During our most recently trip to Italy, in between Florence and Cinque Terre, we spent a few days in the mountains. We did two amazing hikes (in one day, I’d recommend spacing them out a bit better!), the details of which you can find below.
Tag: europe
A trip to the Tuscan Mountains
We had the best time in Tuscany! This was the part of the trip I was least excited for and it wound up being my favourite part.
Where to stay
We stayed in Mulina, which was quite well located for the two hikes we ended up doing. The flat was really quite and spotlessly clean, with a nice area for eating outside as well. We’d definitely return here in the future.
Where to eat
(Just a note, that as this was during the COVID times, all of these places had outdoor and socially distanced seating.)
Lunch
We ate some of the best food of the trip in this area. On our way up we stopped at Osteria La Risvolta for lunch and ordered off the server’s recommendation. It was insanely good. Every day we planned to go back, but we kept finding new places to try and sadly never returned.
The second day we had a picnic lunch on top of Monte Forato – bread, meats, cheeses and wine of course. It was lovely 🙂
Dinner
The first night we had dinner close by at Trattoria Luciana Mulina. This was out of convenience, though our host did recommend it, and though it’s laid back looking, the food really surprised us. It was also totally delicious and a great local spot if you’re nearby.
After our epic day of hiking, we ate at Il Soggiorno. This place is kind of crazy to get to (you drive down a long windy road that isn’t totally convincing as a road), but the staff were so lovely and the food was so good and the portions were giant.
The one place we wanted to try but couldn’t was Osteria Candalla. If you’re going to be in the area (hiking or swimming most likely!), this place is popular enough that it’s necessary to book ahead.
What do to
Isola Santa
We did the best stuff! The day we arrived it was hot and we wanted to find somewhere to cool down, so we drove up to Isola Santa lake, which is nestled in this adorable village, and swam around. The water was so refreshing and you swim right over ruins of Medieval buildings.
Hiking
The next day we did two hikes because we couldn’t choose between them. If you plan to do this, I’d suggest breaking them up though I am not the fittest person in the world and survived doing both in one day.
We spent the morning hiking Monte Forato, mainly because we saw the peak on the way to Isola Santa the night before and decided it would be fun to climb – and it was!
Then we spent the afternoon doing the magical Candalla waterfalls hike.
You can read the details here!
We only had two days in Tuscany, if we go back we’ll stay longer and explore more. I thought we’d lack for things to do but there is so much on in this area. I can’t wait to return!
A return to Florence
We had such a lovely time in Florence. Even though it’s so modern, the city centre is so unchanged it always feels a bit like stepping back in time. We stayed here, and can highly recommend it as it was charming, well placed, and even had an air con. There are a lot of steps up though, so only fit for those glad to climb a ton of stairs.
I’ve already written a full itinerary for Florence here. We mainly followed that, while trying out new food options.
Italy Trip in the times of COVID
As you might have seen, we have some very exciting news! Our journey wasn’t the easiest, and after an early miscarriage in August we were desperate to get away from lockdown life for a bit. Luckily, there was a travel corridor open with Italy at the time and despite generally having an extremely low risk appetite for COVID exposure, we decided to take a trip to Italy to try to find some happiness. And we had the best trip!
COVID
Other than the flights, where we took precautions like sanitising our seats, not using the restrooms (or moving at all), not eating or drinking anything (thus never removing our masks) and where we didn’t have to sit with anyone else in our row, the trip felt completely safe. Italy is much, much stricter than the UK when it comes to COVID, so we were actually much safer there than back in London. All transport was socially distanced, train stations had people checking temperatures, and busy streets had police mandating masks at all times – even just walked about. No one in London wears masks just walking around outside, so it was a really nice change of pace!
Florence
We spent two days in Florence, eating the best food, drinking out in the sunshine, and just enjoying the gorgeous city. I have a full Florence itinerary here, and you can read about this trip here.
Tuscany
We then moved up into the mountains for a taste of the countryside. We ate the best meals here, went on two epic hikes, and swam in some really wonderful places!
