24 Hours in Crete

December 22, 2018July 11, 2020

Though we’d planned for five days we only got 24 hours in Crete due to the ferry strike. Crete was stunning and I’d HIGHLY recommend planning for much more than one day there, but we ended up having such a good 24 hours, if you go you should spend a day retracing our steps.

GETTING TO CHANIA

The bus to Chania from Heraklion is within walking distance, but it’s confusing if you don’t know the route. The buses to Chania run from Bus Station A (to the right of the port) and you have to buy your ticket inside the station (about 14€). Buses depart hourly up until 18:30 when they become a bit more spaced out and the trip to Chania takes between 2.5 and 3 hours.

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed at Kydonia Rooms which was cheap and in the Old Town. I loved this place but I love big, old, creaky buildings which is what you can expect here. We paid for a double room but got put in a quad (all to ourselves) with a kitchenette and balcony. I was into it.

WHAT TO DO

If you’ve only got a day, there’s no time to waste so don’t bother sleeping in. Get yourself to a car rental place as soon as possible and head right out to Elafonisi Beach. The drive takes about an hour and a half and is really beautiful — if you’re less crunched for time it also takes you right by Kissamos, which would be a nice place to stop for food and do a bit of exploring.

Once you’re past the highway there are loads of adorable little taverns to stop at, and we popped into one for a late breakfast. When we come back we’ll probably rent a place out here for a night, and do this hike, which we’d planned on but was one of the (many) things cut due to time constraints.

Just before you get to the beach there’s a convenience store — you can stock up on snacks here, though there is a bar at the beach.

Pull into Elafonisi and be prepared to be stunned. It was SO pretty. The sand was much more pink than it looks in photos, and the water just as blue. Rent a lounger or two and alternate between reading and swimming and spend a few hours just feeling completely relaxed.

It sounds far to go when you only have a day, but despite the crowds I really loved it here. Alternately you could visit Balos, which we considered but I’m so glad we went with this instead.

Once back in Chania, go to the harbour and have a few drinks whilst watching the sunset — it feels crazy to say after all the Santorini hype, but I preferred this one for sure.

After the sunset, you’re about ready for the highlight of your time in Chania. To Koutourouki. This place was incredible. It was filled with locals, had amazing live music, and the best food. We had to wait a while for a table so we sat at the bar, made friends and had way too many shots of Raki. This place was incredible and even if you don’t drink, the food and atmosphere alone are worth it. Don’t go anywhere else for dinner!

GETTING HOME

We had actually had two nights (but only one day) in Chania, so we slept off our food and Raki hangovers before heading out to the airport the next morning. We still had our rental, which provided us with a free parking spot just outside of Old Town. The drive to the airport takes about 30 minutes. Alternately you can take a bus for 2.50€. It takes about 90 minutes and only runs about three times a day. The last option is a cab for about 30€.

With that our Grecian holiday was over. Our time in Chania was the perfect end to our trip, though we definitely want to go back to Crete as soon as we can and spend far more time there.

Have you been to Crete? What were your favourite things to do? Let us know so next time we can make up for our unexpectedly brief trip this time around!

Dubrovnik, Croatia

December 12, 2018March 5, 2021

The last stop on my Semana Santa trip, which included trips to Florence, Venice, Slovenia, Zagrab and the road trip through Croatia and Bosnia, was Dubrovnik. We stayed just outside of Old Town and walked in and out each day, mostly because we still had the car and figuring out parking was easier staying outside the city walls. Dubrovnik was a gorgeous and wonderfully relaxed way to end weeks of constant travel. We didn’t do much beyond walk around and enjoy it, but it is exactly the city for that!

Dubrovnik Highlights:

Dubrovnik’s Old Town is surrounded by defensive walls, constructed between the 12th – 17th centuries, considered to be some of the best from the Middle Ages as they have never been breached. We’re now able to walk across them, which offers incredible views of the entire town. It takes about two hours, maybe a bit longer if you’re like us and stop to have a drink with a nice view along the way, and costs €25 per person.

We ate at Lady Pi Pi which is at the top of the Old Town – it’s a literal hike to get up to it, but oh man is it worth it. It’s SO delicious (mainly seafood and grill) and had lovely views and was such a pretty place covered in grape vines. They don’t do reservations so I’d recommend arriving early!

Walking through the town at night was so charming as well. Something it was a bit cold for but I’d love to do if we ever go back is a sunset kayak tour, like this one.

