Charitable Travel on social media for even more travel inspiration.
Thanks for tuning in and see you soon for another 30-minute holiday.
Episode 4 - Culture and Heritage in Ireland
Take a trip to Christ Church Cathedral in the heart of Dublin, Ireland on this episode of Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast series, in partnership with Tourism Ireland.
Join Rebecca Miles, the new host of Charitable Travel’s TIPs as she speaks to Susanne Reid who has worked at the Cathedral for over seven years. Journey through the Cathedral’s history, and uncover the stories it holds from the past 1,000 years.
Bec Miles: Hello, and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast. My name’s Rebecca Miles, I’m a travel journalist and the host of this podcast series, otherwise known as TIPs. We hope to give you lots of great travel tips today, but most importantly we intend to transport you from wherever you are right now, perhaps you’re walking through the park, or maybe you’re squashed into a crowded commuter train, to a place that will inspire you.
Today, we’re traveling to Dublin. It’s a city I’m sure many of you are familiar with, but to help us get under the skin of the place and reveal an alternative side to it we’re talking to Susanne Reid, who works at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin – more formally known as the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity.
The Cathedral has been at the centre of Dublin life for nearly 1,000 years. It celebrates its millennium in 2028, and Susanne has been working at the ancient building for seven of those years. While seven years to you or I is the time we typically spend at senior school, for Susanne, it’s made her appreciate that good things take time. The cathedral really was built to last.
Within the Cathedral’s grey stone walls, you’ll find one of the largest crypts in Britain and Ireland, lots of exquisitely detailed floor tiles, and many quiet corners. It’s these spots that Susanne finds most fascinating. And despite having worked here for seven years, she’s surprised at how often she uncovers new stories.
People come from all over the world to visit Christ Church Cathedral, because they’re religious or interested in the architecture or the history, and all the stories this building tells. Its position in Dublin, on the edge of Temple Bar and 10 minutes’ walk from Trinity college, makes it a must when exploring the city.
But you don’t want to hear me tell you all about this. I’m going to let Susanne the talking and share with us, her insight into Christ Church cathedral and the city of Dublin.
So welcome, Susanne. Thanks so much for joining us. Now. It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Dublin and visited Christ Church Cathedral. Can you take me back there? Metaphorically? What does it look like? How does it smell as you walk in? What can you hear?
Susanne Reid: I think Bec, even if it has been a long time since you were at Christ Church, I guess a building that has stood at the heart of a city for almost a thousand years, there’s that reassurance and comfort in that we don’t do dynamic or enormous changes.
So, there would be that comforting familiarity as you return to see us for another time. It’s right in the heart of Dublin city, surrounded by roads, and buses, and traffic, and city life. But once you come through the gates to the cathedral, It’s really a different time, and place, and space.
So, you’re, you’re coming into really an oasis in the city. You’ll, you know, there will be birds. We have two beehives in our, in our Chapter House ruins now, and there’s a lot of planting. And at particular times of the year, the, the colours change in the cathedral grounds. When you come into the cathedral, I suppose, there’s that comforting smell of again like beeswax and, and you see candles and you know, gentle lighting, and just an overwhelming sense of calm in that place.
Bec Miles: I can feel my shoulders dropping a few notches already just hearing you talk about that sort of peaceful calm place.
Susanne Reid: That’s it, and I think too, depending on what time of the day you’ve chosen to come in and see us, you know, you might catch one of our organists rehearsing, or you might catch the choir rehearsing.
Or you might even be there for one, one of the lovely song services that happen throughout the week as the choir maintain the centuries long pattern of song liturgy in the cathedral.
Bec: Gorgeous. So, when visitors arrive at the cathedral what’s the first thing they’re greeted with?
Susanne Reid: So, I guess I am slightly contradicting myself here because we’re always working on something at Christ Church and that’s what keeps it so relevant and vibrant in the city. So, when you come onto the grounds of the cathedral, now there is a lovely viewing platform which allows visitors to really take in the expanse of the cathedral and its precincts.
And also just, you know, it’s a great space for those photographs and the sort of setting of the scene, if you like. When you come onto the viewing platform, there is some bone conduction technology there, which allows visitors to use their own bones and cutting-edge hearing technology to feel and experience some of the sounds of the cathedral, the base sounds of the heavier cathedral bells, and also some sounds of the organ.
We then also have a new installation there, which is a bronze of the cathedral and its precincts in the 1370s, which sets the scene again for the visitor. They have some sense of the, you know, some of the buildings that are not in perfect repair on the grounds, what they would once have been, and some sense of the footprint of the cathedral at that time.
We’re very keen on being inclusive to all at Christ Church. So that bronze for example has braille on it and is it children’s height and wheelchair height so that anyone who comes on to the cathedral grounds can experience it and touch it.
Bec Miles: Oh, wonderful. I love the sound of that new cutting-edge technology, juxtaposed with this ancient building. So, do you have to actually wear the, is it a case of you have to wear something on your head to get the sound?
Susanne Reid: Not at all. It’s low tech in that regard. It’s your body that conducts the sound. So, you place your elbows on a railing, and there’s one at a children’s height and for those in wheelchair height as well, and by doing that you feel the vibration of the sound up through your body and into your ears. Yeah.
Bec Miles: Wow, how incredibly immersive.
Susanne Reid: Yes, exactly. Yeah. It’s certainly the only place we’re aware of it being used in Ireland, at the moment anyway.
So, then I guess we’re down onto the stone labyrinth, which people can use for a little bit of quiet reflection, what’s also very sweet is we see children using it just to kind of follow each other around in circles and the experience it in different ways. And then you’re coming into the building itself. I know some of you listening today will be wondering about bringing groups to the cathedral. and we welcome groups.
We have a web app which can be downloaded in advance. It’s available in five languages, French, German, English, Spanish, and Italian. And it takes the visitor through the cathedral and the stories and the interpretation there is in three different strands. Christ Church and the City, Power and Politics, and Music and Spirituality. So, visitors have the opportunity to do really quite a gentle Christ Church visit, which would take maybe around 35/40 minutes following one of those strands, they can hop between them or, they can spend hours in the building and do all three. But it really has brought the building to life. It’s done in an ‘eyes up’ way. So, you’re discovering and exploring as you walk through the building,
We’ve used the voices of the city, somewhat, in these audio guides. So, for example, we have the heart of Lawrence O’Toole in the cathedral, Dublin’s patron saint, and there is the member of Garda Síochána, the Irish police force who discovered the heart after it’s theft, who tells the story of it’s returned to the cathedral.
Bec Miles: Ah, brilliant. So, what’s it like working in such a historically significant building?
Susanne Reid: I think that sometimes, you know, people imagine when you work in a cathedral that it’s a very gentle space and that, you know, that there isn’t really, maybe that much to do. In fact, it’s, it’s quite the opposite.
It’s, a very busy environment to work in for those of us who are charged with, running the cathedral. Making sure it’s open 364 days a year, making sure that it’s kept to the standard that it needs to be, that it deserves to be kept to, and also delivering services, exhibitions, events, and tours for people coming on a daily basis.
It is an extraordinary building, and it’s quite a privilege to work in it because, as I wander round, my favourite time to come into Christ Church is very early in the morning, and sometimes when I come in, the organ scholar is there ahead of me playing, and it might just be me and this wonderful music in this historic space and you’re reminded of the purpose of the building and also of what a privilege it is to be there. Maybe I’m there seven years, just it’s a real snapshot. And you think, you know, how long the cathedral has been there, almost 1,000 years, it’ll celebrate its millennium in 2028.
So, we do find ourselves increasingly having those requests sometimes for groups to come in before the daily pattern of worship commences or the visiting starts, and they experience that maybe that dappled light coming in stained glass or just the peace of the building.
It’s very special to be there by yourself. I like that quiet moment before the day starts, it sort of sets me up to handle the tasks that will be coming as the day goes on, and I’m also often struck as I wander around looking at things, or if I’m attending something in the cathedral sitting somewhere where I don’t normally sit that you’re looking at architectural features or stone masonry, or something in the floor tiles, or a light fitting, or just some feature that you don’t really remember having noticed before. And I think for those who have come to see us, maybe in the past, it’s definitely worth a second or a third foray into the building because you will definitely pick up something that you didn’t notice first or second or third time around.
So, I think that, you know, when people construct something like Christ Church, it’s, you know, they built these buildings to last and unfortunately, the fortunes of the cathedral have fluctuated down through the centuries, But the most recent piece of work that was done in the cathedral. And when I say recent, I mean the 1870s was thanks to money given to the cathedral by Henry Rowe, who was the largest distiller of whiskey in Europe at the time.
And he donated around the today’s equivalent around €29 Million for the restoration of Christ Church. And at the time they went to London and street George Edmond Street was the ecclesia architect who was brought to Dublin for the restoration of Christ Church. In my office, I’m lucky enough to have some photographs dating back to that restoration, and it’s definitely a different health and safety environment to the one that people see today because there’s scaffolding with big bamboos you know, held together with rope and these very serious looking gentlemen wearing top hats and tails standing, observing the, the work scene.
Bec Miles: So, no hard hats.
Susanne Reid: No, not a hard hat in sight. And Street’s approach was not the careful conservation one that is taken today. When anything happens in Christ Church, he liked a minimal aesthetic in, in a building. So, any of the monuments that he didn’t like were either thrown away or moved to the cathedral’s crypt
The result is, is something quite spectacular, but we certainly wouldn’t be attempting to do anything quite so dramatic these days that’s for sure
Bec Miles: No. I mean there must be, oh, no you carry on.
Susanne Reid: I was going to tell you a little bit about our crypt.
Bec Miles: Yeah, do. I’d love to hear more about the crypt. It sounds incredible.
Susanne Reid: So, the crypt is right underneath the whole length of the nave of the cathedral and its Eastern chapels. So, it’s the largest in Ireland. And as part of the millennium project in 2000, they put a proper floor in it, because up until then it was just loose clay floor.
And it really is quite an eclectic mix mixture of things that are stored down there. We have a mummified cat and rat that were found in the organ pipes and James Joyce references them in Finnegans Wake. The story goes that they couldn’t get a sound out of the largest organ pipes, and when they took them apart, they found this fellow, this, mummified cat and mummified rat in the organ. So, they’re kind of locally been given the name, Tom and Jerry, but sometimes our north American visitors refer to them as Itchy and Scratchy from The Simpsons.
We also have Ireland’s oldest copy of Magna Carta in the cathedral crypt and it’s Magna Carta Hibernia the Irish Magna Carta. So, it has all those wonderful headlines. That no man will be denied the right to justice, and all those great principles, but also they tell us who’s allowed to fish on the River Liffey down the hill from the cathedral and it’s situated
Bec Miles: Love the detail.
Susanne Reid: Yeah, [the Magna Carta is situated] just beside the Williamite commemorative plate, which was presented to the cathedral after the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, its entirely priceless. And the Silver Salver, which is the centrepiece of the, the plate is one of a pair. The other’s on display with the Crown Jewels in London, but for our visitors, I think it’s always interesting to remember that this, I suppose is a testament to the sort of the power and the politics of the cathedral, but also was not designed as an ornament.
It would’ve been put out on the high altar on highdays and holidays, big feast days like Christmas and Easter Sunday. Our visitors can get very close and see it in great detail and in general, there’s no time pressure for having to move all along. Like you, you do when you’re on the conveyor belt with the Crown Jewels.
Bec Miles: Yeah, absolutely.