Cinque Terre
I went to Cinque Terre a few years ago alone, and was so keen to return with a travel buddy. My hen do was actually going to be here in July, before COVID delayed the wedding. We stayed in Vernazza, my favourite of the five towns, and did nothing but eat, read and swim. It was heaven.
Christmastime in Europe
If you know me, you know Christmastime is my favourite time of year. I try to go to a Christmas market or two each season – though Christmas was a bit different last year!
This year, as we are running out of locations we haven’t yet been in Europe, and because we are broke, we bought the cheapest flights we could find – and will soon be heading to Sibiu, Romania! It’s meant to be a gorgeous market in one of the most picturesque areas of Romania. G and I have wanted to visit the country for a while, and £50 flights to one of the supposed best Christmas markets in Europe was impossible to pass up!
As we get ready to head out (trip is still two weeks away), I think it’s time to start a new section on the blog – European Christmas markets!
I’ve already written about Berlin, Prague and Amsterdam – however I’ve yet to write about Sweden, Finland, Norway, or Poland, and that is a travesty. So to kick off December and celebrate the lead up to what I hope will be a wonderful Christmas season, let’s look back on celebrations of years past!
We’re also doing as much as we can in London this year to get into the holiday spirit. We’re going to see the lights at Kew Gardens on our 5 year anniversary later in the month and after seeing the Nutcracker in 2017, this year we’re going to see White Christmas.
And honestly, everyone thinks you need to visit Europe in the summer, but I truly think there’s nothing better than a December spent sipping mulled wine and looking at local/handmade crafts. If you get the chance to visit in December don’t pass it up!
A Weekend in Helsinki at Christmas – with Reindeer!
During the Christmas of 2017, a year after going to Prague and Poland together, and after almost a year of living apart, I travelled to Helsinki to meet up with my roommates from when we lived in Spain. At that point Shaina had been living in Italy, getting Italian citizenship, and Vera was spending another year in Spain, this time in the Granada in the south.
I’ve heard Helsinki is boring and there’s not much to do in Finland. I can’t speak for other times of the year, but we did something awesome in Finland – we went to see the reindeer.
An easy half day trip from Helsinki, you can get to Nuuksio Reindeer Park. It’s about an hour on public transport, and so worth the trip. I’d never seen reindeer before, and the environment in Nuuksio feels so magical and Christmasy.
Getting there:
You can take commuter trains U, L, E from Helsinki Railway Station to Espoo (8 stops/25 min) and then bus no 245 from Espoo to Nuuksio. The bus stop at Espoo is right next to the train station. Ride the 245 bus until the Punjobsuo stop (27 stops/23 min). Walk a little bit forward and turn right after the crosswalk – you’ll see a sign advertising for the Reindeer park!
Getting back we had a bit more trouble as we had looked up the 245 bus schedule and obviously written it down wrong. The bus doesn’t run very often and we were waiting in the cold for about 45 minutes. I’d suggest asking the people working at the reindeer park to advise on the next bus, so you can avoid this.
The park itself is small but so lovely. When we went it was just the three of us and one other small group. You can feed the reindeer, pet them, and there’s a candlelit traditional Finnish tent with a fire pit where you can warm up and enjoy some warm cider or mulled wine. I recall being given some chocolate as well.
If you have more time (and money) than us, I would have LOVED to stay on site in one of the two iglu huts. These handcrafted huts are made from natural materials and look so cosy. You can feed the reindeer right from your window – there is a national park trail just around the corner that is meant to be a gorgeous walk as well. If I ever go back to Finland in the winter, I’ll definitely do this as a night in nature would be so wonderful.
The rest of our time in Helsinki was spent wandering around and taking in the city slowly. We went to MAJOR SHOPPING AREA, as it was quite festive and I bought a few decorations from SHOP that I look forward to putting out every year. We ate at Restaurant Savotta and spent an afternoon wandering around the stalls in the Helsinki market where there were tons of adorable handcrafted items.
Where to eat:
We had dinner at Restaurant Savotta, which was delicious and the place was adorable. It was like having dinner in someone’s house – traditionally decorated with Finnish furniture and rya rugs and the table settings were perfect. I wouldn’t miss this place on a return trip!
