Travel the Home Exchange Way

Home swapping: back to normal in 2021?

The recent positive news of the success of the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna Covid-19 vaccine trials has been a very welcome boost and has given everyone hope that home exchange holidays will be given the green light to go for 2021.

As a result, over the last week we've seen a significant rise in Home Base Holidays members again starting to discuss home swap travel plans for next year. It's important though when planning your travels, especially if you're planning an exchange for this winter, to check the current travel restrictions.

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Travel reopening: country by country guide

Stay up to date with each country’s travel restrictions and revised rules using the table below.

Data compiled by Headout

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Planning your home exchanges for 2021

It always pays to start planning your home exchange holiday well in advance of dates you want to travel. The first step is to add your home swap offer (details about your home, location and where/when you want to travel). Once you've added your home swap offer, spend some time contacting other Home Base Holidays members to ask if they would be interested in a swap.

Travel tips: when planning a home exchange holiday, it's a real plus if you can be flexible with travel dates and open to new destinations - one of the joys of home swapping is receiving a swap requests from interesting destinations you may not have previously considered. Being flexible with dates/destinations is especially useful while travel restrictions continue to fluctuate. If planning international travel, make sure to double check that tickets are refundable and, if possible, try to purchase flights using a credit card.

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Small selection of recent home swap offers

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>> Search home swap holiday offers for 2021

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Planning a home swap holiday:

• Preparing for a home swap checklist 
• Top 10: things to do at the end of a home swap
• Cleaning tips for holiday home swaps during COVID-19
• Search the latest home exchange offers

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Join Home Base Holidays: start home swapping Looking for a much needed getaway in 2021? Arrange free holiday accommodation by choosing to swap homes rather than book hotels or holiday rentals. View the latest home swap offers then sign up to Home Base Holidays.

Home Swappers newsletter: be a tourist in your own town

Explore your own neighbourhood and add photos / info to your home swap offer

With many of us again facing travel restrictions, it's good to focus on safe ways to keep active while not venturing far from home. Going for a walk or bike ride is a great way to lift your spirits, get some exercise and take in local sights. 

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• Check out the latest issue of the Home Swappers travel newsletter

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In this issue of the newsletter:

• Take a camera with you: take photos of your neighbourhood and upload them to your home exchange offer
• Write a guide: include details about local walks and sights in your welcome pack
• Keep in touch: send us your like a local stories
• Home swap cancelled? Contact us for an extension
• 2021 holidays: search the latest home exchange offers 

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Join Home Base Holidays: start planning your travels for 2021 Whether you're looking for staycation ideas or planning ahead to overseas travel in 2021, by arranging a home exchange vacation through Home Base Holidays, you'll cut the cost of your getaways by up to 90%. View the latest home swap travel offers and join for free.

Be a tourist in your own town | Adding local tips to your home swap holiday offer

With people in many countries and regions facing travel restrictions, many of us are having to focus on safe ways to scratch the travel itch while not venturing far from home. So, if home swap holidays are on hold until 2021, you could use this time to get out and explore your local area - become a tourist in your own town.

Going for a walk or bike ride is a great way to lift your spirits, get some exercise and also take in some of the nearby sights. Getting out for a safe wander is also a good opportunity to support some of the small local businesses - so go out, grab a coffee and explore!

We'd love to hear from you! Send us your local sights and tips Let us know how you've been keeping busy over the last few months. If you've been using the time to explore a little closer to home - we'd love to see your photos and hear about your local walks and nearby adventures. Send your photos and updates to us at: [email protected]

 

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Take your camera with you:

Autumn is such a beautiful time of year and so, when heading out to stretch your legs and explore your neighbourhood, make sure to pack your camera (or camera phone) so that you can capture some of the sights. 

Home swap tip: add the photos to your listing  When browsing home exchange offers, in addition to photos of the homes, it's always nice to see photos of the local area. Upload some of the photos from your walks so that you can highlight some of the nearby sights.

 

Write a short guide to nearby walks:

There’s no one better qualified to write a guide to your local area than you! What are the must-sees? If another home swapper asks you for recommendations, what nearby sights and off the tourist trail tips would you suggest?

Home swap tip: add recommended walks and local tips to your welcome pack  Include information about must see sights and nice nearby walks to the home swap welcome pack that you leave for your guests. Remember, in addition to the cost savings, a huge plus of home swap holidays are the local tips and recommendations from members (i.e. real locals!).

 

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My East London / City of London walk (by Mark Sealey)

I've always loved getting out and exploring London and am quite lucky to live in an area with lots to see within walking distance. However, you do not need to live in a big city to find lots to see and do - perhaps a lovely walk in the countryside, a stroll in a nice nearby park or exploring and learning about your town's history.  

