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!
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!
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
And then WE WERE THERE! It felt like we’d beenon our wayfor weeks, and suddenly Table Mountain appeared before our eyes (on fire from an arsonist no less). We’d made it!
I didn’t know what to expect from Cape Town, other than to love it. And love it I did. I could have spent weeks getting to know that city, and I firmly hope to return one day to do just that. We stayed in Salt River which is up and coming and maybe a bit more dangerous than we had anticipated (per our Uber drivers, actually staying there felt quite safe).
By this point of the trip we were ready to relax, so our days were a lot less packed than those leading up to it. If you’re looking for a chilled out itinerary that still fits in the major things, look no further!
FOUR DAY CAPE TOWN ITINERARY
DAY ONE
After hanging with the penguins, returning our rental, and settling into our Airbnb, most of the day was gone. We wanted to get out and do something fun with our afternoon, and a great place to get acclimated is at the Victoria & Albert Waterfront. There are loads of restaurants, many with views, and it’s quite a touristy part of the city. It’s fun for an afternoon, and a great place to watch the sunset, but I wouldn’t recommend more than a few hours there. It’s a bit like a giant outdoor mall. We had dinner on the roof deck of Harbour House which was delicious, and had great outdoor seating. (There’s also a bookstore at the Waterfront with really cheap Travel Catan, if you’re into that!). This is a great first stop, first to get it out of the way but second to ease into the city if you’ve just arrived.
DAY TWO
The next morning grab some breakfast at Food Lover’s Market before meeting up with the free walking tour which starts just around the corner at Motherland Coffee. They have a few tours–we did the Historic one which we loved, though I’m sure they’d all be great. You’ll get some history and great insight into the city, and see most of the major sights! Prior to this trip I wasn’t big on tours, but I’m beginning to change my mind. This ends in Company’s Garden, where G and I sat at the café and had lunch, read a bit, and played some cards. It was lovely.
After the tour, make your way back to Greenmarket Square and explore the market. We went on a bit of a buying frenzy getting gifts for friends (and ourselves). We needed another bag, as we had somehow collected way more than we could fit in our two backpacks for the journey home. We ended up getting an incredible elephant painting, a cute little backpack, a few bowls, salad spoons, magnets, and a big canvas print – and we got to barter, which I am a pro at (thanks to Katie and our time in Guatemala) and Gareth is honestly TERRIBLE at. Even so, we got some pretty good deals.
From there head to your accommodation to drop off your loot, before catching an uber to Reverie Social Table, a highly recommended dinner place. It only seats about 16 people each night, and it’s a social experience as much as a culinary one.
Get to know the other guests, have far too much (delicious) wine, and eat some of the best food in Cape Town. I definitely recommend this place and its adorable chef, Julia Hattingh.
DAY THREE
Wake up early, grab breakfast, and head straight to Table Mountain. Be ready to hike, and though harder than (I) expected, it is so worth it! If you’re able, I highly recommend skipping the cable car and hiking up yourself – it’s such an incredible feeling.
Once finished, jump in a cab to Bo Kaap, which is close by and just as incredible in person as it is in pictures. There’s so much to see, and some cute shops (I got an adorable terrarium from Angels+Earth).
The same walking tour group offers tours of Bo Kaap, and while we didn’t have time to do it, I bet it would be great!
Just a few minutes’ walk from Bo Kaap is Bree Street, which has some of the best food in Cape Town. The hardest part is deciding where to go. We chose to have tapas at La Parada which was SO good, especially the Pork Belly and Cauliflower Puree, but I’ve also heard great things about Bocca and Villa 47. If you’re into nightlife and big on food, I’d stay around Bree street so you can try a different place each night. After a few Spanish wines, mosey down the street to Sky Bar which has a rooftop bar with incredible views of Table Mountain. It’s the perfect way to end the day, sipping on a mojito, watch the sun set around the iconic mountain you’ve just climbed.
DAY FOUR
Be better than us and plan ahead, so you can spend the morning actually visiting Robben Island instead of trying unsuccessfully to get last minute tickets. We tried craigslist, calling hotels, and going in person in case there were any no shows, with no luck. Because you’ll already have tickets, spend the day taking a tour of the island.
