Just after Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea in Hawaii, Mount Teide is the third highest volcano in the world. Located in Gran Canaria, it’s tone of the most visited natural parks in Europe and the 8th most visited in the world!  If you opt to take the cable car which travels within 500 meters of the summit – prepare yourself for some simply breathtaking views.

Climbing Mount Teide is also an option as well as a dream for many; ascending the crater and smelling the sulphur emitted from volcanic fumaroles is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  There’s a bar and restaurant area, and even a hotel and a refuge at 3.270 meters.

As the highest peak in Spain, it has been a World Heritage Site since 2007, and the park encourages visitors not stray from the marked paths, enjoy the native flora and fauna of this geological treasure, and not to take stones as a souvenir of the National Park.

Sunbathe at Maspalomas Beach in Gran Canaria

With wind-sculpted dunes with golden sand and clear, crisp ocean – Maspalomas truly is one of the most beautiful beaches on the Canary Islands.   Stretching just over 3km, the beach makes for the perfect place to sunbathe, to take a relaxing stroll or to simply soak up the sunset in the evenings. One of the best spots to see the sunset is the first set of dunes by the Charco de Maspalomas lagoon.

The beach stretches from the beautiful lighthouse to La Punta, the most southern point of the Island. But, it doesn’t end there! It then transforms into the Playa del Inglés, another 4 km of the finest sand in the east.

 Visit the fascinating architectural legacy of César Manrique in Lanzarote  

César Manrique was an artist, architect and environmental activist from Lanzarote. He did not create in nature but rather with it, and his relationship with the landscape was not simply aesthetic but also a commitment to defending the environment.

Jameos del Agua is a volcanic tube opened on the surface where you can admire a natural lagoon of transparent emerald waters which is home to a native species of the island – a minuscule, albino, blind and gleaming little crab of unknown origin.

Mirador del Rio is a building located at 500 meters in altitude at the top of the Risco cliff, hidden beneath the rock and barely visible from the outside, with large windows and exterior balconies that provide a stunning view of Lanzarote.

Visitors can see traditional ceramics and a range of sculptures. The domed main room and cupolas are not to be missed.

Taste volcanic wine in Lanzarote 

The Canary Islands have become an exceptional wine-producing region due to the volcanic nature of their soils and almost desert-like climate. The ash coating retains moisture, protects buried soils from erosion, inhibits evaporation, and traps solar input.

Partially ringed by almond shaped stone walls on tar dark soils, the vine arrays appear hauntingly gorgeous, and many of them are included within Timanfaya National Park in the southwest.

White wines are predominant in the Canaries and are often opulent and full, sometimes with a citric precision.
Whereas red wines often have a Burgundian heft of pepper and complex darkness-leather, mocha, black fruit, caramel and even diesel.
Several wineries across Lanzarote offer both wine tastings and visits.

Try an aloe vera wellness treatment in a Canarian spa in Tenerife 

The spa centres in the Canary Islands are well-known and make full use of all the natural resources provided by the Canary environment. Plenty of unique treatments are offered such as thalassotherapy, geotherapy, wine therapy or aloe therapy.

The spa of the Iberostar Grand Mencey in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is set over 4500 square meters, and facilities include everything from a dynamic heated pool with bubble beds, whirlpool sections, and aqua-massage swan necks, to saunas, a foot spa, and a steam room. Sounds like my ideal kind of holiday!

Watch the stars from a world class observatory in La Palma

The sky of La Palma is one of the best places to observe the stars, and the Roque de los Muchachos observatory at 2.396 m. above sea level is home to one of the most extensive fleets of telescopes to be found anywhere in the world.

It boasts a breath-taking view of a giant volcanic crater 1,500 metres deep, covered in trees and with volcanic rocks in amazing formations.

The observatory organises visits to its facilities, and there are stargazing tours by La Palma Astronomy Tours which even include a ‘Tapas and Stars’ experience. The experience combines tapas and a glass of red and/or white local wine with an introduction to the astronomy and the orientation of the sky through constellations as well as insider information from guides.

