It’s been a busy few months for Jeff Brazier and his wife Kate since they rekindled their romance, seven months after they had announced their split.
The couple have barely stopped since, and now have the added joy (and pressure!) of watching Jeff’s son Bobby dazzling audiences in a TV dance competition. So it is no wonder the couple decided to slip away for a city break, just the two of them.
With just a few days free, they decided to jet off to Athens for a short break, exploring the city, savouring Greek food and enjoying some quality time together.
A Greek love story: Jeff and Kate Brazier travelled to Athens for a romantic city break with Jet2CityBreaks
‘It’s not until you step out of your every day that you realise how tired you were and how much of a rest you needed,’ says Jeff.
‘Typically, we don’t check in with how we are and whether we could do with a couple of days’ rest, but a city break is the perfect way to do that.’
In fact, Kate and Jeff were so in need of a break that when they arrived at their hotel, the Lighthouse Athens, they went straight up to the stunning rooftop pool area to start their holiday straight away.
The couple travelled with Jet2CityBreaks, with their flights and accommodation all taken care of in one easy package.
‘It was such an easy journey and quite different,’ says Jeff. ‘We got to London Stansted quite early in the morning. There was no major queue and there was a nice cheery face to welcome us and guide us to bag drop.
The couple stayed at the Lighthouse Athens, which has a gorgeous rooftop pool area
Jeff’s holiday package included flights and accommodation
‘They made it really easy, bag tags before you know it and going through security was effortless. It was so easy we thought we must have forgotten something,’ says Jeff.
‘I love to stress at the airport,’ laughs Kate. ‘But this time there was nothing to stress about.’
Once they’d had a sleep at their sleek hotel, with its modern rooms and gorgeous two-tiered infinity pool on the roof, Jeff and Kate enjoyed exploring the city from the central location.
‘We found some really beautiful little places and had a real authentic Athens experience,’ says Jeff. ‘We looked a bit harder so that we could eat where the locals went and we definitely brought home some recipe ideas.’
‘I loved the gyros dish, which is a bit like a delicious kebab,’ says Kate. ‘We love finding new places to eat when we travel and we really indulged this time.’
‘We also had lots of salads and grilled octopus, there was some incredible food,’ says Jeff.
One area the couple really loved was Plaka, in the shadow of the Acropolis. With its narrow, car-free roads, streetside cafes and buildings dripping in bougainvillea, it is a slice of old Athens.
Three fabulous city breaks
Jeff and Kate travelled to Athens with Jet2CityBreaks, the specialist operator from Jet2holidays. But there are so many other cities you can discover as well. Here are three favourites to consider for your winter stay.
Beautiful Barcelona
A jewel set on the Mediterranean coast, all striking architecture, fabulous restaurants and fascinating art museums, Barcelona is packed with variety. With its mild winter, the sun-soaked city can be enjoyed year-round and with Jet2CityBreaks you can take your pick from contemporary, central hotels.
Romantic Reykjavik
The bijou Icelandic capital is colourful and quirky with a vibrant cultural scene, wonderful restaurants and unique museums. Set on the waterfront, you can take boats out from the harbour to spot whales or enjoy a Golden Circle or South Shore day trip inland to explore waterfalls, geysers and geothermal pools. Plus, book with Jet2CityBreaks and a spectacular Northern Lights tour is included.
Brilliant Budapest
With its elegant spires and glorious Neo-Baroque thermal pools, Budapest is a striking city. Straddling the Danube River, Buda is all old-school elegance while Pest has a vibrant nightlife. Both sides combine to create a city where you can simply wander and soak up the ambience, staying in stylish hotels with wonderful views.
‘A lot of tourists go there, but it also has a lot of authentic tavernas,’ explains Jeff. ‘It was our favourite spot.’
The couple loved learning more about the history of Greece.
‘We wanted to go up and visit the Acropolis and the Parthenon and it’s an amazing site,’ says Jeff. ‘We both felt that when we got home we wanted to learn more about what it was like in Ancient Greece.’
‘We found some really beautiful little places and had a real authentic Athens experience,’ says Jeff
It wasn’t just the city itself that enchanted the couple. They also hopped a ferry to the nearby island of Hydra, which has long been a favourite escape for artists and poets, thanks to a recommendation from a friend.
‘It was like going back in time,’ explains Kate. ‘There are no cars at all, you can only get around by walking, boat or donkey. I fell in love, and the food was sensational, too.’
‘It’s an absolutely beautiful island,’ adds Jeff. ‘It has a sleepy fishermen’s vibe and it was perfect for us.’
It was this mix of things, between walking and exploring, city and island, relaxing and eating, that made Athens so special for Jeff and Kate.
‘We didn’t overstretch ourselves, there was perfect balance to the trip,’ says Jeff. ‘When it comes to city breaks, I would do them over and again and we felt like we got two trips for the price of one.’
It won’t be the last city break they take either.
‘I really enjoyed going somewhere we’d not been before,’ says Jeff. ‘Life is about making memories and we love ticking boxes in terms of places ventured.
‘A city break was just long enough to give us some perspective, and you can come home feeling recharged and refreshed.’
Discover more and plan your winter city break at jet2holidays.com/city-breaks