Susanne Reid: So, the other thing that I would possibly mention, in the crypt is the have a lovely, dress up area, which we developed as something we thought would be used by, by children and by families. In fact, we find that it has huge appeal for all ages. So we see people dressed as strong bow or as a monk, having sword fights with each other in, in our crypt from time to time, right beside the costumes that Joan Bergen designed for the TV show, The Tudors which was filmed in Christ Church.
Bec Miles: Oh, my gosh, you got spanning all the ages. It’s fabulous. I imagine as well, people must visit the cathedral for all sorts of different reasons. I mean, if you’re particularly religious, what are the best bits to seek out? Or perhaps if you’re particularly into your history, what are the must-see’s?
Susanne Reid: So, I think I would really recommend that people who are interested in coming for worship purposes would try to choral service. The choir is we’ve maintained a professional choir for over five hundred years. It’s an adult mixed voice choir, adult men, and woman, and really considered to be the foremost church choir on the island of Ireland. No false modesty here.
Bec Miles: No, sing it loud.
Susanne Reid: Yeah. Loud and proud. So I would encourage anyone who has an interest in choral music or who would like to come for worship to come when the choir are singing.
However, sometimes people are drawn to the building, not because they want to participate or be part of a formal service, sometimes they really would like a quiet moment. And I would say then to maybe find the Lady Chapel or the Chapel of St. Blood and just have a moment or two to yourself there. And again, at the start of the day or, around lunch time tend to be quite quiet times in the building and they’re a good time to come for that purpose.
For visiting. I would you know, I think our audio guide really has enhanced the visitor experience for so many who come to see us. But please do also take the time, we have vergers who are like the caretakers of the building. They’re robed have a chat with one of those. Talk to our welcome desk team. Talk to the gang down at the gift shop because they love to tell the stories of the building to interact with the people coming and going. That’s why they’ve chosen to work in somewhere like Christ Church.
I would also say for those who are fit and able, it’s worthwhile considering taking one of our tower tours as well. Christ Church has nineteen bells which are rung in full circle. They added 2 as part of the millennium project and are now listed in the Guinness Book of Records, as the cathedral with the most bells, rung in full circle, anywhere in the world. the tower tour takes around 40 minutes. It’s really behind the scenes. So the Cathedral is always immaculate, beautiful serene, and people tend to behave quite formally when they’re in that space.
Bec Miles: Yeah.
Susanne Reid: We take them then up a winding medieval staircase, 86 stone stairs. They go across the roof at the level of the south transept(?) roof. So you have views out over the Dublin mountains, over Dublin city. Then you’re in a little tiny door. I always call it like a Hobbit door into the ringing chamber and that, you know, it’s quite informal, there’s a kettle, there’s a couch and our ringers are there for practice on a Friday and they ring on a Sunday. And also, for any major occasions.
Those on a bell who are learn about the numerical sequences of ringing, but also they get to have a go at ringing the cathedral bells as well.
So that’s wonderful.
Bec Miles: I love that sound.
Susanne Reid: Yeah, it’s quite special, you know and obviously, you know, photographs possible and, you know, we can see that. That people really enjoy getting behind the scenes a little bit, under the skin of the cathedral.
Bec Miles: Yeah, definitely. So, does that run every Friday?
Susanne Reid: It runs pretty much every day throughout the summer season. And then it’s definitely worth having a look at our website for other times of year. If you’re traveling out of season.
Bec Miles: Brilliant. Okay. Now we’ve touched on a few, but there must have been some really interesting characters throughout the history of the cathedral who were your favourites?
Susanne Reid: I think. You know, since I, I love the, I love that story of the, the heart of Lawrence O’Toole, you know, I love the idea that he was so fond of Dublin and of Christ Church, that his supporters brought his heart back from France. When he unfortunately passed away there, and this is in the 12th century,
We have a large lead heart-shaped object on display in the cathedral. This is the heart attributed to Lawrence O’Toole. And I love that story of people hiding in the cathedral in 2012 and the heart returning to us in 2018 and the, you know, the policeman in charge of the investigation taking the whole thing. So, so personally. I also love the, the story of Henry II coming up the Liffey in a flotilla to attend Christmas mass at Christ Church in the 12th century.
And [I’m] also fascinated that it was the, the cathedral of choice for the coronation of Lambert Simnel. One of the two pretenders to the throne [of England].
Bec Miles: I guess he would’ve had his pick of places.
Susanne Reid: Well, you would’ve thought so, but significant perhaps that it was to Ireland, he came for the coronation.
Bec Miles: Fabulous. Yeah. It sounds like there’s just so much to explore. I mean, and as you say, visit once twice, three times more as you’ll always find something new. But once visitors have finished exploring Christ Church cathedral, where should they head to next?
Susanne Reid: Oh, I mean, I think that’s one of the great beauties of Dublin.
I had a friend here over the weekend and I think that’s what really struck him was just how we could get out and about very easily. It was so walkable. And it really depends on, you know, what, what people are interested in doing. But I think we’re right beside Dublin Castle and the, the great visit there. We’re right beside Teeling’s distillery across the river from the old Jameson distillery. So if people like to taste the whiskey and tour distillery, that very possible as well.
For those who are more into the heritage and that level, that side of culture. I would recommend a stroll from Christ Church down through temple bar, the little cobble streets, maybe a coffee or a glass of something on the way. And then through the front arch, into Trinity college where it it’s so lovely to walk through the college grounds and, and then perhaps visit the old library was the Book of Kells.
I then like to go out and over to Merrion Square, and I’m not one for spending a day in an art gallery, but I do love to pop in and they’ve restored the gallery quite recently.
So, the 18th century rooms are just beautiful. You have a real sense of grandeur and of people who knew how to construct things to last and of quality, but also, you know, you might just pop in and see a Caravaggio, or there are always ongoing exhibitions there, which the last one I went to was Vermeer, and it was excellent, but there’s always something to catch your eye in the National Gallery.
I love, myself, to pop in from time to time to Marsh’s Library. It’s the first public library in Europe. And I suppose we’re all quite used to, you know, picking a book up here or there even downloading one onto our Kindle, but there I think we’re reminded just how precious a commodity a book was. So Narcissus Marsh who founded the library, had some of the books are in chains and still are, and readers were put in cages so they could consult them, but not make off with them. So, it’s quite an interesting little spot to visit too.
There’s a relatively recent Museum of Literature, MoLI on Stephen’s Green. And for those who have a fondness for Dublin, the Little Museum of Dublin on Stephen’s Green is gorgeous. Everything from millennium milk bottles to bits of YouTube memorabilia and always worth calling in there to see what else they’ve decided to put on display.
Bec Miles: Awesome. I mean, it just sounds like it’s such a city for all the senses. You touched on those distilleries. Where else should we be if we’re wanting to eat and drink our way around the city? Where else are you heading to?
Susanne Reid: Well, I think just because where I’m situated, I tend to, you know, I love, it’s a weakness of mine, a nice cup of coffee and a bun or a nice cup of tea and a scone.
Bec Miles: Yes
Susanne Reid: So there’s a gorgeous bakery café just around the corner in Temple Bar from the cathedral called Queen of Tarts. So if you fancied a bowl of soup and then a lemon meringue or something delicious and homemade, I would recommend there. And throughout the summertime, when people are there in the summer, they have tables outside. But a gorgeous cosy interior throughout the year as well.
I think, there’s a lovely boardwalk on the Liffey now, so you can get right down the Liffey and stop off in other places, a gorgeous restaurant, just for quite a special lunch, would be the Winding Stair again, major focus on Irish produce, great selection for vegans and vegetarians as well. And for those who like to have a little glass or something lots of different and unusual wines by the glass.
Tomorrow night we will, in Christ Church, we’ll be having some people to come and do the tour, and at the end of that, we’re working with the chipper, which is across the road, Burdock’s chipper. They’re just across the road from the cathedral really. Tiny little fish and chip shop and they have some of the finest cod and chips on the island. I think. So people love to just get a takeaway fish and chips and come across and sit in the grounds of the cathedral and eat those.
But I think for anyone who likes seafood, or a good pint, or a social environment, Dublin has any amount of choice. I would also say that, you know, it’s very easy as well. If you’re a second- or third-time visitor to the city, it’s so easy to hop on a dart, or a bus and, and get to the seaside. You know, the dart is the local train that goes right along the coast at Dublin Bay. There’s some gorgeous scenery there and very easily you could be in Howth for a walk along the cliffs, or you could be out Dùn Laoghaire, which is a, a port just to the south of the city and get a little, a lovely walk at the Victorian harbour there. And of course, a nice ice cream or, something that lets you know, you’re on holidays at the end of that.
Bec Miles: Definitely what a brilliant mix.
Susanne Reid: Yeah.
Bec Miles: I mean you are so lucky to, to live in the city, live in the heart of it, but if you just have one day free to spend exactly as you wish how do you do it? What do you do?
Susanne Reid: So I would probably start at the, at the seaside and have a dip in the sea for, for, because in, in, on my perfect day, the weather allows me to do that.
Bec Miles: Yeah, absolutely. The weather is exactly as you wish.
Susanne Reid: Exactly. Then I’m having a nice coffee and a scone and getting the dart into the city centre. And probably because I am, I love bookshops, so I’m probably calling into the Gutter Bookshop on Cow’s Lane and probably calling into Dubray Books on Grafton Street. I might even pop into you know, just some of the old, some of the second-hand bookshops around time.
Then I’m meeting a friend and we’re, you know, we’re, we’re maybe doing a little bit of the sightseeing that I haven’t done in some time, or we’re going to experience one of the, the newer things. Like we might take an afternoon tea on the Double Decker bus with the Vintage Tea Time tours.
Bec Miles: Oh, wonderful.
Susanne Reid: On the tour of the city. Yeah. Or maybe I’m getting on the Viking splash tour and taking a World War II Duck or Amphibian through the city roaring at the rest of the people.
But, but really, I’m probably catching up with pals and certainly walking around and maybe just having a, you know, going to Stephen’s Green, which is always beautifully planted throughout the year. And people watching there for a while.
Not really, not being under any time pressure at any point in the day. And just, I suppose a bit like my own version of Ulysses, just having a stroll through the city and noticing the signs and the smells and the people and taking my time to do that.
Bec Miles: Oh, that sounds heavenly. Thank you. You’ve transported us perfectly.
To find out more and book your next holiday to Dublin. Visit www.charitable.travel. Remember that when you book your holiday with Charitable Travel, you can donate 5% of the cost of the trip to a charity of your choice, completely free.
And if you’ve been inspired by Susanne and want to find out more about Christ Church cathedral, visit www.christchurchcathedral.ie, or follow Christ Church Cathedral on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Episode 3 - Atlantic City
Famous for it’s golden beaches, retro boardwalk and glamorous casinos, Atlantic City, New Jersey is one of America’s most beloved seaside resorts.
For this episode we are joined by Heather Colache, Director of Tourism from Meet AC and Meg Lewis, Executive Director of Marketing for Resorts Casino in Atlantic City.
Laura Gelder, Editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine: Hello and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast. My name is Laura Gelder and I’m the editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine and the host of this podcast series otherwise known as TIPs. Today, we’re going to whisk you away to the U S for some vitamin C, spelt S-E-A of course, because we’re going to be sharing some great travel tips for one of America’s most beloved seaside resorts, Atlantic City.
