Hazel’s Travels

Travelling for the first time can feel really complicated. Experienced travellers talk casually about checking in online, clearing security, finding the right train, using travel cards and getting from the airport to their hotel as though everybody automatically knows how these things work. But you don’t. And why would you, if you’ve never done it before?

I’m Ha...

Packing for Europe sounds straightforward until you look at the weather forecast and see sunshine, rain and a sudden drop in temperature all within the same week.

Then there are cobbled streets, budget airline baggage restrictions, trains, ferries and the temptation to pack several outfits “just in case”. Before you know it, you’re dragging a suitcase around Europe ...

Earlier this year, I was invited by Beach.com to contribute to its Global Beach Index 2026, helping to nominate some of the best beaches in the world.

I was asked to put forward beaches I’d actually visited, which meant going back through years of travels and deciding which ones genuinely stood out. Not an especially easy task when I’ve been lucky enough to visi...

Dubrovnik is hardly somewhere that needs an introduction. The terracotta rooftops, enormous stone walls and blue Adriatic are plastered across travel brochures, Instagram and, of course, Game of Thrones. With that much attention comes the inevitable question: is Dubrovnik actually worth the hype?

For me, yes. Completely.

Dubrovnik’s historic Old Town...

Dubrovnik may be best known for its enormous city walls and terracotta rooftops, but there’s much more to see once you get inside the Old Town.

A solo walk around the city walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia

I visited Dubrovnik on a day trip from Split and spent my time walking the city walls, exploring the Old Town, taking the cable car up Mount Srđ and, naturally, find...