We also had dinner at Café Engel, which had great food and was perfectly located just across from Senate Square – where the Christmas Market is.
For breakfast, going to Regatta Café is basically a requirement. Traditionally Finnish and is right on the water, full of decorations, a fireplace, candles and is possibly the cosiest café I have ever been to. Go here and get the cinnamon roll – you won’t be sorry!
Logistics:
We stayed at Eurohostel, which was a cheap and cheerful option with a free sauna in the mornings. It’s a five minute tram ride to the city centre, and the trams are so easy to use in Helsinki it made getting in and out super easy.
To/from the airport: This is really easy as well. It’s one train that takes about 30 minutes between the city centre and the airport. Two trains connect the two: Line “I” train: Runs via Huopalahti to Helsinki Central Station. Line “P” train: Runs to Helsinki Central Station via Tikkurila. See their schedule here.
Though we only had two days in the city, we packed in so much and had such a lovely time getting in the holiday spirit. One thing we didn’t have time to do but wished we had was visit the Winter Garden. It’s meant to be a bit of an oasis in the middle of the city and we were sad to miss it.
Devastatingly, I haven’t seen Shaina in person since then, PROBABLY TIME TO SORT THAT. Instead of Africa 2020 maybe London-for-my-wedding 2020?
TWO WEEK INTENSIVE FRENCH COURSE IN MONTPELLIER, FRANCE
Between Madagascar and moving back to London, there was a lot of uncertainty – would I actual go back to London? Would I move back to California* like I’ve been dreaming about for a few years now? Look for another position in the field with a more robust health care system? Or even take a few months off just to focus on language?
Then I got offered my current position back at MSI and the decision was made. I’d be moving to London and happily back in with G! I had a few weeks to play around with before my start date, and learning French is something that has been on my list of goals for years. It would be a huge career boost, and despite taking a course at MSI in early 2018, I still felt like I lacked even the most basic building blocks of the language. So I decided to book in for an intensive two week course in the south of France at LSF French school. I decided on this school because of price, location (I’d never been to S of France, I liked the small size of the city, and the weather was meant to be lovely – though I had terrible luck in that regard), and reputation – it had loads of excellent reviews.
My experience
I stayed with a host family which is very out of character – I value independence and privacy highly. I did it because it’s meant to offer the best opportunity to learn French, and while I don’t regret having done it, I wouldn’t again.
Pros:
– You can practice French in a natural environment with people who have to be patient with you. You’ll learn how people speak colloquially, learn words about everyday living that may not come up in class, and be exposed to the language basically 24/7.
– You can see how locals lived, which is something I think is important when visiting a new place – to get outside of the tourist bubble. I was quite far out and had to take a 25-minute metro ride into the city centre every day, and while this wasn’t ideal it did allow me to live a bit more like a local than tourist.
Cons:
– Every family is different, and you’re inserted right into someone else’s family. Two weeks is a bit of an awkward time. It’s difficult to get close, but you’re right there living with them – there was some personal drama that happened while I was there that I was a bit caught up in – very awkward when you’re an outsider who doesn’t speak the language!
– In my experience, the expectation was very much that I would spend as much free time with the family as possible. I spent 90% of my time in the library studying, and I think my host mother felt a tiny bit put out by this. I didn’t sign up for catered food, but started feeling guilty if I didn’t eat with the family every night anyway (with my own food obviously), and even at nearly 30 years old, they very much wanted to know my whereabouts at all times.
– I think the biggest issue I had was that I came in as a complete beginner. The family didn’t speak English, and I think a few decades ago the model would have worked where I’d have been forced to gesture until I could speak, and then speak and build from what I was learning each day, etc. Instead the host family used Google translate to communicate with me. I did eventually ask them to at least speak the words as well, so I could hear it in French, and it wasn’t terrible both seeing it written out and hearing it out loud. But I didn’t feel comfortable enough to do that right away, and for a while it felt like the only things I was learning were from listening in on their conversations to each other.