And then the holiday was over and Gareth flew back to London and I flew back to Logrono to finish the last month of teaching during my year in Spain!

Santorini Photo Diary

December 11, 2018July 11, 2020

Though Santorini wasn’t my favorite part of Greece, it was picture perfect. Photos below.

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SANTORINI, GREECE

December 8, 2018July 14, 20201 Comment

So I’m going to keep in real… Santorini wasn’t my favourite. I’ve been to quite a few places in the world and am bound to find a few that aren’t my cup of tea – and after not loving Morocco in 2015, I had an amazing travel streak until finally visiting Santorini in 2018.

That said, you may love it and we did some great things there. So without further ado, my guide to Santorini!

WHAT TO DO

HIKING

The best thing we did in Santorini was the hike from Thira to Oia. It takes around three hours and is really gorgeous. There are about three steep uphill segments, and other than that it’s not physically challenging. It starts right by Hotel Atlantis and takes you through Thira, Imerovigli, and along the caldera to Oia. Go as early as possible – we finished around noon and the last 30 minutes the sun was so high it was a bit difficult.

SUNSET

Watch the sunset at Oia Castle. It’s an incredible view, but plan to get there about 2 hours early – we brought books and beer and the time went by fairly quickly.

PHOTOSHOOTS

It seemed like absolutely everyone was focused on getting that perfect IG shot, and many had even hired professional photographers to bring them to all the best places.

BOOKS

One of the magical bookstores of the world exists in Oia called Atlantis Books. If you’re an avid reader don’t miss out.

Beaches

Santorini isn’t known for its beaches, but the most famous ones are the black sand beach, the white sand beach, and the red sand beach. The red sand beach is currently closed and unsafe due to a rock slide, and the white sand beach is only accessible by boat. We spent a few days at the black sand beach and really loved it – you can rent two lounge chairs with an umbrella for 10 euros for the day, and it was walking distance from our hotels in Perissa. Our other favourite place to swim was Amoudi Bay in Oia. It’s so gorgeous and the perfect place to cool off after a long hike!

WHERE TO STAY

The main options are Oia, Fira, or Perissa. We spent one night in Oia and it was beautiful and very convenient if you’re only there for a short time and sticking to that location. It’s also more expensive and doesn’t allow any escape from the crowds. Thira is lively, where the nightlife is, and a great location if you’re exploring the entire island. Perissa is for those who are mainly interested in the beach or who want a cheaper/less crowded holiday. It takes about an hour to get from one end to the other, so it’s not terribly big and you can easily stay on one end and visit the other.

Santorini didn’t compare to Paros or Crete, but it was somewhere I’d been dreaming of going since I was a child and I’m really happy to have been able to visit. And next time I go to Greece I can focus on some of the less touristy islands!

Croatia Road Trip: Split, Zadar, Krka, and Plitvice

December 2, 2018March 5, 2021

After Gareth arrived in Zagreb, we grabbed our rental car and set out on a road trip through the country (and into Bosnia). We were heading to Dubrovnik, with stops at Plitvice National park, Zadar, Krka National park, and Split along the way.

Plitvice Lakes National Park

After Gareth landed at Zagreb airport we headed straight for Plitvice Lakes National Park. It has 16 terraced lakes and dozens of waterfalls. It is stunning.

There is parking at both entrances (7 Kuna) and for adults entry is 80 Kuna (£9) January to March and in November and December; 180 Kuna (£21) during April, May and October; and 300 Kuna (£34) for June to September.

Zadar

I’ve heard wonderful things about Zadar but we were only here for about 18 hours. We had dinner and drinks on the water and watched the sun set. This was a cute little town but we left early the next morning for Krka.

Krka National Park

There are buses and a ferry that give access to the park – we risked it and drove all the way there and bet on finding parking (there’s apparently also a car park in Lozovac but we didn’t know that at the time). We were successful and after about a 30 minute walk down the path we were there!

You can only swim June – September which was a bit gutting, because it looks wonderful! We didn’t time it right to take a boat tour (included in ticket price) but we’d do that next time for sure. There’s a cafe with food and drinks and it’s a nice place to relax for a few hours and take in the beauty!

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Split

Again we were only in Split a short while before our last leg in Dubrovnik, however we really loved Split. We had dinner at Konoba Marjan which is a really delicious fish restaurant, and most importantly found a old tavern, that I cannot remember the name of but that felt like it hadn’t changed in decades. We hung out there for a few hours playing cards and had a lovely time.