Eat at a Michelin star restaurant in Tenerife

The stars in the Canary Islands are not just in the sky: Tenerife has six Michelin stars spread across five restaurants. One starred NUB occupies a beautifully restored colonial building and the tasting menu fuses Italian, Chilean and traditional Canarian flavours.

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After writing this post on our guide to our Lapland DIY trip last year, I received a lot of messages on dressing for Lapland. Even some asking where fluffy pjs were a necessity! In this post ill go through what we wore and where we got the items.

I think it easier to put it all together in one post as I know before we went I did a lot of research to make sure the kids would be nice and toasty. For context we went end November into December so temperature range for us was -6 to -12 and there was snow.  Visit Finland has a brilliant informative video which is well worth a watch.

Ill focus on the kids but you can take it that adults broadly similar. However I did adopt the adult plus one thinking. As in what we wore plus a layer!

So…starting from the feet up.

• Wool socks – a must! We went for pure wool, just one pair not too tight and they were prefect. I purchased our via Ali Express
  

  Kids in their Reima gear Pic Credit: The Mamma Fairy

• Boots – goes without saying. Comfortable and waterproof. Make sure to try on with your wool socks before you go! A family in the cabin next to us were left with too small boots with the socks on. Luckily they could rent the boots on site. Ours and kids were Campri from Sports Direct, purchased this time last year in the sale.
• Thermals – Don’t scrimp on these as you will were them all the time. Again try before you go. Kids wore Reima and were fantastic, soft and a great fit
• Regular top/ long sleeve t – shirt  – self explanatory!
• Fleece – This was the kids extra layer, myself and the Dada Fairy didn’t seem to need this layer but the kids did and both had hooded fleeces from Reima, again, couldn’t fault the quality and functionality.
• Jacket – As with the boots this is your first line of defence! Ensure its a good fit accounting for the extra layers and it has a good hood and waterproof! Kids again had Reima and the jackets were exceptional. The fit, the hoods and the ability to withstand the temperatures at -12 and not a moan or a groan. No mean feat for my kids who leave the heat. Yes they are a little pricey but you get what you pay for and I really didn’t want to go all that way for the kids not to enjoy due to the cold which they weren’t accustomed to. The kids wore the jackets all winter here and was sorry to retire them to next year. They are safely put away until our adventures in December.
• Ski trousers – As with the jacket, these are a necessity. There is snow! Kids being kids love to roll in it, make snow angels etc! They will get wet! And nobody wants to sitting in wet clothes. Kids decked out again in Reima no leaks, no wet trousers, no moans. Full marks from us.
• Hats/ snoods – Very important, particuarly the snood and your neck can be exposed and the skin there is quite light and can really feel the cold. All of ours from Regatta

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Super excited for the Junior Explorers tour

One chilly Saturday morning a couple of weeks back we were invited to Croke Park to experience their Junior Explorers tour which runs Saturday mornings at 10.30 until 18th May.  Coming from a family of GAA fanatics I was so excited of this tour. Croke Park for the GAA fanatic is iconic.  The very notion that I would get to explore the dressing room, the players lounge, get to walk out the players tunnel was like fulfilling a childhood fantasy.  My husband brought my back to Earth quickly…this tour was for the kids!!!

Having a nosey at the Dublin jerseys

The tour stars with meeting Cluasóg the Irish hare who greets you upon arrival. Following this you begin your tour experiencing behind scenes of this stadium. First up the dressing room with the county jerseys all hanging neatly along the walls. The kids despite being Dubs made a beeline for the Donegal jerseys much to their fathers delight!! Next up was the players lounge which houses a mighty impressive Waterford Crystal chandelier. It’s seriously wow.