You’ll notice there aren’t any Township Tours on this itinerary. Gareth was pretty against them, as he sees it as paying money to look at poor people. I know there’s a lot more to the tours than that – history, education, development, etc, but I really agree with his hesitation and that it wasn’t the right way to get involved. Instead we decided to go into Langa Township to Mzansi Restaurant, which was a great way to see and support the Township without being as voyeuristic.
TIPS
Book Robben Island tickets at least a week in advance. It was unfortunately sold out by the time we arrived in Cape Town, and we were so disappointed to miss it.
It’s not necessary to rent a car, Uber is a great way to chat to some locals (though most of ours weren’t actually from South Africa) and is super cheap!
Get a sim card at the airport to make getting around South Africa incredibly easy from the first moment.
After Kruger, I was worried we peaked too early, and leaving was quite bittersweet. Luckily, a road trip through the Garden Route was just what the doctor ordered to lift our spirits, as I don’t think there’s a more beautiful drive on the planet. This is a long post because there is an insane amount to see and do in this part of the country. Our itinerary and additional recommendations are below!
Jeffrey’s Bay
We went straight from Port Elizabeth to Jeffrey’s Bay so G would get some surfing in. Tip: we had a harder time than expected finding the beaches to surf on (bad preplanning), so know where you want to rent your board from and base it around that. We spent a few hours surfing and eating and taking in the scenery – beautiful beaches but we also drove by/through our first Township, which was quite shocking. We later spent an evening at Mzansi restaurant in the Langa Township in Cape Town, which was incredible.
Storms River
We spent our first night in Storms River. This little town was adorable and our hosts absolutely lovely. It felt like staying in our grandparent’s comforting home. It was green and beautiful, and I highly recommend booking there! If we go back, we’d spend all three of our nights along the Garden Route in Storms River – though it’s not for everyone. See where to stay along the Garden Route here.
Dinner (and breakfast) in Storms River
We went to De Oude Martha and loved it. The food was so good, the service excellent, and the venue gorgeous. Go back for their breakfast buffet – after our sad little grills in Kruger, this delicious food was much appreciated (and overindulged).
Activities in Tsitsikamma national park
The two best things we did in Storms River were ziplining and kayaking down the mouth of Storms river. Ziplining was fun, and not scary at all, even for me. If you’re looking for some serious adrenaline, instead go a bit further down Route 2 and hit up Face Adrenalin for one of the world’s highest jumps at Bloukrans Bridge. As that sounds like my personal hell, we skipped it, but everyone we spoke to who had done it said it was one of the highlights of their lives.
After ziplining we went kayaking and lilo-ing down Storms River mouth, which was gorgeous. It was fun, just a little challenging (swimming against the tide at points was not easy!) and there was cliff jumping! The water is full of tannans, but it doesn’t taste (or smell) nearly as good as wine. It looks dirty but we were assured it’s not, and I wouldn’t miss the jumps as they are just high enough to turn your stomach.
We didn’t do the hike to the waterfall as it was pouring rain and visibility was low, but if you’re up for it, it’s meant to be beautiful (though better in the wet season than dry).
Knysna
We spent the next two nights in Knysna. Storms River, Plettenburg Bay, and Knysna are all close enough together that you can easily get to each one no matter where you stay, so it’s not necessary to move each night if you don’t want to. Knysna is cute and mid-size (though the biggest of the three) and if you want to hop around the coast, is a great place to stay.
Dinner in Knysna
Go to The Waterfront, where many of the most recommended restaurants are clustered. We were there right at the end of March and a reservation wasn’t necessary at even the most popular places. This allowed us to wander around the pier and window shop restaurants. We had heard the best things about 34 Degrees South, which is a Knysna institution. It was delicious and lively – full when most other places were nearly empty. Knysna has great food – Drydock and Easthead Cafe, if you’re willing to drive a bit farther out, were also both highly recommended.
Plettenburg Bay
The next morning we woke up early and headed to Robberg Nature Reserve for one of the best hikes of my life. If you like hiking and beautiful landscapes, do not miss this one!