These things all might be very expected for a host family, and even desirable for some people. It’s also just one experience – I’d stayed with one other host family when I was in Guatemala for a few weeks in 2010, and in that instance we had breakfast together every day, but there were no expectation to spend free time socializing together. They were very happy to help when needed and would have a chat in Spanish at the end of most nights, but I still felt quite independent. That wasn’t the case here, and I think will be hard to know what kind of situation you’re getting before arrival.
Montpellier and LSF
Montpellier was incredible. This was my first trip to the south of France and it didn’t disappoint. The skies were blue, the town gorgeous, and the food delicious – which was even more meaningful after living with the limited food option in Mada for nearly six months. I love a small city in which to learn a language, and Montpellier was ideal.
LSF, the school where I studied was perfect. The teaching style was fantastic, the technology top notch, and I honestly learned faster than I ever could have imagined. It’s a bit of a let down because I’ve always dreamed of moving to the French countryside and taking lessons long term, however if I were to over go back it would be hard to not returned to LSF. I know the quality of their education and it would feel like a waste of time and money to go elsewhere!
*This would have been difficult to do as I don’t have health insurance in America anymore. If I got sick now, it would be nearly impossible to move home with my family to receive care. Another reason America’s HC system needs overhauling and another reason to vote for Elizabeth Warren in the upcoming primaries and election!
A Weekend in Bergen, Norway
Last Autumn a friend came over to Europe from LA, and we decided to visit Bergen, because Norway is amazing, and tickets were shockingly cheap–an occurrence I’m finding less shocking the more often I look up flights out of London (lucky me!).
Getting There
Getting there was an adventure, because when does travel ever go smoothly?? An evening that began with Megan getting on an express train to the wrong destination and nearly missing the flight, ended with us huddled in the pouring rain at midnight, desperately trying to get one of our phones to turn on in the freezing air, 50 metres from our airbnb and completely lost. The plus side is getting to/from the airport is incredibly easy, regardless of when you arrive. Top tip: Buy a round trip ticket from the machine right next to the bus stop at the airport–it’s cheaper than buying on the bus (which is possible if you’re in a rush/would rather deal with a human).
The place we rented was the definition of hygge, to steal a Danish word. It was tiny, but so cosy and well decorated I honestly considered becoming a furniture thief/smuggler. After my flight out on Sunday, Megan was able to meet with the woman who lived there. She is studying for her Master of Philosophy at the University of Bergen, and I’m mildly obsessed with her life (and decorative skills).
We only had around 36 hours there, as we had to leave after work on Friday, and my flight back was at noon on Sunday. While more time would have been nice, and I do want to return to experience everything in nicer weather, Bergen is a small, a gorgeous city surrounded by stunning natural beauty. Everything we wanted to see was within a 5 minute walking radius, and it was easy to fit everything in.
Itinerary
Food
Breakfast
Start with breakfast at Godt Brød, where you need to try the traditional cinnamon rolls and delicious tea/coffee. The Fløibanen funicular is right outside the cafe, as is the walking path (which I believe takes about 30 minutes if you choose to hike). The funicular was about 8 pounds round trip, and as a big funicular fan who was short on time, I opted for a round trip service.
Lunch
We stopped for what was meant to be a quick lunch at Kaf Kafe Bryggen. This place is super cute and is a lovely way to spend the afternoon – which we basically did, as our (delicious) soup took over 45 minutes to come! We ended up having to eat the soup in under a minute because our Fjord tour due to begin. Definitely not a place to go when you have a strict schedule, but an incredible cosy place to warm up and relax!
Fishmarket Dinner
To start, this isn’t a budget option. But, oh my god, if you find yourself in Bergen you have to eat at the fishmarket. It’s so lovely – set up with the cosy blankets and heaters G and I saw everywhere in Copenhagen last year and just so atmospheric. We had wine, and a meat and cheese platter (HIGHLY recommended, though consider asking them to not include whale), and salmon and mashed potatoes. It was a lot of food, all delicious, and an all-around great way to end the trip.