We walked up Marjan Hill to have a nice view of the city. We didn’t have time for a tour of Diocletian’s Palace, which Game of Thrones fans will recognise as Meereen and also the dungeon Danny keeps the young dragons in, but we did peek in and it looked very cool!

From there we drove up and spent a day in Mostar, before reaching Dubrovnik, our final destination.

Zagreb, Croatia

November 15, 2018March 5, 2021

Before going to Croatia, I was most looking forward to spending time on the cost, in places like Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik. However, my friend Lee had spent three weeks in Zagreb in 2015, and insisted it was one of the best places around. Our original itinerary didn’t plan for any time there, so instead of cramming in Belgrade or Sarajevo after Slovenia, I decided to spend four leisurely days in Zagreb. I am so happy I did!

I spent my time in Zagreb before Gareth arrived, and it was the perfect city to do solo. It was small, safe, walkable, and oh my god so cute. I LOVE Zagreb. In an alternative life I never left and am hanging about, still as enthusiastic and in awe as I was when I first arrived. It was my favourite part of Croatia. Perhaps if we’d gone in warmer weather, when swimming was an option, I’d feel differently, but we went in April and Zagreb was the hands down winner.

Where to stay

I stayed at Hostel Chic which was exactly what I needed after being in crazy (bed bug ridden!) hostels for the last week. I’d only recommend Hostel Chic in the right circumstances. Unlike any other hostel I’ve ever stayed in, I was the youngest person there. It seemed to have about a 50/50 mix of people there for a short time, and people there longer term. Each night I planned to leave to find somewhere a bit livelier, but I ended up staying there the whole time. Zagreb is known for its amazing hostel scene, which is definitely worth looking into. But Hostel Chic was quiet, and each bed had its own lamp, plugs, and a half wall, so no one could see anyone else from their beds, and the bit of privacy was so refreshing after nearly two weeks of public sleeping.

Food Recommendations

Definitely do breakfast at Otto and Frank. I went there two of my four days, and nowhere else compared.
Eat at one of the places above the market. I had a kebab at PLAC, which is very well reviewed.
Make sure to try krafne, which are a traditional style donut.
Dolac market is open daily has fresh fruit and veg, which is a nice snack for a day spent wandering.

Things to do

Zagreb is so beautiful and so walkable. The city isn’t very large and it’s easy to explore. It’s also home to my absolute favourite museum in the world, the Museum of Broken Relationships. I spent hours in there—I wish they would open a place in London so I could go back all the time. It was so interesting and healing in a way, to see all the different experiences people have had. It wasn’t just romantic relationships, but familial, friends, everything that once meant something. A lot were decades in the past and it was like getting to skim the book of someone’s life. I really loved it and could not recommend it more.

I also went to the Museum of Naïve Art, which was smaller, quieter, and fairly inexpensive to visit. The art inside was gorgeous, and I loved getting another tiny taste of Croatian culture.

Be sure to visit St Mark’s Church which is maybe the most vibrant and fun church I’ve ever seen. On the way up I stopped into some really cool art shops, and picked up a hand painted canvas of a statue in the centre of town of Marija Jurić Zagorka, the first female journalist.

Also in Zagreb’s Upper Town is an incredible overlook, with great views of the city, especially the Cathedral of Zagreb. You can order drinks and sit, which I did, spending a few hours reading and writing. It was one of the best days, and I basically repeated it again and again —just changing up where I ate, and adding in a few new hang out spots—Park Zrinjevac, the little café next to the Museum of Broken Relationships, and Ledeni Park. There’s also Dolac Market, a farmers market with fresh produce and some cute souvenirs. Though Zagreb itself was very relaxed, it still felt really vibrant and alive.

I feel awful Gareth missed it, but it just means we have to go back to Croatia—what a not terrible problem to have!

Itinerary for a Road Trip through Croatia

November 10, 2018March 5, 2021

Writing about our incredible road trip through South Africa over the Easter holiday has reminded me that I haven’t posted about our week-long road trip through Croatia during Semana Santa (Easter) last year. We packed a lot in but hit some of the best spots in Croatia (sans islands), and I think it’s time I share that itinerary!

Itinerary

I arrived four days before Gareth, and spent them hanging around Zagreb. Zagreb is SUCH a gem of a city, it would be a huge mistake to skip it and only see the coast. Trust me, it’s worth spending some time there!

Unfortunately for Gareth, we didn’t know that at the time, so while I got to spend four days there, he landed at the airport and we immediately set off for the Plitvice lakes. Plan to spend a few hours walking around and taking pictures, the place is really incredible.