After the hike, swim, and ensuing sunburn, we went to Monkeyland for lunch – you don’t have to pay for entry if you’re only eating/accessing the restaurant, but the restaurant is inside the park and you can see quite a few monkeys just eating lunch.
From there we went to Elephant Sanctuary. This was recommended by a host as a rehabilitation centre and right next to our lunch place, but we didn’t do the right background research before going. It called itself a sanctuary but the elephants were too well trained to be wild and it felt more like a circus. When asked, they said they only trained with food and never violence, and the elephants were given to them by the governments from South Africa and nearby countries because they couldn’t survive in the wild. However they all seemed fine and though the goal was rehabilitation, no elephant has been released thus far. I write about this as a warning to others. Don’t be me, ALWAYS research thoroughly first. If you really want to see some elephants, Knysna Elephant Park has actually rehabbed and released elephants, though they’ve also had some abuse claims.
Wilderness
We set off the next morning for Wilderness. We were going to hike but it was cloudy with low visibility and I was suffering from one of the worst sunburns of my life – Malarone is no joke, and sunblock doesn’t help. All this to say, we ended up skipping the hike, but you can find a list of the best ones we researched here.
Mossel Bay
We stopped in Mossel Bay to see the Post Office Tree. Back in 1501, a Portuguese explorer took shelter in Mossel Bay after a bad storm. He wanted to get a letter to another explorer, warning him, so left a boot nailed to a tree with a letter inside. It managed to reach the correct man (!) and for decades was used as the “post office” in Mossel Bay for explorers. Now there is a little monument there with a slot to put mail into, so I sent myself a postcard. I do this everywhere I go as a type of journal entry about the trip, and with the local stamp and such. I like sending them from cool locations, and this one and the one I sent from the top of Table Mountain are of the few that actually made it to England from South Africa (I think the only two, actually).
From Mossel Bay we drove to Franschhoek, and thus ended our time on the Garden Route. I was getting used to feeling both sad and excited that one part of the trip was ending while another was beginning, but the incredible drive to Franschhoek softened the blow. It was astounding!
MORE GARDEN ROUTE ACTIVITIES
There is so much more you can do on the Garden Route. We only had a few days, and would strongly recommend a longer trip if you can. Some of the most popular things we missed out on were:
Addo Elephant Park. This was our back up in case we didn’t see any elephants in Kruger. We were innocent babies who didn’t realise how incredible (and elephant rich) Kruger would be.
Whale Watching in Hermanus – this is something we would have done without hesitation at a different time of year, but it wasn’t the right season so we gave it a pass. If you’re there between June and November, don’t miss it!
Birds of Eden – right next to Monkeyland and really highly rated among bird lovers.
Shark Diving – we left this up to the last minute, and then decided not to go. Mostly because I truly don’t think I’d ever get in the ocean sans protective cage again. If you’re less of a baby, this is something loads of people put at the top of their list.
Featherbed Ferry to Knysna Heads – this one we missed only because we didn’t know about it. One the list for next time for sure!
Obviously, there is a HUGE number of things to do on the Garden Route. The natural beauty, wildlife, food, and activities means there’s something for everyone, and to be honest, just writing this post has me desperate to go back and do more. Until then, I’ll live vicariously through this blog post!
This Easter, Gareth and I were lucky enough to spend two weeks in South Africa. It was by far the most exciting and adventurous trip I’ve ever taken (I cried tears of happiness two different times!), as well as the farthest from home.
We had 13 packed days in South Africa (and one day in Cairo!) and while it’s impossible to do everything in 13 days, I put hours and hours into researching the perfect itinerary — all that hard work paid off, because I think I did it!
In the coming weeks I’m going to post about each of the five sections of the trip in detail, but here I’m going to share the basic itinerary. Having only two weeks meant some things had to be left off, but I think we fit in a great mix. Each of our five segments felt very different — because of that by the time we came back to London two weeks later, it felt like we had been gone for months and been on five completely different trips.
We took a red eye from London to Cairo on Egypt Air. While there were cheaper options, this one allowed me to build in an 18 hour layover, which was enough time to do a great tour of the city. While one day is not nearly enough to cover Egypt, it did feel like we saw nearly every major tourist attraction in Cairo itself.