Things to do:
Mount Fløyen
As the Fløibanen funicular is right outside of Godt Brød, I’d recommend a trip up right after breakfast. Mount Fløyen offers some incredible views of the city and harbour and has hiking trails throughout. It’s a great welcome to Bergen, as you can see everything from the top. We were luckily enough to get some blue skies while up there, and after taking in the views, we walked through the woods for a bit, which were well marked and felt quite magical. Try to find the “warning” signs hidden around the forest!
Shopping
After the nature walk, take some time to explore the shops in Bryggen, which are filled with some incredible clothes and furniture and decor. I could have easily spent hundreds, thousands of pounds there, and it got to the point where I just had to stop going in, because the window shopping was hurting my heart.
Though all the stores were incredible, my Christmas loving heart has to give a special shout out to Julehuset. We happened upon this Christmas themed heaven by mistake, and it was probably my second favourite part of the trip! Anyone who knows me knows that the holiday season is my absolute favourite time of the year. Thanksgiving, pumpkins, snow, Christmas music and movies. I am that obnoxious person who can’t get enough. Julehuset did not disappoint. It’s huge, four floors, filled with every Christmas decoration you can imagine. I almost bought a wooden truck that had little drawers that made it an advent calendar, and still regret not doing it on a near daily basis. Instead I settled for a few ornaments, and a pull string wooden toy that reminded me of one my grandparents used to have. If you are as obsessed with Christmas as I am, do not miss Julehuset!
Fjord Tour
Also do not miss a Fjord Tour! It was the highlight of our trip. We booked one that lasted for 3 hours from Bergen to Mostraumen and it lived up to our high expectations, even in the pouring rain. In fact, I’d say the rain made it feel even more epic, like more of an adventure. We would alternate between going outside until we were soaked and freezing, going back inside to dry off/try to coax our phones/cameras into turning back on, and then doing it all over again.
The little villages we traveled through were incredible, and it felt a bit like we had gone back in time–the slightly eerie, foggy weather didn’t hurt either. Eventually we came to the end, went right up to a waterfall where they stuck out a bucket and we were all able to drink some waterfall water. I’m a bit neurotic about drinking water, but had decided as soon as I’d heard about this part of the tour that I’d try it, and it was super delicious. Sometimes water just tastes good, and this was some good water.
Norway was unexpectedly wonderful. Having now been to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland, I can confidently say I am a huge fan of Scandinavia. I want to go back to Bergen, but also go farther north – I’d love to get to Tromso and have a shot at seeing the Northern lights! But until then, my weekend in Bergen was a wonderful introduction to the country.
48 HOURS IN ATHENS
During our time in Greece, we planned to spend just 48 hours in Athens. The city was a bit of a surprise to me — I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did, which is the best kind of trip!
We had about 48 hours in Athens and had a pretty good mix of sightseeing without feeling too overscheduled, and I think if you’re looking for a chilled few days filled with amazing food, I’ve got the itinerary for you.
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed in Plaka, which I’d recommend. The area was adorable, very walkable, and central to everything. We stayed at Antisthenes Apartments which was cheap, clean, and great air conditioning, so all in all I’d recommend it if you’re looking for basic but pleasant.
WHERE TO EAT
We ate all our meals on Lysiou Street, which is one of the most famous in Athens. It’s full of adorable houses, cute tavernas with outdoor seating, and all the food was delicious.
GETTING THERE
If you’re staying in Plaka, it’s an easy transfer from the airport. Just jump on the metro to Syntagma station where you can either walk from the famous Syntagma Square, or change to the red line and hop off a few stops over — our place was right next to the Acropolis stop.
DAY ONE
We got breakfast at the airport and the journey to our flat and checking in took us until about 13:00. From there we decided step one was finding us some gyros, and you should do like we did and go to Kalopsimeno. It is cheap and fast but oh my god has some of the best gyros you can find. We didn’t have better our entire trip, so be prepared for your gyros game to peak day one.
