itinerary

THE 5-MINUTE TRIP PLANNER: A sunny day out in Brighton

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Brighton gets really busy on sunny weekends, when half of London seems to get on the train to enjoy the sunshine. And it’s really worth it!

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There are lots of nice shops, bars and, of course, the beach!

HOW TO DO IT:

  • Go: Trains from London are frequent and cheap, so there’s no need to book in advance.
  • Do: Walk around the Lanes, a pedestrianised shopping area full of quirky and cool shops.
  • Eat: Terre a Terre is a famous veggie restaurant that is on the top of my wishlist – it’s highly recommended and everything on the menu looks amazing!

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The 5-minute trip planner: Planning a short trip in no time.

A WEEKEND IN VILNIUS, LITHUANIA: Craft beer and sunny days

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When I got off the plane after midnight in Vilnius, I had no idea what to expect. I ended up there because it was easy to go for a weekend, and when I boarded the plane I really had no expectations. But a weekend away in a new city never disappoints!

Vilnius is a small and quiet city, but in many ways it has a modern and vibrant atmosphere. You need to look in the right places, but there are plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants that are very cool.

Old Town

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Vilnius’ Old Town is a Unesco Heritage site, with winding roads and historical buildings as you’d expect. There are lots of churches around, and when we visited it seemed like every single one of them had a wedding on. It’s a nice area to spend a few hours exploring, especially if it’s a nice day.

The main street is called Pilies and it cuts through the Old Town starting from the Gate of Dawn, the only remaining gate into the city.

Gediminas Tower and Castle

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After exploring the Old Town, we hiked up Gediminas Castle for a view over the city. It was a glorious sunny day, so we could see all the nice buildings in the Old Town as well as the newer areas of Vilnius.

Uzupis

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We started our second day walking to the Genocide Museum, which unfortunately was closed. So we crossed the city centre and headed to Uzupis, a neighbourhood home to artists which declared the area an independent republic in the 1990s.

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There’s even a local constitution on display. It’s a nice area by the river, so we stopped for a quick beer.

Food:

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Lithuanian food, as most Eastern European food, isn’t really veggie-friendly, so we did some research in advance to find good options. We had lunch at Namai, a very nice but hard to find vegetarian cafe which served great pasta. Lunch for two including tip cost 17.50€.

We also visited Gyvas, a vegetarian restaurant and bar which had lots of vegan options. It was alright but not great. Dinner and snacks including tip cost 18€. Another place we visited was Radharane, a hare krishna restaurant. Food was good, and the place was nice and a good option for a break. Lunch for two including tip cost 13€.

Bars:

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There were lots of nice bars in the Old Town, many with outside seating which was ideal. I sipped white wine in the nice Franki, watching wedding parties go by. We found the great Manu Kiemas Terasa, reminiscent of Budapest ruin bars, which was lively and pretty cool.

A great find was Bambalyne, a bar with an impressive selection of over 80 local beers. Like other good finds in Vilnius, this place is easy to miss if you’re not looking for it.

Lithuania is very cheap by British standards, with beers for £2 and a large glass of wine for less than £3.

HOW TO DO IT:

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  • Go: Wizzair has direct flights from Luton and it’s the cheapest option. It takes about 2.5h. A taxi from the airport should cost about 10€ but they often charge tourists more (not cool).
  • Stay: We stayed at Eloft Hotel which was good and cheap. Vilnius is small so most things are within walking distance.
  • When to go: We went in June, when it was amazingly sunny. Summers can get quite hot, but winters are really too cold – although there are Christmas markets around.

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SUNNY BREAKS IN EUROPE: 3 places to visit this summer

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I’m mostly done with my summer holiday planning, but there’s still one weekend in August to go somewhere. Here are three ideas for summer breaks:

1. The beach holiday: Sicily, Italy

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Sicily is one of the most naturally beautiful places I’ve ever visited. Deep blue seas and sunny days make it the perfect summer scape. Plus there are lots of historical sites to visit, from Erice to Taormina, where you can see old walled cities and Roman ruins.

Go: Fly into Palermo and explore the region by car, bus or ferry.

The perfect beach holiday without the crowds!

2. The city break: Stockholm, Sweden

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Stockholm is amazing in the summer. Walk around the Old Town (Gamla Stan) and take a ferry around the many islands. There’s lots to explore on foot and the temperatures are mild – perfect for walking around.

Go: Get a cheap flight with Norwegian and book a flat around the city centre.

The perfect time to discover a great city!

3. The hidden gems: Ljubljana and Bled, Slovenia

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Ideally located by the Julian Alps, Ljubljana is not very touristic and is really pretty. Nearby is the amazing Bled, a scenic town with a famous church in an island in the middle of a lake.

Go: Flights from the UK take around 2.5 hours and are cheapest with Wizzair. Book in advance for the summer months to get the best prices. Buses between Bled and Ljubljana are frequent and take around 1.5 hours.

A sunny break in a new place!

THE BEST ART SHOW IN THE WORLD: An artistic scape to the Venice Biennale

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Two years ago I decided to visit the Arts Biennale in Venice and it was great! So I wanted to come back to see this year’s edition.