To break up the drive we spent a night in Zadar. We stayed in a really cute Airbnb only a short walk from the city centre. Zadar was cute but quite honestly, it was the least exciting of the places we stayed and I think skippable. If we were doing this again, we’d find a place to spend a night in the mountains or just drive straight down to Split.

The main reason we needed to break the drive up was so we could stop at Krka National Park, which was gorgeous (and would be even better during the summer months when you can swim!).

We spent two nights in Split and could have stayed much longer! The city was gorgeous and was full of great food (and such a great bar).

We couldn’t be so close to Mostar (another place I saw in a picture once and knew I had to go), without popping in, and luckily it was (pretty much) on the way. We only spent one night in magical Mostar, but the town in tiny and honestly this felt like enough. Mostar is definitely a can’t-miss part of this itinerary.

After some trouble getting back into Croatia (some border crossings are only for locals!), we arrived in Dubrovnik for our final three days in the country.

While we would have absolutely loved to spend more time in each place, and to visit some of the islands, given our one week time limit this was the perfect itinerary for us. We moved around a lot but the infrastructure was top notch and the drive one of the most beautiful I’ve ever been on!

Paros Photo Diary

October 15, 2018July 11, 2020

I had too many photos I love from our time in Paros during our trip to Greece. This place was so idyllic, and for my own enjoyment I’m going to put my favourite photos in a place where I can look back and enjoy them!

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A WEEKEND IN PAROS, GREECE

October 9, 2018July 14, 2020

Paros was my favourite part of our time in Greece, by far. Paros was everything I dreamed Greece would be – small winding streets, white washed buildings, picturesque beaches, a small town feel. If you’re trying to decide where to go in Greece, trust me that Paros should be one of your stops (Matt and Maggie I’m talking to you!).

WHAT TO DO

DAY ONE

Our first day we woke up and went straight to the port in Parikia where we met up with Petros from Regaki Boat Trips for our day trip around Paros and Antiparos. To be honest, the first 30 minutes of the trip I was questioning what I’d signed us up for. The boat was slightly crowded, no one was talking, it was rocky getting out of Parikia, and I didn’t see how we’d make it through 8 hours.

Then we arrived at our first stop, which was some of the bluest water I’ve ever seen. We had a swim, came back on the boat, and it was just late enough to start partaking in the open bar. From then on, it was such a wonderful day. People loosened up, we all made friends, and were basically transported to the best swimming and cliff jumping locations around whilst eating and drinking to our heart’s content.

Logistics: The boat departs at 10:00 am and it costs 55 euros per person. Brunch and a late lunch are included, as well as all the wine, beer, and soft drinks you want. You get back to Parikia between 5 and 6 pm, and again I highly recommend fitting this into your schedule!

DAY TWO

Rent an ATV for your second day, which makes the island so much more accessible. Head straight to Paros Park and hike to the lighthouse before the sun is directly overhead. The views are stunning and when we went I think we only saw about 5 other people. It took us about an hour round trip, but we sat by the lighthouse for about 15 minutes to read in the shade – and on the way back we wandered down to a little cove and took a dip!

This area is super cool and if you’re there on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday, you should definitely check out their free open air movie theatre.

Grab lunch at Anemos Taverna before relaxing at for a bit at Kolymbithres Beach. This is one of my favourite beaches in the world, tied with Vernazza in Cinque Terre. I love stone beaches, and while this one did have sand, there was enough stone to lay out on, and the views and clear water were just incredible.

From there head inland to Lefkes. This town is quintessential Greece. Greeks seem to put so much weight into small gestures to make things lovely. If house had chipped paint or a visible water cooler, they would make sure to put flowers next to it. It wasn’t about making everything modern and new, but making the old as beautiful as possible. I really appreciated it.

In the centre of town is the gorgeous Agia Church and Kafenion where you should stop and grab a snack or at the very least a drink. The owner is so nice and the little square is a gorgeous place to sip some wine and soak in Greece.

On your way back to Naoussa, detour a bit to get to Lageri beach. Despite being one of the most famous beaches on the island, when we got there we had it almost entirely to ourselves – only four other people on the whole beach! Have a great last swim before going to home to shower and get ready for a night out in Naoussa.

WHERE TO EAT

Soso is meant to have the best food on the island. We didn’t make a reservation which is definitely needed, so can’t confirm first hand. But everyone we spoke to loved it.