We landed in Johannesburg at 5:00 am on the second day of our trip. We had a car rental ready and waiting, and drove the 4.5 hours to Crocodile Bridge Gate, which was the nearest to our camp. We did an evening game drive our first night, and sunrise and sunset tours days three and four. I have so many tips and recommendations about Kruger, as well as a cost breakdown – it’s more affordable than you may think! I think this was the best part of our trip — it was so magical, and completely unlike anything else I’ve ever done. We had three nights and nearly three full days there, and while I would have loved to stay longer I didn’t feel rushed or like we didn’t have enough time to have a real safari experience.
We left Kruger at 4:00 am day five and drove back to Joburg airport to catch our flight to Port Elizabeth — and started the Garden Route! The Garden Route runs from Storms River to Mossel Bay, and while we only stayed in Storms River and Knysna, we did activities in each of the stops along the way. We had four days and three nights for this part of the trip, and it was so fun to move from place to place, making each day its own new adventure. During this trip we did one of the best hikes of my life, ziplined, kayaked, cliff jumped, ate some really good food, and drove through some astounding landscapes.
Wine region! During planning, we went back and forth on this — having lived so close to Santa Barbara and in La Rioja, I wasn’t sure taking a few days out of our trip to go on wine tastings would be worth it. I’m so so glad we went! We had planned on Stellenbosch, as I had heard the name thrown around much more often, but Franschhoek is like its cuter, smaller little sister and was an oasis in the mountains. Plus Franschhoek has a wine tram! Need I say more??
Day ten was really just the journey from Franschhoek to Cape Town (we stopped in Betty’s Bay to see the penguins, and took a longer route along the coast which was so. worth. it). Cape Town was incredible. It was one of the coolest cities I’ve ever been to, and I absolutely need to go back, hopefully for much longer — though not because I feel like I missed any major tourist attractions (minus one).
We did so much — a walking tour of the city, climbed Table Mountain (it was so hard, but so worth it), went to Bo Kapp, ate at some amazing restaurants, went to The Waterfront, hung out in Company’s Gardens, shopped along Green Market Square, and had dinner in a Township. Cape Town was the first place we really had time to just wander and take everything day by day, and it was welcomed after the packed schedule we had leading up to it. It was the perfect, chilled end to an incredible trip.
Like it said, there’s no way to do absolutely everything, and there are some things not on this itinerary that others may no be willing to skip — we didn’t go shark diving because I don’t think after that I’d ever get in the water unless I was still in a cage. We didn’t to Addo or an Ostrich Park because we had seen so many elephants and ostriches along the way. But in the detailed posts I’ll explain where and how you can do these things and give as much information as we can!
Coming back to London we were welcomed with a week straight of predicted rain. So far, that has been accurate. While I miss South Africa and really want to go back some day, I feel so grateful for the trip we had. It gave me some much needed headspace, and I feel excited for the coming summer here in London — maybe there will even be some sunshine!!
Once more a visit to a place I saw in a photo and couldn’t miss! Luckily, while in Split during our trip to Croatia, we were only 2.5 hours away and would be driving past the border on the way to Dubrovnik anyway, so it wasn’t hard to convince G to make the detour. Mostar was tiny and you need only spend a day or two, but it is so worth a visit.
Drinks
We had drinks at Labirint which was along the river and such a stunning location to sip some wine, play some cards, and even watch the locals jump off the bridge!
Dinner
We ate at Šadrvan which was incredible and highly recommended! The food is delicious, there is a LOT of it, and it is traditional Bosnian fare. We made a reservation and our table was 5 minutes late so they made sure we had (free) drinks while we waited, and the service was just top notch all around.
Activities
There’s not much to do in Mostar, but one thing you should absolutely not miss is climbing to the top of the Koski Mehmed Pasha Mosque. As someone who is terrified of heights and claustrophobic, I was nervous. The climb up is long, circular (so there’s no end in sight), and extremely tight. Still – do not miss this! It’s around 5 pounds for entry to the mosque and to climb up, and the view is STUNNING. Seriously, I can’t imagine a better view of Stari Most.
