Malta Revisited

Jacquie Cole Uncategorized

When I last visited Valletta in Malta about ten years ago the traffic chaos, old buses, tired buildings, and average food left me unimpressed. More recently, however I had heard good things about the city and so I was tempted to return – and I’m so glad I did. Cleaned up and predominantly pedestrianised (largely due to EU investment), Valletta …

Halkidiki Greece

Jacquie Cole Uncategorized

In April I visited the family owned Sani Resort on the Kassandra peninsula of Halkidiki. The resort offers a wide choice of accommodation over 5 contrasting properties, a vast range of facilities and a wide variety of restaurants and bars at Sani Marina within walking distance of 3 of the hotels. We moved on to Ikos Olivia, a 5* luxury …

Jacquie’s healthy holiday experience

Jacquie Cole Blog

Not everyone’s cup of tea
 My most recent trip certainly won’t appeal to everyone it was a Longevity wellness break at a Thalassa and Medical Spa in Portugal. Before the trip I am health conscious, a non meat eater I eat healthily most of the time but I do enjoy wine and chocolate, and while I try to keep fairly …

New York

Jacquie Cole Blog

New York has been on my wish list for a long time so when my sister suggested we meet there to celebrate her 50th birthday I was delighted. For my clients who haven’t visited New York yet, or for those who might be interested in what I got up to, this was my experience. The Journey While there are direct …

Centro – into the unknown

Jacquie Cole Blog

I had no idea what to expect of the CENTRO,region of Portugal, I certainly didn’t expect to come away feeling as though I’d just been taken to a completely new destination, almost a new country. Uncommercial, unpopulated, unspoilt, from beautifully scenic mountain villages to vast empty beaches,  CENTRO  was full of surprises. It started with a flight to Porto followed …

A luxurious day of glamour and fun

Jacquie Cole Blog

I was recently invited to take part in the 40th birthday celebrations of the Association of Independent Tour Operators and was delighted to discover it involved a day on the Belmond British Pullman, sister train to the Orient Express. We were encouraged to dress up in 1920’s style and although I was reluctant to do so, I was lucky to …

My Canadian Holiday Adventure

Jacquie Cole Blog

I am often asked where I go on my own holidays, in 2013 I wanted to take my two teenage boys on a special holiday, to Canada. As is often the case on a family holiday, different needs have to be met so everyone has a good time, I wanted to be able to give my fearless sons some exciting adventures and some of …

SMARTA 100 award winner

Jacquie Cole Blog

I am absolutely delighted to be named as one of the 2012 Smarta 100 small business award winners. Smarta.com and O2 proudly announce that Jacquie Cole of Bakewell Travel is a winner of the 2012 Smarta 100, together with O2, the ultimate index of the UK’s savviest, supremely disruptive, most resourceful and socially-beneficial small businesses. THEO PAPHITIS, Dragons’ Den investor …

Ranch life – Cowboy for a week

Jacquie Cole Blog

I’ve often wondered what it would be like to stay on a working ranch but not being a proficient rider it wasn’t on my top ten list of thing to do – until now. I was recently invited to experience a couple of nights at Three Bars Ranch, a working ranch in British Columbia, Canada where you can indulge all …

Arctic deck chairs

Jacquie Cole Blog

Lying in a deck chair at midnight swaddled in a fur hat, puffa coat and blankets to protect against the Arctic temperatures doesn’t seem like an attractive prospect, let alone a top ten life experience, but add in the Northern Lights and it is suddenly high up on many people’s wish lists. I was fortunate enough to experience the lights …