The Venice Biennale is a paradise for art lovers. There are two main sites, Arsenale, a massive exhibition space with room after room of all sorts of contemporary art from all over the world; and Giardini, an open garden with pavilions from many different countries. There’s also lots of art all around town.

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Because we had visited Venice before, we decided to stay at this lovely place in Arsenale. It was the best decision – we were close to the city centre but not in the middle of the tourist crowds.

We decided to visit each of the main venues on a different day (last time we needed to see both on the same day and it was definitely too much).

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We visited Arsenale on our first day there, which was good as it is the most intense of the two places. Then we visited the different country pavilions in Giardini on our second day, when it was sunny and just generally lovely.

The rest of the time we spent waving at boats going by our window, or drinking delicious Aperol Spritz by the canal.

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Isn’t life grand?

HOW TO DO IT:

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  • Go: The Arts Biennale happens on odd years from May to November. Flights from London aren’t particularly cheap so book in advance.
  • Tickets: Tickets to the Biennale cost 25€, including entry to Giardini and Arsenale (you can visit those on different days on the same ticket).
  • Stay: We stayed at this amazing place which we found on Airbnb. There are lots of good places around, so pick an area and go from there. We stayed in Castello which is very close to the Biennale but also only about 15 minutes from San Marco square.
  • Food: The first time I visited Venice I wasn’t massively impressed with the food, as everywhere looked like a tourist trap. This time it was much better, mostly because we weren’t staying in the city centre. Da Paolo was a good choice for our first dinner. We also stopped at Osteria alla Tana, which is a great affordable stop just outside Arsenale – perfect for relaxing after hours of walking around the many exhibits. But just by venturing a bit further from the city centre it is possible to find nice restaurants.
  • Do: Aside from the Biennale, Venice is a beautiful and iconic place to visit. But it can be quite touristic too – from the busy San Marco Square and Rialto Bridge to the expensive gondola rides, it can all get a bit much. But the Doge’s Palace is beautifully decorated with paintings by Titian, Tintoretto and many more, so it’s definitely worth a visit. And a walk around San Polo is a great way to see a more authentic side of Venice.

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I’m already looking forward to going back in 2017!

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UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE VESUVIUS: A visit to Pompeii and Herculaneum

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I always wanted to go to Pompeii, so I jumped at the chance when my mother said she was going there. I was staying in Rome, so we woke up early in the morning to get on the fast train to Naples.

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Pompeii and Herculaneum are such unique sites to visit. You get a clear grasp of what life looked like 2,000 years ago, so it’s no wonder that people are fascinated by these places.

Herculaneum:

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Our first stop was Herculaneum, which many say is better than Pompeii. I can’t help but agree – overall Herculaneum provides a much better experience to the visitor.

On the day I visited, unfortunately there was a massive (and very disorganised) queue, so it took us two hours to get in. But when we finally got through, it was worth it.

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Herculaneum is only partially excavated, so it’s not very big. As you walk around the many narrow roads, you get a chance to explore little houses, big villas, local food shops and more. There are many great details of beautiful frescoes, mosaics and patios.

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And because of the way Herculaneum was hit by the eruption of the Vesuvius, you even get to see bits of preserved wood (which is not available in Pompeii).

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Pompeii:

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We then got the train to Pompeii, where we managed to get in straight away. Immediately we were struck by how big it was, with large monuments and a spacious square, from where you reach narrow roads full of houses. It really is an impressive archaeological site!

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Again there were similar architectural features, but not as many places were open to the public (often you can only see inside the buildings from the outside).

But Pompeii was absolutely rammed with hordes of tourists everywhere, which made the experience much less enjoyable. I’m glad I got to see Herculaneum in more detail first!

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HOW TO DO IT:

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  • Go: I went as a day trip from Rome, taking an early train to Naples. From there you can hop o a crowded train to Pompeii (which takes 30 min) or Herculaneum (16 minutes) – these are quite cheap and regular.
  • Visiting the sites: Combined tickets to both sites normally costs 20€, but I happened to go on the first Sunday of the month when it’s free (I’d avoid that option as this is one of the reasons why it was so crowded). There are also lots of excursions departing from Naples.
  • How long you need: Ideally you need a few hours in each site. Pompeii is really big, so you can probably spend a whole day there (if you have the patience to battle the crowds for that long!).
  • Weather: I went in May and it was already quite hot, so it’s definitely best to avoid the summer months.

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RUINS AND SPAGHETTI: 1 busy day in Rome

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I had one day in Rome before going to Pompeii, so I had a packed agenda. I went there in March, so this time around I wanted to cover a few specific things which I hadn’t seen before.

Ara Pacis:

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Ara Pacis is an altar dedicated to Emperor Augustus commemorating peace in Rome. This impressive display was moved from its original site and reconstructed within a beautiful modern building by the American architect Richard Meier, which is an interesting approach as most Roman monuments are displayed in the open where they originally were.

It was very nice, but a bit expensive at 14€ for the entry.