Here's a nice walk I did last week taking in some of East London / City of London's well known and a few slightly lesser known sights.

East London / City walk itinerary (photos below from top left to right):

1. Spitalfields Market: I started the walk in East London's fabulous Spitalfields Market. There has been a market on this site for over 350 years. Up until recently it was a fruit & veg market supplying much of London. Now it is a slightly trendy place to grab a coffee, pick up some street food or browse the independent stalls.
2. Christ Church: next to Spitalfields market is Brushfield Street and at the end of the street is the glorious imposing Christ Church. Built between 1714 and 1729 to a design by Nicholas Hawksmoor.
3. Artillery Passage: this is a glimpse into London's past, one of the last remaining 17th century streets (and also featuring in a Harry Potter film!).
4. Sir Robert Peel: there's been a police station in Bishopsgate since about 1737, and there is still one nearby at number 182. Here we see a memorial to the former Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel (policemen are commonly referred to as 'Bobbies' after Sir Robert Peel who oversaw the first professional police force).
5. The 'Gherkin': London is such a mix of old and new. Here we see 30 St Mary Axe (more commonly known as 'The Gherkin') next to St Andrew Undershaft Church that dates back to 1520.
6. Leadenhall Market: dating back to the 14th century, the market was originally a meat market but now is a mix of restaurants, shops and pubs. It was also featured in a Harry Potter film as Diagon Alley!
7. St Dunstan-in-the-East: dating back to 1698 and built by Sir Christopher Wren, the church was sadly bombed in World War II but has been converted into a beautiful garden - a lovely calm oasis in the city.
8. Billingsgate Market: this lovely building on the banks of the Thames River used to be a fish market and still has golden fish decorating it's roof - one famous former worker at the market was Sir Michael Caine!
9. London Bridge / The Shard: crossing London Bridge we see Western Europe's tallest building - The Shard.
10. Southwark Cathedral: next to London Bridge on the south side of the river is the lovely Southwark Cathedral. 
11. Borough Market: a foodie's favourite is Borough Market where you'll find some of the city's tastiest treats.
12. HMS Belfast: now walking along the Southbank of the Thames, we pass the impressive HMS Belfast battle cruiser which played a very major role in World war II, by sinking the most dreaded German warship.   
13. Hays Galleria: next to HMS Belfast is the vaulted roofed Hays Galleria. This is one of London's oldest wharfs where the 19th century tea clippers raced from around the world to unload their goods. It's now been converted into a lovely covered area full of shops, cafes and a riverside pub.
14. City Hall: on the Southbank on the way towards Tower Bridge we pass City Hall where the London Mayor does his duties.
15. Tower Bridge / Tower of London: crossing the iconic Tower Bridge we have lovely views of the World Heritage site, The Tower of London, and also views towards the towers of the city.
16.  St. Katherine's Dock: just to the east of Tower Bridge is St. Katherine's Dock where you'll catch a glimpse of some luxury yachts from all over the world.
17. Wilton's Music Hall: this listed building dating back to the 1850s is one of very few surviving music hall buildings.
18. Cable Street Mural: painted in the early 1980s to commemorate the Battle of Cable Street, when people of the East End of London prevented Oswald Mosley’s fascist black shirts from marching through the area.
19. Whitechapel Bell Foundry: founded in 1570s, the Whitechapel Bell Foundry cast bells including the Big Ben and the Liberty Bell. It's currently closed and sadly it's future is under threat (check out the Save The Whitechapel Bell Foundry website)
20. Brick Lane: this trendy street is the place to go for street art, Bangladeshi/Indian food, Sunday markets, coffee shops, live music and vintage clothes. 

Click on a thumbnail to view the photo

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Join Home Base Holidays: start planning your travels for 2021 Whether you're looking for staycation ideas or planning ahead to overseas travel in 2021, by arranging a home exchange vacation through Home Base Holidays, you'll cut the cost of your getaways by up to 90%. View the latest home swap travel offers and join for free.

Home swap travel tip: promoting local attractions

If you live in a tourist area or a major city, you may think that potential home exchange partners will only be interested in how easy it is to get to well-known attractions from your home; of course, it is important to provide such information, and details of public transport, but don’t ignore those lesser known attractions closer to your home that you may take for granted or even not be aware of, for example, if you don’t have children living at home. Home swappers tend to be adventurous and open to exploring local neighbourhoods and will appreciate your suggestions which, of course, you can expand on when in direct contact during your home exchange arrangements.