Next up we saw the warm up area and then the kids (and my) favourite part…..run out pitchside through the players’ tunnel. The look of sheer excitement in my oldest’s face will stay with me forever. He went back and did it many times. Its the stuff dreams are made of. Its given him incredible focus to one day tog out in his county colours and run out on the pitch. The sheer scale of the stadium can only really be appreciated from the pitch side. Looking up from the tunnel sent a shiver down my spine.

Pitch side – in the words of my oldest “epic”

Hand on heart in the words of an almost 7 years old this was “epic” the boys loved every minute. Tours lasts approx. 1.5 hours (including time in the museum and a meet and greet with Cluasóg) and the route is fully accessible for buggies. Advance online booking is recommended. Free parking is available which is a mega plus!

Honestly you wont regret it. Tour participants can explore the museum afterwards with their  Junior Explorer Passport so they can follow clues throughout the Museum  including some very fun interactive features. We rounded our morning off with a tasty coffee at the Blackthorn Cafe.  Tour prices are below and its recommended to book in advance:

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With the rising costs of airfares and package holidays, and the increasing time it takes to get through security at the airports, more and more families are deciding to travel by car for their holidays.  Families are electing to take more road trips, both within the UK and Ireland, and wider afield in Europe. To make your journey easier here are some top tips to remember while travelling by car with children.

Most of us with young children are returning to the days we grew up in, where our holidays consisted of our parents packing up the car with us, bags and other essentials, and setting off to travel within our home country. My parents couldn’t afford holidays abroad, so we often travelled to other counties of Ireland for our summer holiday. I fondly remember a hot week in June spent in Salthill in Galway when I was 15. I also remember the windy beaches of Tralee in County Kerry when I was around 12. There were also regular camping trips to Brittas Bay or Courtown, two seaside towns on the east coast of Ireland. And getting there was a road trip.

As a family we’ve been travelling by car with our son since he was four months old. The first long trip was to Ireland via the ferry from Fishguard to Rosslare. And since our epic two-week USA road trip in 2017, we’ve become huge fans of travelling by car with our son. You can move from place to place and see much more of a country than just holidaying in one spot for a week or two. This is a huge advantage to road trips that we’ve come to love.

But, how can you beat the age-old question “Are we there yet?”, uttered by little people in the back. Well, here are some top tips to help your car holiday go a lot easier with the kids in tow.

Top tips when travelling by car with children  

1 Decide what time of the day suits your kids for travelling.

You need to decide if your kids do better in the early morning or evening hours for travelling? You know your kids better than anyone, so this is really your choice. Some people elect to travel at night when the kids are bound to be asleep. However, you need to ensure who ever is driving isn’t too tired behind the wheel. Others, like us, prefer to travel during the day, taking in the scenery and sharing the driving between the two of us. Whichever is best for your kids, plan your travel to match. For us, leaving early in the morning is best and our son will nap in the car is he gets tired. I’d also prefer us to sleep in a bed and get a proper night’s sleep than try and catch the zzz’s in the car.

2 Don’t leave home without the snacks and drinks.

Make sure to pack some snacks and drinks for everyone in the car. Yes, you might be able to stop along the way, but snacks can calm hangry children and they can also fill a gap if there is a way to go before your next stopping opportunity. Drinks are also essentials, particularly if you are driving during the summer on a hot day.

Stock the car with water or juices and bring snacks consisting of fruit, cereal bars, biscuits, crackers, crisps and even some homemade sandwiches. Keep them handy so you can pass them over without having to stop the car to fish them out of the boot.

3 Bring some entertainment.

Bring some colouring books and crayons or pencils, sticker books, travels games and even electronic devices like Gameboys and tablets. And let the kids use them if necessary. You could even bring personal DVD players and use a mounting brace to mount them to the back of the front seat headrests. Just remember individual headphones if you’ve got more than one child so that you don’t end up with a volume war.