Domus Aurea:

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Another impressive display is the Domus Aurea, a palatial building built by Nero. This is currently an excavation site, so you can only visit on weekends and you need to book in advance. You get a detailed walking tour through the massive and impressive structure, a really great to way learn more about Roman architecture.

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Churches:

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Along the way we stopped at two churches (there are lots of very impressive ones in Rome) which had Caravaggio displays: Santa Maria del Popolo and San Luigi dei Francesi. A great way of seeing art outside of museums.

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The rest of my time in Rome I spent walking around the many beautiful sites, from Piazza Navona to the Colosseum. Everywhere you look there’s something to see!

Food:

I also had time to discover some nice places to eat, as you always do in Rome.

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Verso Sera is a nice wine bar serving great food. It is located just outside Campo di Fiori, a nice square with a popular market which is a great place to go for dinner.

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Another nice restaurant was La Taverna dei Monti. I was quite tired and hungry when I got there, but left happy after eating a hearty plate of gnocchi. It is located at Via del Boschetto, which again had lots of nice places to eat.

Yum!

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You can see my tips on how to do plan your trip to Rome here.

THE BEST GELATO IN ROME: 4 of the best places for a treat

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Gelato is always a highlight of my trips to Italy, so in my last visit to Rome I did some research and tried a few of the best. Here are four great places for the perfect gelato stop:

1. Tre Scalini

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This place is famous for its delicious chocolate tartufo, a frozen ice cream dessert. And it was really good indeed. Tre Scalini is located at the heart of the very touristy Piazza Navona, but the tartufo is worth battling the crowds (and the 10€ it costs).

2. Venchi

Venchi is famous for its delicious chocolate, but in their shops you can also get gelato (they even have shops at the airport so you can have one final treat just as you board the plane). I tried hazelnut and fiordilatte (simple milky ice cream which is perfect if you like traditional flavours) – creamy and delicious!

3. Giolitti

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Giolitti is a nice cafe not far from the Pantheon, with amazing pastries and a salad bar on display. But it’s mostly popular for its great ice cream. I tried lemon (refreshing and juicy) and Disaronno – yum!

4. Della Palma

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Della Palma serves over 150 flavours of gelato, which is not normally a deciding factor for me as I tend to stick to the basics. But this really is an impressive display, and you can spend quite a while trying to settle on the perfect combination of flavours. I had creamy pistachio and lemon – both just so delicious! I’m not sure, but this place my actually be my favourite!

I didn’t have time to visit all the places in my list, which also included Fatamorgana, San Crispino and Carapina – another reason to go back!

Where are you going for the perfect gelato break?

I KNOW THE BEST PLACE IN BELGRADE (but I can’t tell you how to find it)

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The first time I went to Portugal, my friend and I went to this little restaurant that was just perfect. The owner (who was also the cook) and I shared the same last name, and we got talking about it. This restaurant was such a great find, I can’t recommend it enough!

The thing is – I know this place was tucked away in a little alleyway in the centre of Oporto… and that’s really all I remember about it. Unhelpful, I know.

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One of the reasons why I started this blog was so that I had a place to store all the information about my trips: where I went, the name of that local dish, how to find the neighbourhood with all the bars. Often, that’s a simple task. I take my notebook with me and make sure to write down the names of places so I don’t forget it later.

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But sometimes, it just doesn’t work like this. There will always be places which are forever lost, maybe because I was too busy having fun to take notes, maybe because the name of the place didn’t return any results on Google afterwards.

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It seems like the best places appear just when you need them; then vanish as soon as you’re gone. I remember the square in Venice with the kids riding bikes; the cool bar in Belgrade which had the best crowd; the little club in Lisbon with good live music.

And I’m sure along the way I’ll stumble upon many more amazing places like these… that I’ll never be able to find again.

WALLET SHOPPING IN EDINBURGH (and other weird travel traditions)

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When you go to a new place you’re probably interested in the local attractions, culture or atmosphere. But often the most memorable part of a trip is about something much more personal, which may not be relevant to anyone else.

The first time I went to Edinburgh was in the middle of the winter, and the weather was horrid the whole time. At some point me and my friends stumbled upon this nice shop (Ness, still a favourite) and I bought a wallet.

Six years on, I’ve been to Edinburgh many times, and so far I’ve bought three other wallets while there. In fact, ever since I moved to the UK, I’ve only ever bought wallets in Edinburgh – how weird is that?

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Travel traditions can start anywhere – maybe you have a Royale with cheese every time you’re in Paris because of that scene from Pulp Fiction; maybe you always go back to the cheapest restaurant in Marrakech because that funny waiter is still there many years later; or maybe you’re a Shakhtar fan because of that time you spent ten days in Donetsk.

And you don’t necessarily need to travel to the same place many times to create a tradition. Sometimes it’s just a matter of finding your favourite restaurant on your first evening in a new city and coming back again and again.

But mostly, the little traditions you create on the road can make wherever you are a little bit your own, and make a trip that little bit more special.

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I can’t wait to go back to Jordan and have labneh for breakfast every day!