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Anna and Jeremy, along with their toddler daughter and baby son, live in Herne Hill, a suburb in southeast London. They have included in the Home Base Holidays home swap offer a detailed and really inviting list of attractions in their area. See below the description of their local attractions. 

 

Within walking distance… 

• At the bottom of the road you’ll find Sunray Gardens, a peaceful public garden and play-park, with an artisan bakery and coffee shop nearby. The glorious Ruskin Park with wild flower garden, paddling pool and views across London is 10 minutes away on foot and you’ll pass the Grade II listed art-deco Carnegie Library en route. 
• Herne Hill, with its pedestrianised hub, is 8 minutes away on foot. You’ll find a flower shop, book shops, gift shops, artisan bakeries and restaurants amid live music from the street piano. The buzzing Sunday market sells a wide range of high quality food alongside vintage collections and designer craft.
• Herne Hill is directly opposite the magnificent Brockwell Park, South East London’s largest park, with orchard, rose garden, ponds, Lido, large children’s play area and cafes. There is a 600 year old oak tree and a fantastic view across London. 
• Dulwich Village is 15 minutes away on foot, home to the famous Dulwich Picture Gallery, serene Dulwich Park with its American Gardens, bike hire, boating lake and enticing café and ice-cream parlour. There’s also a historic pub in the village, plus more restaurants, cafes and gift shops to explore. 

Within 10 minutes by car or an easy bus ride away you’ll find…

Visit the fabulous overstuffed walrus in London's Horniman Museum

•  The unmissable Horniman Museum, with its natural history and musical instrument collection, gardens, butterfly house, aquarium and panoramic view across London (the famous over-stuffed walrus in the museum is shown in the photo).
• East Dulwich and Lordship Lane; home to a fantastic range of restaurants, including a pastificio selling to-die-for handmade pasta, a lively Saturday street market, plus cinema and boutiques.
• Brixton Village, you’ll find a maze of small, independent food outlets, selling authentic dumplings, pancakes, craft ales, Italian Cuisine, tapas and cocktails alongside unique galleries, clothes boutiques and gift shops. Brixton also has the elegant, refurbished cinema, the Ritzy.
• The South London Gallery in Camberwell, a famous contemporary art gallery, with café, bookshop and landscaped garden. 
• Sydenham Wood: one of London’s best kept secrets, a delightful mix of new and ancient woodland with remnants of Victorian gardens, home to more than 200 species of trees and plants as well as bats, birds and woodland mammals.
•  You`ll of course have all of all London available within easy reach - whilst there is much to enjoy within the immediate local area too.

>> View the family's home exchange offer in London 

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During the current uncertainty over worldwide travel due to Covid-19, with guidelines and restrictions likely to continue to fluctuate, some members understandably will not yet want to make firm travel commitments. However, it is a really good time to start contacting members to discuss possible home swaps, even if some members will not yet want to finalise dates.

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Planning a home swap holiday:

• Preparing for a home swap checklist 
• Top 10: things to do at the end of a home swap
• Cleaning tips for holiday home swaps during COVID-19
• Search the latest home exchange offers

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Join Home Base Holidays: start planning your travels for 2021 Whether you're looking for staycation ideas or planning ahead to overseas travel in 2021, by arranging a home exchange vacation through Home Base Holidays, you'll cut the cost of your getaways by up to 90%. View the latest home swap travel offers and join for free.

London for free: top ten London parks

On a sunny hot day like today, what better than to take a break and relax in one of London's lovely parks. Explore everything from the picture (picnic!) perfect St James's Park to the huge 2,500 acre Richmond Park where you might forget you are even in London. Here we list our top ten London parks.

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Top ten London parks

 St. James's Park with views of the London Eye and Horse Guards Parade

1. Hyde Park:

Hyde Park covers 350 acres of central London. Hyde Park has something for everyone, you can enjoy swimming, boating, cycling, skating or just relax in this central London oasis. There are pitches for team games, tennis courts, tracks for horse riding and a spectacular children’s playground. The park is fabulous all year, a great place for summer time picinics or enjoying the Winter Wonderland festival during the winter months. royalparks.org.uk/parks/hyde-park

2. St. James's Park:

One of my personal favourite Royal parks, St. James's Park covers 57 acres and is home to a wonderful mix of flowers and birdlife (don't miss the pelicans being fed between 2.30pm and 3pm daily!). The bridge over the lake offers great views of Buckingham Palace at one end and the London Eye and Horse Guards Parade at the other end. royalparks.org.uk/parks/st-jamess-park