This all-American playground sits on the Atlantic coast of New Jersey, just one hour from Philadelphia. And it’s famous for its golden beaches. It’s retro boardwalk with all the fun of the fair. And of course, it’s glamorous casinos, but Atlantic City has so much more to offer than this as you’ll discover, if you like your holidays, action packed, then keep your ears peeled for details of thrilling fun fair rides, wildlife watching excursions out in the sea. Water sports galore and a star-studded calendar of events and concerts to entertain you. If that makes you feel a bit tired, fear not. We’re also going to tell you how to kick back and relax in AC. There’s an incredible choice of restaurants serving cuisine from every corner of the globe, endless streets of fun bars and funky nightclubs and tax-free shopping of course, if retail therapy is your way of pampering yourself. So, sit back and relax. Get ready to take a wander down the world’s first boardwalk with us. I want you to feel the sea breeze in your hair, taste the sweet flavour of saltwater taffy, and hear the sound of the crashing waves mingling with the jingle of those amusement rides.
So today I’m joined by two Atlantic City locals ready to pass on their tips for getting the most out of their home. I’m delighted to have Heather Colache, director of tourism from Meet AC, which is Atlantic City’s Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Meg Lewis, executive director of marketing for Resorts Casino in Atlantic City.
Okay, thanks so much for joining us today, Heather and Meg. Heather, can you tell us what makes Atlantic City so famous and so unique? It seems to have this reputation as quite a quirky place, kind of an adult playground. Is that fair to say?
Heather Colache, Director of Tourism from Meet AC: Atlantic City actually is a year-round destination. We are an island surrounded by water, and our claim to fame is we are a destination with gaming. So, we have six casino resorts along the Atlantic Ocean and three in the Bay Area, add entertainment and amazing restaurants. And then you have the best adult vacation. However, we do have something for everyone. So Atlantic City and our attractions are legendary.
We have America’s first boardwalk, which is, I guess, a city street that is made out of wood. And it goes along five miles along the Atlantic Ocean there’s shopping restaurants, resorts, hotels, and a lot of things for families to do. So, we do have something for everyone.
Laura: So, it sounds like, it’s a real vacation kind of place. Is it easy to get to? And how would you recommend including it in a holiday Meg?
Meg Lewis, Executive Director of Marketing, Resorts Casino, Atlantic City: It’s actually very easy to get to. We’re centred between in Manhattan, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C, once a visitor lands in any of these areas. It’s very easy to jump on a train, [or a] a bus. Car rentals are very easily available. Another great airport to fly into is Newark Airport, which is actually right in the state of New Jersey. So, there’s four ways to easily get to us and then use us as a home-base to get to any of these other destinations, which are about two hours from us.
Laura: Sure. And how would people include it in a holiday? Do you think that they, they have it as a long break or a city break?
Heather: That’s a great question. And we do a lot of twin city tours with Philadelphia since they’re only 60 minutes from us. So Atlantic City is well-positioned. Atlantic City is within a day’s drive of a third of the nation’s population.
So, it’s an easy drive destination, a lot of our vacationers, especially Brits will come in, they’ll make Atlantic City their home base, and then they’ll do day trips to these different destinations. We also do a lot of packages and tours with Lancaster, with D.C, with different destinations that are a short drive from Atlantic City.
Laura: Obviously Atlantic City is the fun part of that trip?
Heather: We’d like to think so.
Laura: Yeah. So once we’re in Atlantic City, what are the sort of main areas to explore and how do you get about. Is it easy to get about? Heather?
Heather: Atlantic City is quite small and it’s easily walkable. Our legendary Atlantic City Boardwalk is five and a half miles long. It runs along beautiful white beaches, and the Atlantic Ocean. People can bike ride there. They can take taxis. If you want to go over to the Bay Area, which is about a three-minute drive from the ocean. Also, we have form of transportation called the jitneys and jitneys are little minibuses that run 24 hours a day, $2 and 50 cents to take a ride. They’ll take you anywhere within Atlantic City.
Another way to explore Atlantic City is by tours. We have several different, interesting tours. We have over 500 restaurants in Atlantic City so of course we have a fun foodie tour. You can go souvenir shopping. You can go bar hopping. We have a lot of neat and quirky attractions.
We have the tallest lighthouse in New Jersey and the third tallest in the United States. We also have dolphin watching, biking tours, birdwatching. We have about 32 golf courses in and around Atlantic City, if someone’s interested in golf and of course fishing as we’re right on the Atlantic Ocean.
Laura: You mentioned that the Jitney I’ve never heard of that before, is that name exclusive to Atlantic City?
Heather: It was, it was actually coined in the early 1900s and jitney does have a meaning to it. And it’s, I think Meg, correct me if I’m wrong. It used to be a wooden nickel is what a jitney was called, and it was a nickel to ride the jitney back when it first started. So, it does have history in Atlantic City. It certainly has changed over the years, but they are a great way to see the city.
Laura: Yeah, it sounds. And obviously not as cheap as a nickel. But it’s still pretty cheap! And you mentioned quite a lot of restaurants and bars in Atlantic City. Could you tell us about some of your favourites, Meg?
Meg: As Heather mentioned, there are hundreds of restaurants and bars located in Atlantic City. I have three favourites that I could talk about right now. The Knife and Fork Inn, which is known for its lobster thermidor, which is absolutely delicious. It was originally opened in 1912 and its architecture and the atmosphere there is just amazing. The same owners that own the Knife and Fork also own a restaurant in Resorts Casino Hotel.
Meg: There’s Dougherty’s Steakhouse, and the name says it all. Steak and unbelievably delicious steak. One of my favourite casual restaurants is the Back Bay Ale House located in historic Gardner’s Basin, which is situated on the bay in Atlantic City. The outdoor dining is unbelievable there. It’s fun to order specialty cocktails and they have light fair there. And you sit outside and watch the boats come and go.
The beach bars in Atlantic City, you can’t miss them. There are five located right on the beach, along the Boardwalk. One of them, Landshark Bar and Grill is open year-round, and it’s the only year-round beach bar on the entire east coast of the United States. It’s located on the North Beach side of the Boardwalk, right in front of Resorts Casino Hotel. And it’s really fun to sit out there while it’s snowing and you can see the snow while you’re sitting on the beach, obviously there’s windows, but you’re nice and warm inside watching it snow over the Atlantic Ocean. It’s absolutely gorgeous.
Laura: So would it be fair to say to Atlantic City is quite lively?
Meg: Very lively, and any cuisine you desire you can find in Atlantic City.
Laura: That sounds like a challenge.
Meg: We have the White House Cheese Steak Sub Shop that has been around since the 1900s. What do you think Heather? 1920s?
Heather: I would say 1930s.
Meg: 1930s. People from all over the world come for a White House Cheese Steaks. And they actually ship all over the world and that is definitely a hidden gem on one of the back streets in Atlantic City. That is a must try.
Laura: Did you say a cheese steak?
Meg: Yes. It’s chipped up steak with melted cheese and fried onions on a hard, long roll. And you eat it with French fries.
Heather: And what’s unique about our cheese steaks is that, Atlantic City has won awards for our water quality. I guess my thing is that when you taste the bread in Atlantic City, it tastes so much better than what you would buy in the store.
Meg: Like you cannot make Atlantic City bread say, in Florida.
Laura: Is there a special kind of bread in Atlantic City?
Heather: It’s a sub roll, which is like, it has like a hard crunchy outside, but it’s really soft inside. And that’s what they normally use to make all the cheese steaks. All the restaurants, get their rolls from these bakers. You know, it it’s just the quality of it.
Meg: We’ll have to mail you some of it.
Laura: Won’t be quite as fresh when at arrives, though.
Heather: All of the rolls that are used within not only Atlantic City, but South Jersey come from two bakeries. And literally you have to taste it. Sometimes when I come into work at seven o’clock in the morning, there’s a line of 30 people deep trying to get their cheese steaks for lunch.
Laura: Okay. That sounds like a must then. Yeah. And there’s quite a lot of breweries in Atlantic City as well is that right?
Heather: We actually have one brewery called The Seed. It’s actually an organic brewery. We also have a distillery, however, in our area. We have something called the Wine and Ale Trail within the surrounding communities. They have had breweries and wineries pop up that have won awards all over the world. So, there are certain tours that leave at different times of the day that they can go on these, The Wine and Ale Trial.
Laura: And, after all this food, then we’re going to need to do some activities. So Heather, can you tell us about some of the activities that you can do in Atlantic City? I guess there’s quite a lot of water sports?
Heather: There is. One of the main things I just want to mention is swimming. Of course, in season when we are on the Atlantic Ocean, we are one of the beaches that are protected. So, we have lifeguards that man the beaches, so everyone feels safe. We also have surfing, we have a surf school that will give lessons to teach people how to surf. We don’t have the big waves, like some of the other destinations, but we do pretty good. Fishing, again, we have back bay fishing, which is calm water. So, you don’t get seasick or for those serious fishermen, they can go out onto the Atlantic Ocean and fish for tuna. Dolphin watching, uh, golfing again.
We actually have outlets right in the middle of our city, which offers tax free, shopping on clothes and shoes. Again, one of my favourites, I unfortunately live very close to the outlets I’m there constantly. We have award winning spas. You can bike on the boardwalk and foodie tours again for all of our amazing restaurants.
Laura: And obviously there are some really impressive casino resorts in Atlantic City. Could you tell us a bit about them, Meg, and also what other accommodation options there are?
Meg: Sure, we have nine casinos in Atlantic City and every casino has its own uniqueness. You aren’t feeling lucky at one, it’s very easy to jump over to another one and change your day.
Our casinos are open 24-hours and they offer free beverages on the casino floor as well as designated smoking areas. The sizes of the casinos range from 900 rooms and 1600 slot machines to over 2000 rooms with, over 5,000 slot machines. So, there’s something for everyone’s price point. Of course, each casino has multiple table games and most have sports betting.
Three of our casinos are located in the Bay Area and six along the beach and Boardwalk. North Beach side of the Boardwalk features three casinos working together to promote fun and excitement. It’s a first and unique experience in the industry. Resorts Casino Hotel, Hard Rock Casino, and Ocean Casino have teamed up with Steel Pier, a historic pier located right on the ocean and Showboat Hotel, a non- casino hotel located in this section, these three casinos work together to promote the North Beach area do in such things as festivals at this end, fireworks, things like that to promote this end of the Boardwalk. The other two, as I said, where the Bay and the South Boardwalk. The South Boardwalk consists of three casinos as well.
There’s Caesar’s Casino, Bally’s Casino, and Tropicana Casino and Hotel down there. Over on the Bay Area we have MGM, Harris and Golden Nugget. There are many non-casino hotels in Atlantic City as well. In addition to the non-casino hotels we have, there are accommodations for every price point here. There are bed and breakfasts, hotels, casino hotels, chain hotels and actually right outside of the city, in our next beach town up, you can rent an entire house.
Laura: Obviously, the casino resorts I guess are, the focus of Atlantic City, and they differ quite a lot. Do they, do they have sort of a different feel and different themes to them? They appeal to different people?
Meg: You can definitely find different casinos. We have very modern, we have very historic. Because some of the casinos were built actually from historic buildings.
Laura: The other thing that I know about Atlantic City is that, there’s a lot of big bands and singers and acts that turn up in Atlantic City. So, entertainment seems to be quite big business. Is that fair to say?
Heather: Absolutely. We are known for our entertainment and it’s year-round entertainment. So historic Boardwalk Hall is a 13,000-seat arena and we’ve brought anyone from Lady Gaga. To a rodeo. We also do ice hockey in there and flag football. There literally are such amazing programs that they bring to, uh, Boardwalk Hall. They do Christmas entertainment. They’ll bring in Latin and Asian entertainment, really something for everyone, but it’s not just Boardwalk Hall, every casino has a showroom or has lounges that they do nightly entertainment in. Country/Western acts, we have beach concerts on the boardwalk and also Steel Pier which has been around for a very long time also brings in acts onto the Steel Pier. And one of our major events is Thunder Over The Boardwalk, which happens every August. It’s a military air show free to the public, but you can see it from any angle and anywhere you’re standing in Atlantic City, whether you’re swimming, whether you’re on your boat or just sitting on the beach, it’s really, truly amazing.