Tips
Some of the borders are only for people with either Bosnian or Croatia passports – we drove to the nearest one on Google maps and were turned away. The drive was great but very windy and my car sick (and hungover?) self was not pleased about this mistake!
Mostar worked into our Croatian trip very well, but we weren’t prepared for how much Bosnia would appeal to us – we were so sad to leave after just one night, and regretted not planning to go on to Sarajevo. If your schedule allows, perhaps plan further travel in Bosnia.
Enjoy your time there! It’s such a fairy tale place, and to this day the most beautiful place I’ve ever been.
Going to Italy during Semana Santa helped me realize something about myself–I hate tourists. Not just other people, but I don’t like being one myself. It’s probably why whenever I go anywhere I even moderately connect to, I’m convinced I’ll move there one day and experience the place like only a true local can. That said, I don’t want to move to Venice. Venice is like Prague to me–too magical to be real. I couldn’t ruin Venice by actually moving there and having to worry about running late for work or changing the kitty litter or any other real life burdens. I want to preserve it’s otherworldly charm, but I do still want to go back. Because of Semana Santa the cheapest hostel I could find was over $45 and I could only afford a night there.
Venice was my second stop of 17 day trip over Semana Santa, and to be honest about the fact that travel is not all wonderful all the time, my night in Venice was not the best. Usually I love traveling alone, but after Rachel left Italy to go back to London, I was facing another week alone before Gareth and I met in Zagreb, and I suddenly felt really lonely. Add in that I didn’t arrive until the sun was beginning to set, and that romantic Venice is not exactly the ideal place to be single– I spent the most of the night sticking close to my hostel and on the phone with Gareth. Lame, I know.
Luckily after a good night’s sleep I remembered how much I actually love solo travel, and got my mojo back. I spent the day wandering through the maze like passages, stopping in awe every few minutes that a place like that actually exists.
I don’t have a ton of suggestions for how to best “do” Venice, because I don’t think I did it properly. I have a few suggestions based off of lessons I learned, however.
Book early – and by this I mean everything. Accommodation, certainly. But there are places online you can arrange a gondola share, because they are privately hired and seriously expensive. That said, the looks on people’s faces as they rode convinced me they are worth it.
Get off the beaten track – the restaurants that have their menus in a dozen different languages aren’t going to be the ones with food you never forget. One of my biggest regrets was the place I chose for dinner. I was staying in the Jewish area, an immediate left after crossing the Guglie bridge. I had wandered deeper into the city, and it was getting dark. I knew it was a bad idea, but I settled for a place on Rio Terà San Leonardo that was filled with tourists and served legitimately bad food. On the five minute walk back to my hostel, along Fondamenta Cannaregio, I passed about three places lit by candle lit and filled with Italians. Learn from my mistakes. And probably go to dinner on that street cause it looked amazing.
Buy a water bus day pass. The pass is 20 euros and a single journey is 7.50. The ride is such a good tour of the city, and to have been able to go to San Marco, Chiesa di San Giorgio Maggiore, and back to Guglie all on a water taxi would have been great.
Set aside time to get lost – this, I did, and it was one of my favorite parts of the day. As I wandered back from San Marco to Guglie, I passed through quiet, residential areas that were nearly empty, and offered just as much charm as the packed city center. I also stumbled upon La Bottiglia, which is an amazing deli. They asked me to trust them and built me the most incredible sandwich. If you like sandwiches, this is your place.
Saint Mark’s Square – They charge an outlandish price to sit and have a drink, but you should do it anyway. Yes, it’s touristy, but it’s everything you imagine when you think of Venice. Have the Prosecco, obviously. Sit and listen to music and watch people try get a photo with the pigeons. Drink in the magic of the city, and if you’re like me have to remind yourself over and over again that you haven’t fallen into a movie set, but that Venice is a real place that exists in the world.
Though I only a day in Venice and I certainly need to go back to learn more about this magical place, I am so happy I was able to go at all. It was the perfect transition to solo travel before I went on to Slovenia.
Once more a visit to a place I saw in a photo and couldn’t miss! Luckily, while in Split during our 