Pic Credit: Passports and Adventures

 I’d also recommend ensuring you have some music that the kids like in the car. We’ve created a playlist on our Spotify account for our son with his favourite songs and we add to it from time to time. This can be a sure-fire way of keeping him entertained for a while in the car.  And you don’t have to limit yourself to this type of entertainment. Playing I-Spy or other games can be fun. We even created a game in America called “Spot the Mack truck” shouting out “Mack” every time we saw a truck that looked like Mack from Disney’s Cars. And a pair of toy binoculars provided hours of entertainment for our son in Yellowstone National Park.

4 Pack an overnight bag and keep it handy.

If you have an overnight stop somewhere, or are only staying a few nights in one location, why not pack a 3-day bag with 3 days’ worth of clothes for everyone in it, rather than packing one individual suitcase for each person. Use colour coordinated packing cubes for each member of the family so every knows where their clothes are.

This is much easier than hauling 3 or more suitcases into a hotel or AirBnB every night or two. You can do this for a road trip that consists of several short stops along the way. It will mean you take one suitcase of clothes in every three days. Keep your family toiletries in one large clear bag so it can be brought in with your one bag.

We did this during our road trip in Central Portugal at the end of the summer. We were stopping at three different locations for either two or three nights each and I packed one 3-day bag for our first stop, rotated clothes for the second stop and then we brought everything into our last location’s accommodation as the car was parked in a shared carpark and away from our accommodation. It made it much easier when it came to empty the car with a boisterous four-year-old in tow.

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Generally we like to try new places, countries, cities etc when we travel however that said the only place where we have routinely returned year on year is Alvor Portugal.  We didn’t make it for 2018 for family reasons and as we closed out 2018 and rang in 2019 one thing we did agree on was that we missed our annual family trip to Alvor. You see its not just the immediate family, we go as a party of our extended family. For our first trip we were a party ranging in ages from 6 months to plus 60 years and hand on heart every single person enjoyed.

The beach at Prainha Credit: Clickstay

For us and the age range of our party Alvor has it all, beautiful beaches, friendly locals, seriously good food and wine and a lovely chilled out vibe. Given our party size we always opt for a villa preferably with a pool and bonus points if its a covered/ sectioned off one as my crazy crew have little fear around water. Don’t get me wrong that’s not a bad thing id just rather that they were aware of the dangers of water and that I didn’t need 300 pairs of eyes for the daredevils! Thankfully holiday rental companies such as Clickstay offer a number of accommodation options from 2 beds upwards.

With young kids having the ability to cook for them and just have some extra space for chilling is pretty invaluable, again with a large crowd rooms for a breather are very useful too!

I would have said im not a creature of habit but maybe am I after all! Our resort of choice from our first trip is Prainha Village for a couple of reasons:

• Location – location just outside of the main town area means it quiet and peaceful and a stunning secluded beach is just minutes from the properties
• Size of property – we choose the 4 bed option and its perfect for our needs. See for example see this Clickstay villa in Alvor
• Pools – there is an incredible salt water pool in this complex. The setting over looking the sea is breath taking
  

  View from Canico Pic Credit: The Mamma Fairy

• Canico bar – this deserves a special mention, quite honestly the highlight of our trip whether having coffee while the kids place on the beach or sipping champagne as the sun goes down on the ocean. There is a magic here that’s impossible to convey.
• Miss Pasta – my kids just love this place. The staff are just brilliant and go out of their way to make all ages fell welcome and valued. This is something I find very important in any resort.

Atlantic Salt Water Pool Pic Credit: The Mamma Fairy

While there are many fantastic properties on offer with sites like Clickstay in many different destinations throughout the world, every year I leave a piece of my heart at Prainha Village. The great thing is given the size of our party its very budget friendly that’s both the accommodation and the eating and drinking!

Honestly you will not regret a visit to a place like Prainha, we have been very fortunate to have travelled to many countries around the world, however Alvor is currently the only place we have gone more than once and that is a true testament to the calibre of the place you are going to.

So Prainha we will see you later in 2019 and young and old members of The Mamma Fairy house cannot wait.

Note: This is a collaborative post however I retain full editorial control, pic’s and memories are my own too!