Laura: Okay. It sounds, you mentioned quite a few different seasons there’s it sounds like it’s year round. Um, but is there a particularly good time to visit? If you’re looking for, you know, lots of concerts and lots of festivals and things going on?
Heather: I would say the best thing to do is visit our website, which is atlanticcitynj.com into the calendar of events, because Atlantic City’s notorious for putting things on there last minute. We didn’t realize we were going to have beach concerts and then, you know, two months ago, a huge string of beach concerts popped up on the calendar. So, because everybody is promoting it differently, I always tell people to be on the safe side, check it out. Um, of course, summertime will be the most robust with entertainment, but truly you can see something in Atlantic City all year round.
Laura: Yeah. It sounds like. Okay. That’s a good tip. Thanks for that. So, when I think of Atlantic City, I seem to get quite retro images in my head and I get the impression that it’s quite quirky. Can you tell us a little bit more about some of Atlantic City’s more unique attractions Meg and, maybe give us some, some hidden gems that tourists might miss.
Meg: We have a lots of hidden gems. Heather has mentioned a couple already, but I can just go over them again quickly. We just absolutely love our Atlantic City, cruises, which does dolphin watching daily also does sunset cruises, which are very nice. And he does some Back Bay history. He can do some ecological tours that appeal to children and families of all ages. You can grab a beverage on board of that and enjoy all of the sites. We have actually two locations of miniature golf on the Boardwalk. One is located in the North Beach section and one in the middle of town in the Boardwalk. There’s a huge indoor arcade located at the Showboat, which is a non-casino property in the Northeast section. It was a casino at one time. And actually the arcade has taken over the casino floor there, and it will soon the showboat house, a waterpark and indoor go-karts. So that will be a fun place for everybody to visit. Right across from Showboat and the Hard Rock is this historic Steel Pier that Heather had spoken about. It extends about a thousand feet into the ocean and it’s home to amusement rides, fun Boardwalk games, a large observation wheel, a crab house, and grab and go snacks. It has two bars and live entertainment, seven days a week throughout the summer. Boardwalk Hall that Heather spoke about is another great historic site in Atlantic City.
It’s actually home to the largest and oldest organ in the world. The pipes of the organ are actually built into the walls of Boardwalk Hall. Um, they have free tours every Wednesday. You can go in and go into the back and see where the pipes are and it’s just amazing how it was built. And of course visitors can’t miss our lighthouse.
That’s located in the Northeast section of town. Heather had mentioned it’s the third tallest in the United States and it’s the tallest in the state of New Jersey. It has 228 steps to get up to the top though. I think it’s doable, but some good exercise. One attraction that you can’t miss is Lucy, The Elephant.
Lucy The Elephant is actually located in Margate City, which is about five miles south of Atlantic City. Very easy to get to though it’s a straight run. Lucy is a six-story high elephant. And it was originally built in 1881 and it was put in Margate to promote real estate sales in the area, though. It is a must-see you can actually go into Lucy The Elephant. Um, and sometimes they create a sleepover and Lucy The Elephant, uh, as a special event. And it’s just absolutely amazing to look at. And just a few more last, see attractions. We have Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, outlet shopping, the Windmill Farm, breweries, distilleries, axe throwing. We have jitney rides and fishing, golf. Heather has mentioned most of them. So, there is plenty to do here. I think you’d have to come for a month to catch it all.
Laura: Yeah, definitely. So, and what is inside Lucy The Elephant?
Meg: Lucy has stairs. It’s kind of like a lighthouse. It’s got a gift shop and when I was a kid, it actually had a little library in there. They’re actually undergoing renovations to her right now. Is that correct? Heather? They’re still doing that?
Heather: They are actually inside is a museum. Um, they play the history of how she came about, and then you can walk up to the howdah, which has a 360-degree view of Margate, Atlantic City and the surrounding area. It truly is unique.
Laura: Yeah. That’s certainly something I’ve not heard of before, but it’s definitely unique. I was going to ask about the Pier, the Steel Pier actually. Um, cause it seems like that’s quite an iconic part of the city and it sounds like it’s kind of like an old fashioned fairground.
Heather: It has rollercoasters. I mean, it has a lot of rides. It has like carnival games on it and then it has like the fair, like cotton candy, um, funnel cake. They have the observation wheel. They also have helicopter rides. Um, it’s one of the only helicopter pads in Atlantic City. I think the other ones at the hospital and it’s right in front of Hard Rock Casino.
Laura: Okay. So you, you can take off on a helicopter from the pier, is that right?
Heather: Yes! They do city tours.
Laura: And so, they just fly you up and down so that you can see everything?
Heather: They do it like a kind of like a skyline tour, I mean, because it’s such an iconic pier, it was opened in 1898 and Donald Trump owned it at one point. He leased it to a family for 99 years, then they ended up buying it. At the Catanoso family now owns it and maintains it and they’re always updating it with new and unique attractions.
Laura: Is there a kind of entrance price, like a theme park? Can you just go on and you just decide what rides you want to go on?
Heather: You can do a couple of different things. You can buy ticket books or you can buy day-long wristbands. So, where you can simply just stroll on the pier and check everything out before you decide what you want to do.
Laura: Have some cotton candy whilst you decide?
Heather: You can have cotton candy, or you can have cotton candy cocktail, because they have a bar.
Laura: So that’s alcohol. Cotton candy. That sounds dangerous. Well, my next question, Heather was going to be, could you take us through your perfect day and night, I guess? Um, since it seems to be a night-time kind of place in Atlantic city.
Heather: I would love to. So first thing, when you arrive at Atlantic City at your hotel, you can drop your bags at the bell stand and head out for lunch on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Just sitting there breathing the fresh salt air in taking in all the quirky people that are walking up and down the Boardwalk really sets the stage for Atlantic city. Stroll the Boardwalk, take in the unique sites. Uh, take a ride on Steel Pier’s Observation Wheel. I am afraid of heights, but I decided I was the tourism director and I needed to take that ride. It was amazing. I tried to pretend I wasn’t, 227 feet in the air, but to just get the view of Atlantic City and all the water that surround us was truly unique and it was in the evening. So you get to see the sunset, which was really beautiful. Or if you’re very adventurous, you can take a city skyline helicopter ride, then head back to your hotel, check-in dinner and a show is a must. Atlantic city, we are on the water so seafood is what we are famous for. Fresh seafood, right from the Atlantic Ocean.
And then after the show, which could be comedy, it could be a headliner, or it could simply be in one of the bars in the casino. Try your hand in the casino poker or slot machines. It’s a lot of fun. When you hear the bells ring on the slot machine it’s so exciting, whether it’s a dollar or a hundred dollars, it’s still exciting.
And the next day. The breakfast in Breadsticks, which is my favourite restaurant in Resorts because the views of Atlantic City and the beach and Boardwalk are beautiful. So, breakfast at Breadsticks, go to the beach or do a dolphin watching cruise. Have afternoon cocktails at a beach bar that plays great music, and then perhaps dinner at one of our local favourites.
And we have some truly interesting places to eat. And when you had said before, have you ever went to an interesting restaurant, I have to say in all my years in Atlantic City and I’m a native of this area. I did not know we had an Afghan French restaurant. I didn’t know what that food was and I thought I would check it out. It’s literally in the heart of Atlantic City, you walk in and the courtyard takes you to a different destination and the food is really lovely. And we had a wonderful time there. We do have some restaurants that you bring your own alcohol too, which is, I think very interesting. So you can enjoy your favourite cocktail or wine while you’re having dinner.
Or you can go to one that also serves and has a bar. After you have your dinner, I think that the best thing to do would be to relax in one of the bars in the casinos. Multitude of them, very interesting ones. There’s Margaritaville, It’s Five O’clock Somewhere. You have an eighties bar. Um, if you like jazz, we have a jazz bar. There’s also karaoke in Atlantic City. So, whatever you like, and then unfortunately you’d have to leave the next.
Laura: I know you talked about people watching, I guess, the casinos are very good for people watching and the Boardwalk is probably good for people watching. Is that quite a big activity in Atlantic City?
Heather: It is! along the Boardwalk, there’s a lot of benches. So, people just like to sit and sip a cocktail, just kind of take in the sights and, you know, there’s people from all walks of life and also street entertainers that go up and down the boardwalk. So you never know what you’re going to see. Uh, I think the last week I was on a boardwalk with my grandchildren, and we had an impromptu parade of people that dressed up as dolphins and sharks. It was a beach theme. I thought I got it.
Laura: You didn’t expect that?
Heather: No, but it was entertaining!
Laura: Um, did you have anything to add there, Meg, anything that Heather didn’t mention that you would have in your perfect day?
Meg: My perfect day is sitting on the beach all day and going to a concert at night. That’s my perfect day. So, Heather covered that.
Laura: Okay. So I’ve got a bonus question for one or both of you, and it’s related to Charitable Travel’s Make Travel Count Campaign. So, it’s all about getting people to think about how they can use their holidays to make a positive impact in the world. I just wanted to ask how our listeners can make trouble counts when they visit Atlantic City?
Heather: We work really closely for Charitable Travel. One of the things that Meet AC, which is the company that I work for, loves about that company, is that they give back to different places in the world. And I think just by booking your vacation to Atlantic City or any other destination through Charitable Travel really does make a difference. It’s so refreshing to see something as simple as a travel company, just giving a small percentage to make things better in the world. We love that.
Laura: To find out more and book your next holiday to Atlantic City visit charitable.travel/atlantic-city. Or you can ring up and speak to the team of expert travel advisors. For more information about Atlantic City, you can also visit MeetAC.com
Dive in to the beautiful Bradenton Area of Florida in this episode, as we speak to Kelly Clark, Chief Marketing Officer at Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Ed Chiles, a restaurateur, keen fisherman and sustainability expert from Bradenton. Listen now for a 30 minute holiday!
Laura Gelder, Editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine: Hello, and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Insider Podcast. My name is Laura Gelder. I’m the editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine and the host of this podcast series, otherwise known as TIPS. We hope to give you lots of great travel tips today, but mostly we intend to transport you from wherever you are right now, perhaps your favourite armchair, or maybe squished into a crowded commuter train to a place that will inspire you.
Today, we’re hopping across the pond to America’s Sunshine State, specifically the Bradenton, Anna Maria Island, and Longboat key area. It’s Florida, but perhaps not as you know it because a holiday to the Bradenton area is like a trip back in time. Right in the centre of Florida’s Gulf coast, the Bradenton, Anna Maria Island and Longboat key area is only 45-minutes from the bright lights of Tampa and just two hours from the thrills of Orlando.
But the vibe is very much off the beaten path. Forget freeways, high rises, and mega malls Here you’ll find sandy lanes leading to the sea. Cute clapboard cottages and artisan shops and farmer’s markets. There’s plenty to do in the Bradenton area, but no pressure to do much at all. We’re going to hear about the powdery, white sand beaches, the pristine ocean, where you can paddle over manatees or sail alongside dolphins and the eclectic community that you can discover here. I’m also going to apologize now for making you hungry. As we discuss the mouth-watering seafood options that the region has to offer.