3. Regent’s Park / Primrose Hill:

Located in NW London, Regent’s Park is a Royal park that covers 410 acres and is home to London Zoo, the Open Air Theatre (performances end May to early September), and a boating lake. The view from the top of Primrose Hill is one of London’s best, with fantastic panoric views across the city. royalparks.org.uk/parks/the-regents-park

4. Richmond Park:

Located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Richmond Park is the largest Royal Park in London covering a massive 2,500 acres. This beautiful park of hills and woodlands set amongst ancient trees, with plants, animals (including 650 deer) and butterflies, offers a peaceful respite to visitors. royalparks.org.uk/parks/richmond-park

5. Greenwich Park / Blackheath: 

Located in SE London, Greenwich Park covers 183 acres and is the second oldest enclosed Royal Park. One of the largest green spaces in south east London, Greenwich Park offers a wide range of facilities and points of interest, including a child-friendly boating lake, six tennis courts and the National Maritime Museum just on the perimeter. The Royal Observatory in Greenwich Park is home to the Greenwich Meridian Line which represents the prime meridian, relative to which world time is calculated and the distance to every place on Earth is measured. royalparks.org.uk/parks/greenwich-park

Blackheath stretches across the very top of Greenwich Park into the pretty village. Tip: check out the views from 'The Point', a small area at the corner of Blackheath, with it's spectacular views over the city.

6. Hampstead Heath:

Hampstead Heath is located in NW London but just four miles from Trafalgar Square. The Heath has some of the best views and highest points in London for everyone to enjoy. It includes Parliament Hill, Golders Hill Park, an open air Lido (open 365 days a year), swimming ponds, splash pools, countless sports pitches and facilities, athletics track, playgrounds, stunning listed Pergola and Hill Garden and enough green space to really feel like you have escaped the City! Hampstead Heath

7. Kensington Gardens:

Kennsington Gardens covers 275 acres and was formerly the private gardens of Kensignton Palace. The park is planted with formal avenues of magnificent trees and ornamental flower beds. It is home to Kensington Palace, the peaceful Italian Gardens, Peter Pan statue, the stunning Albert Memorial and the Serpentine Gallery. There are two playgrounds, including the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground. royalparks.org.uk/parks/kensington-gardens

8. Victoria Park:

Victoria Park is a fabulous 213 acres oasis located in East London's Tower Hamlets. Attractions include canals, ponds, a pavilion, tennis courts and a sports ground. Open air pop and rock concerts are held in the park during the summer. Victoria Park is not very far from a number of other attractions including Brick Lane, Spitalfields and Columbia Road flower market. Victoria Park

9. Battersea Park:

Battersea Park is a 200 acre park in the London Borough of Wandsworth in SW London. It is situated on the south bank of the River Thames opposite Chelsea. An inner city park with so much variety, hidden secrets, and activities. batterseapark.org

10. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park:

This lovely park in East London includes many of the former Olympic and Paralympic venues – including London Stadium, the London Aquatics Centre, the Copper Box Arena and Lee Valley VeloPark. www.queenelizabetholympicpark.co.uk

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Free holiday accommodation in London

One of the biggest budget busters when visiting London can be the cost of accommodation. However, rather than booking a hotel or holiday rental, arrange a home swap in London and you will dramatically cut the cost of your London holiday.

Home Base Holidays is a London based home swap holidays website and has a large number of tempting home swap holiday offers.

Neighbourly love: heartwarming photos from Italy ❤

As families around the world bunker in amid the Covid-19 pandemic, we've seen so many uplifting examples of neighbourly love. Be it the thousands of people volunteering to help the vulnerable in the community, neighbours coming to their windows and doorsteps to cheer on our heroic healthcare workers and, of course, the wonderful heartwarming videos from Italy where people of all generations have taken to their balconies to sing and play musical instruments.

The wonderful scenes in Italy were nationwide from Sicily to Milan and provide a beautiful insight into the Italian spirit. We were sent these two lovely photos from Home Base Holidays member, Valeri Walsh, from her home in the Medieval hillside village of Ceriana, Italy.

 

"Dear friends. During the Coronavirus outbreak you may have seen pictures of Italians singing from their balconies. Unfortunately my neighbours and I don't have balconies and we don't sing either but every evening around 6pm we open our windows and chat to each other across the alley while enjoying a glass of wine. We talk about what we have been doing that day, what we will cook that evening and how much we hope and pray that we will soon get through this terrible time. I hope you like these lovely photos taken by my neighbour across from me. Many regards to you all, Valeri." - Valeri Walsh (Ceriana, Italy)

 

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Meet the member:   Valeri is an experienced home exchanger and lives in a beautiful 800 year old home in the charming hillside village of Ceriana, Imperia, Italy. - View Valeri's home swap offer in Ceriana, Italy