Romantica was delicious and run by a local family.
Vitsadakis on the water was huge and had slightly less ambiance, but was surprisingly delicious – if you go here, get the lamb.
Paradosiaka has the best Loukoumades on the island and not a place to miss!

WHERE TO DRINK

There are quite a few cocktail bars as you walk the winding streets, but our favourite was Sante Cocktail Bar. It has delicious cocktails, and was cuter than the others – it’s in the centre and surrounds a big tree that is lit up with lights and candles. Moraitis winery is meant to be lovely and a great way to spend a few hours.

WHERE TO STAY

Your main options are Parikia and Naoussa. We stayed in Parikia our first night as we didn’t arrive until around 11:00 pm and were leaving from there at 10:00 the next morning for the boat tour. However, as soon as that was over we moved to Naoussa where we spent the next two nights. Definitely stay in Naoussa. It’s smaller, more pristine, and has so much charm. Parikia is a port town so is quite large and bustling, and much less picturesque than Naoussa.

We stayed at Bocamviglies which I would recommend if you’re looking for good value for money. We had ocean views, a beach almost entirely to ourselves, and were only a ten minute walk from town.

BEST BEACHES

Lageri, Kolymbithres, and Monastiri are advertised by tour companies everywhere on the island. You could go through a tour, but by staying in Naoussa and renting an ATV, they are incredibly easy to get to on your own. I do agree with the tour guides though, they are the best beaches on the island!

PAROS

Paros was dreamy. Everyone was friendly and welcoming, the island was the perfect size and had just the right amount of people. Have you been to Paros? What did you think?? I feel like it’s still a relatively undiscovered secret and now I just want everyone I know to go so they can also see how great it is!

A WEEK IN GREECE ITINERARY

October 8, 2018July 11, 20202 Comments

Guys, the countries left on my 30 before 30 list are dwindling right down! When I made that list 3.5 years ago, I didn’t think there was any chance I would come close to visiting all the places on my list – and now I’ve just crossed off my third to last location!

I’ve wanted to go to Greece since about 2001, when Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was first published. 17 years later and I finally made it!

We had 9 days and in that time we visited Athens, Paros, Santorini, and Crete. Due to an unexpected ferry strike, we had far less time in Crete (and much more in Santorini) than we had planned on – but I’d recommend following our original itinerary.

ATHENS

We had just about 48 hours in Athens, and used that time to explore Plaka, climb to the top of Lycabettus Hill, and (of course) stopped by the Acropolis. I wasn’t expecting to love Athens, but I really did – it felt young and artistic but still quite traditionally Greek. Given our short time in the country we wouldn’t have traded anything out to stay longer, but Athens is definitely a city where you could happily spend a lot longer than 24 hours.

PAROS

Our three days in Paros were the highlight of our trip, without a doubt. Before going, so many people had told me it was their favourite island, and now I understand why. It is the perfect size, is set up for tourism but not overcrowded, feels authentically Greek, and has some incredible beaches. While there we did a day long boat tour around Paros and Antiparos, rented an ATV and drove around the island, and hiked up to a gorgeous lighthouse. If you’re deciding which islands to visit, definitely include Paros on your list.

SANTORINI

We originally planned to be in Santorini for just over 24 hours. I really wanted to go, but had heard it was extremely crowded, expensive, and commercial due its popularity. It was very pretty and 24 hours would have been perfect, but we ended up being there for about four days due to a ferry strike – and that, to me, was much too long. I’ll explain why later, but it just wasn’t the island for us.

CRETE

Our four days in Crete had become a day and a half, which was disappointing – especially once we arrived and realised just how beautiful the island is. I definitely want to go back to Crete and spend more time there, but I think we came up with a great itinerary for the time we had. The highlight was spending a few hours at Elafonisi Beach, with its amazing views, clear blue water, and PINK sand!

Greece was incredible. It lived up to my expectations and more – I wasn’t expecting to love the food so much. I’ve had Greek food before and enjoyed it, but it tastes so, SO much better there. I don’t know why – maybe the quality of the produce? But Greek yogurt, Greek salads – things I like but don’t love elsewhere were things I went to bed dreaming about in Greece. Honestly – I might like actual Greek food more than Italian food (never tell my dad I said that).

One of the best parts of Greece are the endless islands to discover. While I can’t really imagine anything topping Paros, I want to go to Folegandros and Milos – and spend more than a day or two in Crete.

Have you been to Greece? What were your favourite places? We only just returned and I’m already desperate to go back!