So, I’m not going to tell you all about this. Instead, we’re going to hear it all from our guests. Kelly Clark, chief marketing officer at Bradenton Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Ed Childs, an entrepreneur keen fishermen and sustainability experts. Kelly and Ed are both Florida born and bred. So, they’re going to offer us a unique and crucially an insider perspective on the Bradenton area.
Thanks so much for joining us, Kelly, and Ed, I’m just going to do a little brief intro to both of you. So, Kelly, you’re the chief marketing officer for Bradenton Area Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, as we’ve already said. You’ve been, a member of the team there for 10-years, and you’re also one of the few people we might speak to who actually grew up on Anna Maria Island.
So, tell us a bit more about that and about your background.
Kelly Clark, Chief Marketing Officer at Bradenton Area Convention and Visitors Bureau: Yes. Well, thank you, Laura. And thank you so much for having us on the show today. Yeah, I’m one of the few and far between that are actually born and raised in the Bradenton area. There’s not many of us, so I always feel very proud that I’m working for the Visitors Bureau and being able to talk about the area and I think that really brings up passion because I was born and raised here and went to school here, went to college here, um, university. And I just never left because such an amazing place. So, I think that speaks volumes
Laura: And Ed, your prominent figure in, in both the Bradenton and Anna Maria Island communities, and you play a really active role in promoting sustainable tourism. So, could you tell us a little bit more about that?
Ed Chiles, local businessman and sustainability expert: Laura, I also want to thank you for having us today and, I wish you were here interviewing us because it is a absolutely perfect day. We’ve had a string of them here lately, but it is just gorgeous here in the Bradenton area. I’m kind of like Kelly. Obviously, I’ve been around a lot longer than Kelly, but I don’t ever remember not being on Anna Maria.
I was, raised in Lakeland, Florida, which was about an hour and 20 minutes from here in Central Florida. So, this was the place that everybody came. When I got out of college and, uh, chose a place to live and raise a family it was here by choice. This is paradise, and it is a very sensitive place because we’re right here on the coast.
You know, we sit here today on the edge of the largest Gulf in the whole world. And we are the only place in the country that has three national estuaries on our border. Those estuaries are in very large part, the nursery for the whole Gulf of Mexico. So, they are critically important to our environment. And as we all know, no matter where we are, in this whole wide world today, especially if we’re near water. There are issues, uh, that are becoming more of concern with climate, uh, with water quality, with development and things of that nature. So, sustainability is critically important here, and we believe that we can be a model here for what we do with the intrinsic resources we have. The fact that we are, uh, that we live in this area on these three national estuaries to promote state, uh, sustainability and to promote coastal resiliency. And we work a lot on that.
Laura: Thank you for that intro. Yeah, I can, I can hear the passion coming across already, but what we’ll get back to that. But we’re going to start with them with the basics, I guess. So I’m sure a lot of our listeners have been to Florida because as you know, the Brits love the sunshine state.
So, Kelly, could you tell us a little bit about what makes your destination different to the rest of Florida?
Kelly: Sure. So, um, like you said, the, uh, the Brits and the international market, generally when they think about Florida and the Sunshine State, um, they’re thinking about Disney World, they’re thinking about Orlando, Miami, those big high rises on the beach.
But what makes us special and unique is that we have an Old Florida feel, but with modern day amenities, So, when you come to the destination, you won’t find chain hotels and chain restaurants, and high rises just blocking the beautiful views of the beach. You have that Old Florida low rise feel here. There are some areas where the palm trees are actually higher than the buildings.
And we do have a law restricting that you cannot build higher than three stories on the Island. So that is something that’s never going to change. Um, our beaches are some of the best in the United States. We have that sugar-white, soft sand. It just feels like powder when you walk through it, the beaches are beautiful turquoise with a low surf, which makes it a great place for families and with young children who want to feel safe, they don’t have those high waves on the east coast of Florida.
You know, it makes it a great all-around destination. We also have some of the best parks and preserves in Florida. We’ve got several trails and biking paths and there’s so much to do here. And I think people just don’t realize that it’s so easily accessible, um, in the state. So the other thing too, is that the one thing you’ll notice when you come to our destination is that we exude a southern charm.
We’re known as the friendly city. So when you come, you feel like you’re actually at home and I think that’s what makes our area very special.
Laura: Sure. Yeah. And when you say old Florida, would you say there’s a bit of a, kind of a retro feel to the area?
Kelly: You know, it definitely has a retro feel or a vintage, Florida feel you’ll see all the beach cottages and their clapperboard style.
We have a lot of buildings that are from the 1920s that have been retrofitted, lots of colours. The character of the island is really where you’ll find that old Florida feel. Ed can speak to that too. Yeah, he was on a big project. That’s Pine Avenue one, uh, the, one of the areas on the island. And that is very well visited where there were lots of buildings that were from, you know, the early 1900.
But they retrofitted them, and the amenities are all modern day, but it still has that Old Florida feel.
Laura: And what about the geography of the area? Because we’ve, we’ve mentioned Bradenton, we’ve mentioned Anna-Maria islands and Longboat key, and those are the three key destinations, aren’t they? Within the wider area. So could you explain how it kind of all fits together and the main places that people should know.
Kelly: Sure. So just to kind of give you an idea, the Bradenton area is located on the west coast of Florida on the Gulf coast, as Ed said, um, it’s about 45-minutes south of Tampa. And it’s about two hours away from Orlando.
And, not that far about three and a half to Miami, Fort Lauderdale area. Just to give you an idea geographically, where we are. Um, we like to say that, you know, we’re close to all the major attractions and big cities in the state of Florida yet when you’re here, you feel miles and miles away, definitely what you want or feel when you’re on vacation.
So, the area is made up of three main parts, Longboat key, which is more of an exclusive island that resorts. And, um, some of the best dining in the area, Bradenton is the mainland. And that’s where you’re going to find our urban city beautiful river walk. The Manatee River is flowing right through it of strong cultural and arts district come up. The parks and preserves are found in that area. And then of course, Anna Maria Island, which is the crowning jewel.
Laura: Okay. Well, we’re going to get back to that in a second, but I’m going to move back to Ed now and go back to that, sustainability subject. Because one of the things I find quite exciting about Bradenton and Anna Maria Island is how important sustainability seems to be to the area, which you touched on before. Ed, could you tell us a little bit more about, um, the projects that you were involved in?
Ed: So local seafood is what we’re all about. And sustainable seafood is the coin of the realm. 90% of the seafood that we eat in this country now is imported and 50% of that is aquaculture. And yet in America, we’re only making 1% of our aqua culture.
So, we’re working on those things, we’re working to promote our local wild, sustainable seafood, and that sustainable is critical. So that it’s not a, a fish that is over-fished. Uh, I think we do a very good job of regulating our seafood and in Florida now, and making sure that, that we are sustaining our stocks. When you talk about sustainability clams, great
in our restaurants, great for fresh Florida seafood, that is so healthy and so tasty. But great for the environment too, because clams filter water. And they clean water and by cleaning water, they clean, they promote light coming down through the water column and promote sea grass. They fertilize sea grass through their waste stream.
They promote forage fish. So, we’re working on biological mitigation strategies here for coastal resilience, and that involves, uh, projects for restoration of our sea grass beds and our clamps native clam stocks here.
Laura: So, could you tell us a little bit more, obviously clams are the major part of your sustainability project and you, you actually have, a charity that you’re, that you’re working with. Is that, is that right?
Ed: Well, it’s a new an initiative, Laura, and thank you so much for asking all, uh, your listeners need to do is go to the internet and go to All Clams On Deck. And that’s our project. Uh, that’s our project for using these three national estuaries as a big macro laboratory to prove out the science and to gather the data on the nutrient mitigation and the things that clams do to benefit coastal resiliency.
And it’s a project where the more jobs we create, the more water we clean and the better the environment is. The more, the, uh, happy that our tourists are and the better that our property values are in the better that quality of life that we preserved, that Kelly and I treasure so much and that everybody that comes here gets stuck too. So, sustainability is very important to us.
Laura: Okay. Brilliant. Thank you for that. Okay. So, um, Kelly, can you tell us a little bit about what there is to do on Anna Maria Island, your home?
Kelly: Anna Maria Island being acquaint, smaller destination. There is so much to do there and there’s something for everyone. There are so many water activities, whether it’s fishing, paddleboarding, kayaking, jet skiing, there’s something there for everyone. Having time in the water is definitely, um, one of the largest or the biggest activities you can do on Anna Maria Island. And we also have boutique shopping. Like I said, there’s no chain stores out on the Island.
So, you can find all these independently owned small boutique shops that you could go in and spend your money, but you can feel good while you’re doing it because you’re supporting locals. There are two major piers on the island that have just undergone some renovation that are great. You can go out and have a cup of coffee and watch the sunrise. And I also like to say that we have a trolley or a bus service that goes up and down the Island, that’s absolutely free. So it’s a very multi-modal city. You can rent bikes or golf carts, or like I said, take the free trolley so you can easily get around. And of course, one of the number one thing you can do on Anna Maria Island is watch the sun set.
Absolutely beautiful. Every night there’s a show and waterfront dining. I mean, Ed has two amazing restaurants that are directly on the Gulf of Mexico. You can actually dine with your toes in the sand. It’s a unique experience that everyone should try once in their life. And yeah, it’s absolutely amazing. Although there is a lot of things to do on the island. I like to say sometimes the best thing you can do, is nothing. Go to the beach. And enjoy your time.
Laura: Would it be fair to say that this is a barefoot destination where you can kind of leave your, your shoes in your hotel or in your recommendation?
Kelly: Yeah, Laura, that’s a great way of putting it.
Yes, definitely a barefoot destination. It’s very, uh, we’re not pretentious here. Everything is laid back island time, island vibes. So yes, everything is very relaxed here.
Laura: So back to Ed, could you tell us a little bit about the wildlife that we can expect to see in the Gulf, around the Bradenton area in areas? I know Kelly just said that water sports are a big part of what you get up to, but presumably you can see some, some wildlife from your paddleboard?
Ed: Oh, absolutely. You know, both, uh, Marine and inland here, you know, just a wide spectrum. So, you know, if you’re out on the water, you’re going to expect to see porpoise here, dolphin, uh, every day you’re very likely to see a manatee, our sea cows, which are just absolutely fabulous to watch. Uh, you’re going to see the rays out in the water, schools of rays uh, our bird life is incredible. So you may see in a day, you could see ospreys, you’ll see numerous ospreys. Very likely you might see an eagle, especially if you’re a little bit further inland. Roseate spoonbills here. It’s a fairly rare bird. Likes a tropical climate, just gorgeous bird. Night herons, terns, black skimmers on the beach, all the little seabirds that are so funny.
It’s like a Pixar movie to watch them scurry around as the waves come out and they’re digging around in the sand. So, you know, being out, if you’re going out on one of the pontoon boats or you go over to Egmont Key. Uh, it’s a rich tapestry of wildlife here, both, uh, you know, in the marine environment
You’re going to see wild pigs. You’re going to see deer, uh, you’re likely to see Turkey.
Laura: How do you, how would you recommend a visitor and make sure they see as much wildlife as possible? Is it good to do a tour? Are you okay to just kind of walk around and kayak and everything’s just there?
Ed: Yeah, absolutely. You know, how far do you want to go?
If you want to go into the bay areas or one of the boat tours is great. If you want to grab a kayak and go into one of the many areas that Manatee County has. When you talk about, we’re known for sustainability, because they’ve done so much with environmental land, so you can go to Robinson Preserve, you can go to Myakka State Park, you can go to Rye Park. Uh, you can go to numerous places around this county and, and get a kayak, go up into the rivers and do a canoe trip. You’ll see alligators when you go up in the river, you may see otters when you go up in the river. Uh, so there’s just this all kinds of choices.