It’s an easy walk to Kalopsimeno from Plaka, and from there you’re nearly at Mount Lycabettus. Depending on when you go and how hot it is, you may prefer a taxi. We walked but the heat was a bit insane and the hill felt steep. At the top you’re rewarded with an incredible view of the city and the Parthenon.
Take in the sights and then treat yourself to a cold beer (or wine! all the red wine was chilled which was much appreciated by yours truly) and maybe some ice cream. We chilled up there for a while with a pack of cards, and it was a really lovely way to spend an hour or two.
On the way back, route through The National Garden which has the Arch of Hadrian, Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Zappeion, and the Kalimarmaro Olympic Stadium of the 1896 Olympic Games. It’s kind of insane how many structures from the Ancient Greeks are still standing — it’s hard to walk more than a few minutes without spotting something.
Head back into Plaka and window shop the various vendors — there are some genuinely nice things amongst the standard tourist fare.
We had dinner at Zorbas, where I got my first taste of Moussaka, which was the start of a real love affair. This whole area is the best for food. All the places are on steps and super adorable, and they were all quite lively.
After dinner and a few drinks, get an early night so you’re up bright and early for the Acropolis.
DAY TWO
The Acropolis opens at 8 am, and you should aim to get there early to avoid lines. Grab a pastry for the walk and be ready to spend a few hours checking out the ancient citadel. We didn’t go with a guide or headphones, but if they are in your budget I imagine hearing all the history whilst looking at the ruins would be so interesting.
Grab lunch back on Lysiou Street, we went to Yiasemi which had more amazing gyros and some pretty stellar tzatziki.
After lunch, head down to Monastiraki, where you can see Hadrian’s Library and the Ancient Agora whilst visiting the flea market and doing some shopping. If you’re heading to the port, from here it’s just seven stops to Piraeus. Try not to be too sad your time in Athens is coming to an end — you’ll be back, right? And you’re hopefully on your way to another amazing spot, like Paros or Crete!
WHY I DIDN’T LIKE SANTORINI
First let’s acknowledge that I’m incredibly lucky and privileged to have been able to visit Santorini at all. However, if you travel frequently, you’re bound to visit a few places you like more or less than others. Santorini was one of those places I liked less. That said, it is gorgeous and I’m sure quite a few people feel the magic there that was lost on me. It’s also worth noting that we planned to spend 24 hours there, but due to an ferry strike were unexpectedly there for 4.5 days.
My biggest issue was the amount of tourists in Santorini. For example, take the photo of Gareth and I below. To get it, we had to wait in line for 15 minutes , and once you got there if you took too long people shouted at you. It was stressful and packed and really (for me) took away from the beauty.
Likewise, the sunset was gorgeous. However, to get a good spot you need to arrive about two hours early. This photo was taken 90 minutes before the sunset and believe me it only got more and more busy. Afterwards, it took us about 25 minutes to get back to the road due to the crowds.
Every picturesque location was filled with professional photographers doing photoshoots with tourists who had hired them. Everyone was dressed extremely well, and the entirety of Oia felt like one big photoshoot. Like the the main reasons tourists in Santorini were there was just to get a photo of themselves there.
I spent about an hour doing the same, mostly because we needed (free) things to do to fill our time. Then I got fed up with the whole vibe and put my camera away for the next few days. We left Oia, which felt unbearable, and moved down to Perissa which was far less touristy. It was more of a beach town. We spent a day sitting under an umbrella on the black sand beach, having a completely different trip than the Oia focused one we had planned.
I think I have a fairly high tolerance for tourists. I’m from Martha’s Vineyard and while I much prefer the winter, I adjusted to everything being crowded long ago. I went to Cinque Terre last August and was told I’d hate it due to all the tourists at that time of year, and again not only did it not bother me but it’s one of my favourite places I’ve ever been. There were 100 times more tourists in Santorini than in MV or Cinque Terre.
I’m also going to be a bit controversial and say that while there were many gorgeous parts of Santorini, I don’t think the overall beauty compared to anything we saw in Paros or Crete. There are cheaper, quieter, and more beautiful places to visit in the Greek isles. I think if you only have a limited amount of time, I’d really suggest leaving Santorini off your list!