If you’re into that and you want to be doing hikes and you want to be doing the outdoor thing, you’re in a great area to do it here. And you love to say fly fish. Or you love the spin fish. You know, you want to catch the silver king. This is the place to do it. This is one of the best places to tarpon fish in the world.
Uh, if you want to catch snook, if you want to catch permit, if you want to catch a trophy redfish, uh, if you want to catch great fish to eat like Spanish mackerel, grouper, and snapper, we’ve got just a great, great, fishing, uh, area here and just lots of opportunities as well.
Laura: Well, I think I don’t know anything about fishing, but I know that if I was going anywhere with alligators, I think I’d want a guide.
Ed: Well, you can stay out in the Gulf. The alligators are all inland.
Laura: Okay. That’s good. I’ll stay there. Kelly, can you tell us a little bit about the accommodation options in the area and where we can stay?
Kelly: The Bradenton Area is known for having a range of accommodations. There really is something for everyone, but what we’re most well-known for is our vacation rental homes.
Beach cottages, villas, condos. The 80% of our accommodations are actually single-family homes. So, we do have on the mainland, quite a few hotel options, but on Island specifically, um, your beach cottages, your vacation homes, your smaller resorts that are boutique-style is going to be what you’ll find. And that’s great, I think for the UK market, because, you know, once you fly in, um, usually you get in a little bit later.
So, when you arrive in the destination, it’s great to have a place that you could feel at home, and you can really have your home away from home because you have your separate rooms, have your own kitchen. You can go out and you can go to the local fish market at Cortez. Grab some local fish and cook it up at home if you don’t want to go out every single night for dinner and you have that, that privacy in that space, most of them have their own heated pools. So, you do have the privacy of, that as well. And I think right now, um, in this climate, it’s more of a, it’s more of, of something people are looking for is to have that, that privacy and that space.
That’s all their own. It’s also great for families. I know I have a young daughter. I love going to places where I can rent a vacation home. Cause I have my own separate room. I have the kitchen, I’m able to make snacks and things for, for my daughter. So yeah, that’s, that’s one of the specialties of our area is our vacation rental home.
Laura: Sure. And I guess there’s a full spectrum there. So from a more budget and right up to the sort of luxurious, large villas with pools and that kind of thing?
Kelly: Yes, absolutely. And I mean, we have duplexes, we have condos, we have kind of your old vacation rental, beach cottages that like I said, have been retrofitted, but you know, there’s, there’s one bedroom, two-bedroom, three bedroom, whatever you’re looking for, we have it.
Laura: Of course, one of the best things about staying in, in accommodation like that, or being self-catering is that you have the opportunity to go out for dinner, wherever you like. So, I’m going to move on to Ed now, cause obviously you are the restaurateur, here. So could you tell us a little bit about the food scene and what were you going to be eating when we visit.
Ed: I think its varied. If you want sushi here, you can get there. We have a great sushi restaurant on the island, and we have good, uh, very good sushi restaurants in town. We’ve got a great German place on the island. We certainly specialize in seafood. Uh, and there’s a lot of great burger places, you know? Gosh, if you talk about the classic burger joint, you know, you’re looking at Duffy’s, uh, on the Island where I always went as a kid and it’s still doing them the same way.
Uh, lots and lots of casual places, lots of places where you can be comfortable outside a barefoot, as you say, uh, a lot of them will be on the way. Uh, but we have some really good seafood places here. And as Kelly said, we’ve got some really good, fine dining. Uh, if you want to get a reservation and you want to go in and you know and do it up with a white tablecloth and all of that, we’ve got some exceptional, uh, restaurants, some that have come in recently, like the Chateau, some that have got a tremendous history here, like The Bistro.
Great place for cocktails like The Doctor’s Office. Uh, and then great seafood restaurants. Uh, what John Horn does, what the Anna Maria Oyster bar. Um, we’re pretty proud of our three places. Uh, the Blue Marlin down in Bridge Street which in itself is a lot of fun and Bradenton Beach. Uh, there’s a daiquiri deck bar down there.
There’s a bunch of different kind of old-school bars down there and a number of, of neat restaurants down there. So a lot of variety. If you want a fresh seafood, you’re going to be able to get it in a lot of places. You’re going to be able to sit over the bay in a place called The Waterfront. Uh, that’s great.
You’re going to be able to go out to one of our two city piers and sit over the water and watch the fishermen. Your kids will just absolutely love that. You know, and if you’re staying in one of the places on the north end of Anna Maria, you’re walking in you’re and biking and you’re, uh, you know, you’re strolling everywhere, and you really can kind of leave your car.
Uh, Kelly talked about that. This is a place where you can bring your kids and you can let them loose, you know, and they can take the trolley and go down to the public beach. You know, and chase chicks and have fun and get to know people like we all did and when we were kids and have that kind of freedom and that spirit that you don’t find it, a lot of other places.
Laura: Is that while the parents are having the cocktails?
Ed: Yes, exactly. Right. Yeah. And you let the little boogers go, you know, not have to worry about, do.
Laura: I mean, tell us about some of the dishes. Is there a particular dish that’s famous in the area? Well fish sandwiches, you know, grouper sandwiches, for sure. Certainly, a lot of group or dishes, a lot of snapper dishes.
Ed: We do a lot of stone crab here. Laura, have you had stone crab?
Laura: I don’t think I have actually no.
Ed: Well, stone crab is fairly unique. It’s in a small geographical area, which is really southern South Carolina, the coast of Georgia, Florida and then down a little bit south of Florida. But really, we all think it’s by far the best crab, a blue crab is another crab that we have that is absolutely exceptional, but stone crabs are big and they’re meaty, uh, sweet.
Uh, they’re a great specialty that we have here. And, you know, I can’t talk about seafood without beating the drum about clams. So we, uh, we do when we’re talking about sustainability and we’re talking about the environment we’re talking about good food. And, and in sitting around and enjoy people with a great bottle of wine. And by the way, we make some wine called Lola too. So, we’ll serve you a glass of that. Um, we do what we call the oral presentation, and we sit around and have great Florida sustainable seafood, and we have a big bowl of clams and some of our fresh bread from the bakery and a nice dry white wine. And, uh, people get the message when we do that.
Laura: Okay. Stop. You’re making me hungry! Um, well, I mean, you’ve given us some really good tips on, on, I feel like I should have had my pen out there writing down all the bars and places that you told us about that. Kelly, can you give us a few other sort of hidden gems or local secrets, you know, the best place to watch the sunset or, um, what we’ve already got a few places to go for a cocktail, but maybe a few more?
Kelly: Definitely, um, you know, talking about the sun. I was born and raised here, and I’ve seen more sunsets than I can even count. But what I will say is; there is no place on the island that is a bad place to watch the sunset. They are absolutely epic. Um, you know, it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen it, but it is different every single night.
The whole sky will be a golden peachy, pink colour one night. And then the next, it’s this soft blue gold that you’ve never seen before. You know, Ed and I were from here. We’ve seen them. We’ve seen more than you can count, but, it’s breath taking every time you see it, there’s seven miles of land on Anna-Maria anywhere on that seven mile stretch is going to be an amazing place to watch.
You know, some of the secret spots, I think Dean Point be a good place to mention. It’s, it’s sort of a secret it’s a little bit hard to get to. There’s not really a good place to park there to find it. You, you have to, um, almost stumble across it. It’s the very north tip of the Island. You can see the Sunshine Skyway in the back, which is a huge bridge that connects on the Bradenton area with a St. Petersburg. You can see the Gulf of Mexico there. And, um, it’s the very tip of the island and support just thought some of the other places that I think would be a great place to take the family, uh, The store on pine avenue called Shiny Fish Emporium. It’s absolute magic when you walk in there.
Um, and what they do is they take a sand dollar, which is a sea urchin that lives here in the area. And you can find in the waters around Anna Maria. Um, and it’s like a disc it’s a round disc, it’s white, and it has a star shape in the middle. And, um, you can actually paint them at the shop, and you can put a little ribbon through the hole and take it home as a souvenir, a special souvenir that you can keep.
Um, that’s a little piece of Anna Maria Island. Um, I think that’s really a special place to go and kind of one of the top-secret places that I like to take people or family when they come into town.
Laura: And just to clarify to everyone, that’s, that’s, uh, an expired search in isn’t it?
Kelly: Yes, if you’re, if you’re in the ocean, if you’re in the golf and you are swimming around and you see one and it’s a bit on the darker side, that means it is alive and you should never touch.
Laura: I just thought I’d check that. No, I did know that. Okay. Ed, can you describe to us your perfect day on Anna Marie Island and what you would get up to?
Ed: Well, my perfect day would probably be to, uh, get up and get one of our great guides and get out on the water. Uh, and then you’d be out, uh, before first light.
So, you would see a sunrise on the water and as beautiful as the sunsets are, for the early birds, the sunrises are absolutely just as magical. So, if you want to be out in one of our parks, then taking a stroll and looking at the wildlife and listening to the world, wake up, you know, uh, in, in the morning and see those beautiful colours, but I’d be out there in that with the breeze and that cool morning, and maybe seeing a tarpon roll and getting a chance to throw to them.
And then come back in and, uh, maybe spend a little time on Pine Avenue, uh, looking at the shops and going around and visiting some of our friends, uh, buying something at the Anna Maria Olive Oil Company, where they have the finest, olives and cheese. Uh, maybe go into Grub the new, uh, uh, great artisanal barbecue place.
It’s on the street for lunch or Papos the Tacoria that is there. That’s a great little mission-style-tacoria that we got. Uh, I take a nap in the afternoon after school. Uh, and I’d go have a sunset dinner on the beach.
Laura: Oh, fantastic. I’m glad you got a nap in there. That’s good.
Ed: And after that dinner, I’d walk up to the North Point, uh, under the moon and the stars and, uh, and just smell that ocean, uh, that beautiful golf had listened to the lapping and, uh, and feel that cool breeze on my face.
Laura: And go to sleep again, presumably. Lovely. Okay. I’m just going to ask you a bonus question. I’ll start with you, Kelly. Could you tell us how we can make our trip counts in Bradenton?
And by that, um, what we mean is we want to make a positive impact in some way when we’re visiting. So yeah. Tell us something that we can do that’s positive.
Kelly: I think there’s a few things you can do when you visit the area. Um, we really pride ourselves, especially us being locals in that responsible travel. We have a whole campaign called Love It Like a Local. Which is geared towards educating vacationers on how to visit the destination responsibly, um, and Love It Like a Local is really all about telling people, you know, what to do when you’re in the destination, that can make a difference, whether it’s. You know, when you go to the beach, make sure you’re using reef-safe, sunscreen, cleaning up after yourself and take things and recycle and throw it away once you’re done at the beach.
If you dig a hole to put your sun umbrella in, make sure you cover the whole, we are a big, a sea turtle nesting destination. We have to be careful of those locals to protecting the wildlife, making sure that you know, you’re not going up and touching any of the wildlife or touch them when you’re swimming with them, keeping that distance.
And of course, you know, taking, look at spending your time in some of the local boutiques and shops and, you know, paying it forward by shopping local. Also spending some time learning about programs, like All Clams On Deck, where you can educate yourselves and learn about ways to protect the water quality of other island destinations like ours.
Laura: Like, so Ed, I’m going to challenge you to give me one thing, one thing that we can do to make a difference.
Ed: I think you can look at the ways that we are trying to work on coastal resiliency here. And you can see what are the intrinsic resources that you have in your community that you could work on?
So it may be that you don’t live on the coast, but you live in the upland areas, but there are things that every one of us can do in our community to deal with the environmental issues and to make sure that we preserve and protect what we’ve had so that future generations can have it
Laura: So thank you so much to both of you for joining us and for telling us so much about your home, it sounds like an amazing.
Ed: Laura, I hope you’ll look us up when you come and we’ll make sure you try some of these great local clams. And the stone crab too. That’d be in season
Laura: And to find out more and book your next holiday to the Bradenton area you can visit www.charitable.travel, or you can call up and speak to our team of expert travel advisors. For more information about Bradenton, visit their Twitter. @VisitBradenton.
Episode 1: More to Explore in Malta
Discover the beautiful islands of Malta, Gozo and Comino in this episode, as we speak to Louise Zammit of the Malta Tourism Authority and Clive Cortis, a local Maltese guide with over 17 years experience sharing his vast knowledge with visitors worldwide.
Laura Gelder, Editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine: Hello, and welcome to Charitable Travel’s Travel Inside Podcast, otherwise known as TIPs. And that is exactly what we hope to pass on to you, our listeners, great tips on how to immerse yourself in some of the world’s most beautiful and fascinating places. Thank you so much for tuning in today. My name is Laura Gelder and I’m the editor of Charitable Traveller Magazine. You can read the latest edition of Charitable Traveller Magazine at charitable.travel/traveller. Much like the magazine, this podcast series is here to inspire as well as inform, transporting you across the world to exciting destinations for a half hour holiday and a unique insider view thanks to our knowledgeable guests.
On today’s episode, we’ll be journeying into a beautiful Mediterranean country, Malta. The magical Maltese islands, Malta, Gozo and Comino, offer an impressive array of experiences and sights. Not only is this sun-scorched isle a much-loved holiday destination with relaxing beaches galore, it’s steeped in history, and has been a cultural melting-pot for thousands of years. Most recently making a name for itself as one of the world’s most LGBTQI+ friendly destinations.
Joining me today on our half our holiday, we have Louis Zammit of the Malta Tourism Authority and Clive Cortis a local Maltese guide with over 17 years of experience of sharing his vast knowledge with visitors from all around the world.
So, I’m lucky enough to have visited Malta myself, but some of our listeners won’t have had this chance yet. So, Louise, I know that you were born in Malta and now live in the UK. And I imagine you must find yourself thinking about the islands often, especially at this time of year when it’s dark and cold. So, for someone who’s never been to the Maltese islands before, how would you describe Malta, Gozo and Comino? And how can the islands be compared to other, other European destinations and other Mediterranean destinations in particular?
Louise Zammit, Malta Tourism Authority: So first of all, I just like to say, thank you very much for having us here today, and hopefully we’ll be able to pass on some nuggets about the Maltese islands to your listeners. I think that the Maltese islands are quite unique in their offering. We have over 300 days of sunshine. We have beautiful beaches, delicious food.
We also have five Michelin star restaurants. And that’s coupled with 7,000 years of fascinating history, I think really gives the Maltese islands that edge, and it’s offers something for everybody. And some of your listeners may not be aware of this Laura, but the islands are actually referred to often as one big open-air museum, particularly our capital city Valletta, which is one of our three UNESCO world heritage sites.
The fact that nowhere is further away than forty-five minutes just really gives everybody the opportunity to explore all the elements that the islands have to offer.
Laura: And how would you compare the islands to other European destinations?
Louise: You know, like I say because we have quite unique features in terms of our 300 days of sunshine, the beautiful beaches, the delicious food, the history, I think in this sense, it’s quite unique because with other European cities, I would say, for example, if you wanted to be beach holiday, you’d kind of need to go specifically for that beach holiday. Whereas in Malta you can combine all the different elements. I think that’s the key to how it varies from other European destinations.
Laura: One of the things it struck me when I was there is it’s really at the crossroads of history in Europe. Isn’t it? It’s had so many influences over the centuries from so many different cultures as well.
Louise: Absolutely. Yes. That’s definitely one of the key features. We have 7,000 years of history. As I mentioned though, it really is a huge melting-pot and that can be seen from our history and also from the food as well, the language is a combination of Italian and Arabic. So, it has quite a few fascinating elements.
Laura: You touched on the sunshine briefly, but Clive obviously you’re lucky enough to live in, in Malta. year round. So, for us occasional visitors, when would you say is the best time to visit?
Clive Cortis, local Maltese guide: So first of all, thank you for having us, as you said, here in Malta, we do have really nice weather throughout the whole year, even during the winter time, even for us Maltese, we grumble about winter, but the temperatures during winter, it will be only 14 degrees, 13 degrees.
So, the Maltese islands can offer all year-round experiences for our visitors. So from the summer, for those that want to have a swim, or go clubbing, or outdoor events to those that would like to go for walking tours, especially during March, April and May, that will be one of the best months being that it’s just after the wintertime.
So that’s just after the time when it rains. So, most of the countryside would still be quite green. So, while walking around the countryside of Malta, you will end up on cliffs. You can really enjoy nice sea views. One can enjoy really nice contrast of colours. The blue, sea, the blue sky, the greenery of our countryside, and obviously the dry walls, the yellow colour of our stone. It makes the whole setup quite amazing.
Laura: How hot does it get during those peak summer months?
Clive: Well during the summer months. Average, it’s always around 30 to 34 degrees.
Laura: Beautiful, beautiful. So, for people who want to visit, who want to avoid that peak heat, you already mentioned that springtime is a good time to visit, but what about off season is wintertime a good time to visit as well?
Clive: Definitely, especially for those that like to visit our cultural sites, you will go inside the 5,600-year-old temple, and there will be only a few people walking around and definitely for the sports tourism. If it wants to visit the island, we can really have some really nice sports tourism from cycling and even walking tours.
Laura: Louise, the size of the Maltese islands is, is definitely a plus. There’s three of them for starters. So how would you tell people to approach planning their holiday there to make sure they don’t miss anything vital?
Louise: Well, I think that planning your holiday in advance is really key to ensure that you get the best experience from your stay. Now, in terms of location, I would say that the Northern part of Malta is really ideal for families with younger children.
So, let’s take, for example, Mellieħa. This is where we have the longest stretch of sandy beach. And I would say the town is the bridge between where everything is happening, but at the same time, time stands still. And so, you have a really good balance here. You have stunning views and many restaurants to choose from as well.
Then there’s another really popular location, which is Sliema. And this is an active town with a buzzing scene bar. You have great shopping malls. Various restaurants. And actually, one of the main attractions is the beautiful long promenade. And the promenade is dotted with great swimming spots. And these are not actually sandy beaches, they’re rocky beaches, which tend to be much more popular with the locals and the promenade stretches all the way to St Julians.
St Julians is best known for the five-star hotels. For example, The Hilton, The Marriott, The Intercontinental, you have various lovely restaurants with stunning sea views as well. And St. Julians is actually the hub of the nightlife where the majority of the clubs are located. And there is a strip specifically called Paceville, where all the nightlife is happening. It’s obviously really great for those young travellers.
And then of course you have Valletta which has an extraordinary density of historical sites and whether it’s museums, churches, and more recent periods as well as the various bustling wine bars in Valletta. And I think that the best way to explore Valletta is actually on foot, you know, where you can discover the rich culture and the beautiful Baroque architecture.
And the city as well, has many stunning, beautiful boutique hotels as well, which are actually converted historical houses. And for those visitors looking for something more laid back, I would definitely say Gozo, which is Malta’s sister island. It’s located just 25 minutes over from Malta, and this is absolutely a perfect location for those wanting a more rural experience.
Gozo is home to Ramla Bay, which is considered to be one of the most beautiful sandy beaches in the world. With more history and beautiful landscapes, Gozo is definitely another one of our jewels, you know, with various accommodation options from three to five-star hotels, luxury farmhouse, and boutique hotels as well.
Laura: And what about the third island, Comino, tell us about that as well.
Louise: So, Comino is, I would say, mainly for day trips and during the summer, it’s surrounded by beautiful blue lagoon crystal clear water and is just absolutely stunning. Great for diving as well snorkelling. However, you wouldn’t actually stay in Comino.
You would stay either on Gozo or on Malta and Comino would be more for a day visit, but Comino actually is great also for the winter months, people tend to walk along Comino. It’s great for hiking because it’s just that 3.5 square kilometres island. So really, really great, you know, off the peak to walk around. The highlight is definitely the stunning crystal-clear waters, which surround Comino.
Laura: Would you recommend people ideally spending a little bit of time on Malta and a little bit of time on Gozo perhaps?
Louise: Well, yes, definitely. Laura, that’s one of the things that we actually do recommend because I just think that gives you a more holistic experience. I think that it’s like stepping back in time. So, you know, to get a more holistic idea of, of what the Maltese islands are about and what they have to offer. Being able to island hop between the two is a real huge benefit.
Laura: Definitely. And I mean, it sounds like there is a huge amount to do in Malta. I mean, we don’t even have time to cover all the things that there are to do. Is it a destination to visit for a longer time? Louise, or how would you recommend?
Louise: I think this is actually a great question, just because people have such a misconception that because the islands are small, you can see everything in a few days.
However, I think there’s so much to immerse yourself in, you know, be it the history, the culture, the outdoor activities, our beautiful Blue Flag beaches. So, let’s just take, for example, you know, exploring Malta’s cities, whether it’s Valletta, our ancient capital city Mdina, or the three historical cities, which are actually a trio or fortified cities. And they’re just based across the Grand Harbour from that Valletta.
Now each city, really offers a different experience, depending on if you visit by day or by night. You know, and like I said, combining your stay Malta and Gozo , this definitely gives you, you know, the best, the best experience from your stay.
Laura: So, Clive, you’ve spent many years helping tourists to discover your home, but what would you say is the best way to discover the authentic Malta. The Malta that, you know and love as a local.
Clive: Well, definitely there are various ways, and every year here in Malta that we organize our local festas, and these are all village feasts, which are celebrated throughout the whole year.
During the year we celebrated around 90 feasts. They’re all church related, but every single village in Malta, which we have about 68, organizes their own festa. Their own feast related to the Padre Sect. Uh, this is a religious thing, but when you walk around the streets of the village, you will notice that all the Maltese will flock to these festas and you see the old traditions. From the food stalls to the drinks, to even the small kids playing in the main squares.
And obviously you can explore our fireworks throughout the weekends, you will see a display of fireworks throughout even the day that the first fireworks would be eight o’clock in the morning, just for the bang and then at noon. And then in the evening, you will have the view of our beautiful, coloured walls for the whole night.
Around the main streets of our villages, you’ll see sometimes thousands of people. So, you won’t just go for the feast, but you will enjoy the main lifestyle too. You just go in the village bar where you will meet the locals and they start chatting to you, obviously, all the time and you will walk around the streets of our villages, which will be all richly decorated.
Laura: Fantastic, so how many of these feasts take place throughout the year?
Clive: There are around 90, but all of them are during the whole year, being that most of them are held during the summertime um, so they start from May, June, and then every weekend that will be a feast 2, 3, 4, or on the 15th of August there will be seven feasts on the same weekend. So, if one goes on the walls of Mdina which is the old capital city of Malta. Approximately around 200 meters above sea level and to stay on the walls and you will see fireworks from every single corner. There are restaurants there on the terrace, so just imagine having a nice plate with a glass of Maltese wine, enjoying the view and fireworks just in front of you. It’s just amazing.
Laura: Could you tell us about a few more Maltese experiences that visitors might want to add to their list for their holiday?
Clive: So Maltese experiences? There are various. Today the concept of staying in villages, it’s increasing quite a lot here in Malta. The fact small guest houses are opening up in these local villages, which in the past, you would hardly ever see a tourist with his own luggage walking around the streets of our old villages. I would suggest that instead of saying one of these big hotels, one should think to stay in these old villages, because just imagine after spending a day visiting the Maltese Islands, then in the evening, you send back to your room to a small guest house in the village and in the evening, you just have a stroll around the streets of our villages and tasting some of our local food, which is quite delicious and fresh.
Laura: And obviously you’re, you’re a tour guide and you must do a huge range of different tours. Do you have a particular tour? That’s your favourite or a tour stop that you really love to do
Clive One of the most interesting parts of the Maltese islands is that we do enjoy an ideal mix of cultural site sightseeing. One can easily to go scuba diving just stop for lunch in a fishing village, from visiting a 5,600-year-old temple. From visiting Caravaggio painting, who lived in Malta from 1607 for 18 months.
He spent his last three months in prison, you know, it was quite a character, this guy, but he left masterpieces here on the Maltese islands. So, to answer your question from my own personal point of view, and definitely I like most the Cathedral of St. John and Valletta. It was one of the most modern cities, which was built in Europe at the end of the 16th century and our temples.
In Malta we have megalithic temples, but they predate the pyramids by a thousand years and they pre-date Stonehenge by more than 1600 years. And these are recognized by UNESCO. So just imagine yourself stepping in and one of the oldest freestanding monuments. The original ones. These are not replicas. So, one can feel a strong presence of the past, especially if you visit the Ħaġar Qim temples which are situated exactly on the cliff edge, surrounded with countryside.
Laura: It just sounds like there’s so much culture and history in Malta. It’s almost mind boggling how much history there is, but one of the things that’s often overlooked is the huge range of events, which take place on the islands, which I understand appeal to a huge range of ages and interests as well. So, could you tell us what’s coming up on the events calendar for 2022 Louise?
Louise: So, you’re right. Laura, our annual events calendar has a really good blend of festivals with something for everybody. For example, there is the International Baroque Festival, which takes place every January.
And here you have over 30 concerts and they’re held in various historical venues, but these are closely followed by Carnival. Which is actually one of the oldest historical festivals. And it’s a five-day event where the streets absolutely come to life. We have huge colourful floats, and these are actually the pride and joy of Carnival.
You know, people start preparing these floats a year in advance. You can expect to see street dancing, colourful costumes, of course, late night street parties. And I think it’s one of the events which really brings the community together. You know, you have the young, the old, the locals, the tourists, everybody’s welcome here.
We’ve got the International Fireworks Festival, which is held over four days where you have beautiful fireworks. And they go off to a musical rhythm. And this festival has gained such huge popularity over the past few years, one of the main events is actually the fireworks that go off over the Grand Harbour in Valletta. We’ve got family focused events as well. So, for example, for this year, we have the L.O.L Dolls and they’ll be making their debut appearance in April, and then we have been the Nickelodeon Treasure Hunt with SpongeBob, that’s happening in May, which gives the young visitors a chance to learn about their favourite, Nickelodeon characters but also learn about the culture of the islands as well. So, a little bit fun and educational. Which I think is a really good combination.
June, you know, brings with it all the really popular music festivals Annie Mac Lost and Found. You’ve got Isle of MTV, Summer Days, Village Festival, and that’s just to name a few, July brings the BBC Orchestra Concert so yeah, really what’s going on Laura.
Laura: Wow. Yeah, that’s, that’s a whole lot of things. Isn’t it? And really eclectic as well. From Annie Mac to the BBC Orchestra. That’s quite a contrast. So, speaking of the younger travellers and perhaps some older travellers as well, I believe there are some exciting adventure activities available in Malta and the surrounding islands. Could you tell us a bit about those Louise?
Louise: Well, I think that every season brings a different opportunity on the islands. For example, let’s say autumn and winter, these really appeal to those explorers who enjoy kind of the outdoor adventures, you know, such as rock climbing, cycling, zip-lining, or even simply walking and, you know, just enjoying the stunning limestone landscapes of the island. So, I think it’s really appealing for those types of people. And then the summer months are great for those beach lovers, you know, water sports, and exploring the sights by Segway or quad bikes, you know, Jeep safaris, or one of the harbour cruises that we offer. I think that being an island, you definitely have to take advantage of this in my opinion.
So, as you can imagine, we have all the types of water sports, you know, from kayaking, jet skiing, paragliding, but I think one of the really important highlights here is that for six consecutive years, the Maltese Islands have been voted amongst the top three best diving destinations in the world. And you know, this is because of our water clarity. We have incredible rock formations, and we also have many World War II shipwrecks for the more experienced divers. Of course, you also have the opportunity here, you know, where you can take a paddy or a B-sec introductory course.
Laura: I was actually lucky enough to do a scuba dive myself. When I was in Malta, I did the Blue Hole Dive, which I don’t know how to describe it really. It’s kind of a lagoon, isn’t it? And you dive down, down into the depths and then you can float straight out into the, into the open sea.
Louise: I haven’t done that one myself I’ve done the introductory one, but yes, I’m looking forward to doing a few more to be fair.
Laura: So now on to one of my favourite subjects, which we touched on briefly, which is food. It’s a great way to immerse yourself in a country’s culture. I remember being fascinated by Maltese food, which isn’t commonly found in the UK really, not like Italian food, for instance, how would you describe the food and drink of Malta, Clive?
Clive: A very good percentage of the food is fresh. Being Malta, it’s a small island. So, most of the restaurants, they all buy from the local farmer or from the local fisherman. Though we do import quite a lot of things on the islands because with a population of half a million, that goes to 2.7 million tourists that visit the islands definitely the local produce is not enough for all these people visiting the islands. But with our local food, one should keep in mind the location of Malta it’s at the heart of the Mediterranean, 90 kilometres away from Sicily, 270 from north Africa. So, when you look into our food, it’s a typical Mediterranean kitchen.
So, we do have a lot of influences from, from Sicily, a lot of pasta, baked pasta, a lot of meats, but then inside our language we do have a lot of words that you find them still in the Arabic world related to food. So, if you go in a market and you ask for ‘klin’, which Maltese is, rosemary is the same word that they use in the Arabic world.
Just to put you in the picture. When we refer to the pig, you know, when you don’t eat it, we refer to it as ‘ħanżir’, that’s Arabic but then when we start eating it and we call it ‘majjal’, in Italian. So, our kitchen it’s mainly influenced by these two superpowers here.
Obviously then our Sunday lunch. It’s the most favourite one is the rabbits fried in garlic. We do as well have a spaghetti with rabbit sauce. That will be a starter by the way, and then you will have a main course, rabbits with some potatoes and fresh salads. For that everyday snack, we have the famous ‘Ħobż biż-żejt’, and that would be a flat bread filled with fresh onions, tuna, olive oil, and some of our sheep milk cheese, which would refer to it as ‘gbejna’. Delicious.
Regarding drinks, we do have our own local wines. We’ve been producing wines since the Roman times. Today we have the Maltese and the Gozan wines. And for those that like the beer, we have the famous Cisk Lager. It’s a 4.2% alcohol beer, and its perfect during our hot summer days,
Laura: So, do you have a favourite food yourself?
Clive: Well, I like all different kinds of pasta. I like most though the one that my mother does, ravioli filled with local sheep’s milk cheese.
Laura: Oh! That sounds delicious. And she’ll be pleased when she hears you say that.
Clive: Homemade, so one ravioli would be the size of a shoe, you know?
Laura: Louise, Charitable Travel are encouraging people to make it count in 2022. So why should a trip to Malta be at the top of their list this year?
Louise: I think you’re right. After coming out of such a challenging year, making it count will certainly be at everybody’s forefront. The Maltese islands are the perfect destination, just because, you know, you can experience a bit of everything.
You have the cities, the history, the adventure activities, scuba diving, gastronomy, wine tasting, and obviously the full events calendar, which we’ve touched on. And that’s also obviously where you have the year-round sunshine as well. You know, what better perfect combination would you want? And we also have a number of bucket list items for people to discover. Whether it’s the turquoise Blue Lagoon, you know, the oldest freestanding structures in Gozo, which Clive spoke about.
We have the Co-Cathedral in Valletta. So, yes. I think the fact that you can combine everything in one holiday is definitely a contribution to, you know, making it count.
Laura: Definitely. So final question is to both of you, I’ll start with you, Louise. If you had just one day in Malta, how would you spend it? So, what would you eat? What would you see? What would you do?
Louise: I would find it really difficult to cram in all my favourite things in just one day, like my agenda would definitely include eating some pastizzi, which I miss terribly, these are like savoury snack filled with either ricotta or mushy peas. Ħobż biż-żejt for lunch, this is the bread that Clive spoke about, you know, the local flat bread with olive oil, tuna you know, fresh onions. And then I personally love snorkelling, so I’d definitely want to go snorkelling. Ideally, I’d fit in a wine tour just because we have delicious wines and I’d want to catch a beautiful sunset as well. You know, there’s nothing more magical really than sitting down, sipping a glass of wine and watching a sunset. For my evening I choose Valetta just because it’s one of my favourite cities in the world.
Laura: That’s good, more food there!
Clive: I would definitely start by visiting Valletta, the capital city of Malta. Um, you start walking around the main streets. I stop at St. John’s Cathedral and the Caravaggio paintings. This church, it was built by the famous Knights of St. John that ruled over Malta for more than 268 years. At noon, the Barrakka Gardens you’ll enjoy a fantastic view of the Grand Harbour. And then you’ll see the Saluting Battery Cannon, which they fire the middle gun every day at noon, after that, it will be lunchtime. So, let’s drive down to Marsaxlokk, the fishing village. You sit down on an outdoor table, you’ll be one metre away from the sea and you want to enjoy some nice, fresh fish and some crispy white wine. That would be just amazing. After that in the afternoon, Blue Grotto, one of the best scenery spots with a 20-minute boat ride and then late evening Mdina, the old capital city of Malta. Imagine you walk through these narrow winding streets, which dates to the 15th century.
After that you stop in a cafeteria on a terrace and the enjoy a nice view, with whom? Definitely with a private guide.
Laura: Thank you so much. Well, when I go back to Malta, I will definitely be experiencing both of your special days.
To find out more and book your next holiday to Malta visit www.charitable.travel and speak to their team of expert travel advisors.
The islands have something to appeal to every kind of traveller, from families with young children, to groups of friends, looking for adventures, you can hop on a Segway to explore the cobbled streets of the Maltese capital Valletta, or jump on a Jeep, to safari over the rugged landscape of Gozo. Dotted all over the islands are incredible cultural landmarks.
Like the ancient UNESCO world heritage temples. Malta’s crystal-clear seas are renowned for snorkelling and scuba diving as well as kayaking and other water sports above the water. There’s vibrant nightlife too. With year-round music festivals, as well as wine bars and all-night clubbing followed by a lounge on the beach the next day of course.
You’ll find a plethora of atmospheric restaurants and cafes, serving mouth-watering Maltese cuisine, which is a unique blend of north African, Turkish and Italian influences. Malta’s three islands are easy to explore with ferries providing hassle-free travel from the mainland to the smaller islands of Gozo and Camino.
For even more Malta inspiration check out the Malta Tourism Authority, social media accounts and websites where there’s lots more information. So that’s @Visit Malta UK on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and www.visitmalta.com. Thank you to Charitable PR for their support in creating this podcast. I’ve been your host, Laura Gelder and thank you so much for listening, please like, subscribe, and share.
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