Sometimes I’m able to find flights that have long layovers in places I really want to go. Originally, Jordan and I planned to take a 10-day vacation to London, Edinburgh, and Dublin this summer, but because of my illness, we ( I ) decided less time away from home was necessary. Consequently, we augmented the vacation to an Ireland road trip for which I have zero regrets. Our experience in Ireland was absolutely amazing, but I also really, really wanted to experience London. Hence, I figured out a way to secure a long layover in the city on the way over. With a long layover booked, I then asked myself: “What does one do with less than 24 hours in London??” I’m sure there are a lot of options, but I’m pretty happy with how we spent our day.
This was our first time to London, so I wanted to see everything! But of course, there wasn’t time for that. So, we decided to book one tour and then buy tickets for the hop-on hop-off bus to get in as much sightseeing as possible.
The Tour – Buckingham Palace
Our first stop of the morning was Buckingham Palace. I’m not a big follower (or fan) of celebrities, but I do have a special appreciation for the British royal family. Buckingham Palace is where the Queen of England normally lives and it isn’t always open for visitors. So, when I heard the palace was open for tours while we were there, I signed us up! The tour covered the staterooms and featured a display of art selected by the Prince and Patron. The palace was GRAND. It was soooooo crazy to stand in the rooms seen in photos on the news and realize how insanely ornate they actually were. Unfortunately, no photos were allowed. But I’m mentioning it here because it was absolutely worth the visit – even if you don’t care about the Royal Family.
Pounds, Backside of Buckingham Palace, The BEST Mint CChip!
Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus
After our visit to the palace concluded, we did a little shopping at Harrods (or gawking – same thing) before finding the on the hop-on, hop-off bus.
Harrods
There is a large selection on hop-on hop-off busses in London, but we went with The Original Tour. We actually booked the tour tickets from the comfort of our beds the night prior. So, it was quite convenient. The buses were a decent way to see all of the “sights” without having to figure out public transportation. We also got to ride on the top, which made for great views and personal excitement!
We spent the remainder of the day hopping-on and hopping-off and here are some of the sights we were able to visit:
Marble Arch, Queen Elizabeth Gate, The Shakespeare
London Eye, Palace of Westminster, Westminster Bridge, The Shard
Tower of London, Tower Bridge, River Thames, Trafalgar Square
So, was less than 24 hours in London enough? Enough to make me want to come back for more! That’s for sure!
If you have any suggestions for “must sees/dos” in London, please leave your suggestions in the comments. I can’t wait to return!
Ireland was a blast, but required quite a bit of planning on our part (read all about our adventures here).
Usually we book one hotel and only have our daily activities to decide upon, but this trip involved an almost daily hotel change and quite a bit of driving. I’ve had a few people ask me how we decided what to do and where to go, so I’m posting our itinerary here for anyone to use as a base plan for their vacation. We actually received a similar itinerary from a friend and we augmented based on our tastes. I’ll include some optional things that may be easy to hit along the way if you’re interested.
Overall, I’d recommend you spend more than five days exploring all Ireland has to offer. There were so many things we wanted to see and do that we just didn’t have time for. Which is why we are already planning to go back… 🙂
I hope our driving southern Ireland travel guide helps you plan your trip to amazing and relaxing Ireland!
Airline: Aer Lingus
Day 0
- Arrive in Dublin Airport
- Rent Car ( Budget ) * Note: Driving is on the left side here (and that means shifting with your left hand for a manual car!)
- Sleep in Dublin
Hotel:
Hilton Dublin Kilmainham
S Circular Rd, Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland
+353 1 420 1800
-Checkout @ 12 noon
Day 1
Dublin to Shannon, sleep in Shannon
- Kilmainham Gaol Tour -Arrive by XX:XX
- Book of Kells/Old Library -Arrive by XX:XX
(From Dublin to CoM 266km, 3.5 hours)
- Cliffs of Moher – Arrive at 18:30(Take the turn about a kilometer before, just south of the visitor center. A tiny sign will read “parking here for the Cliffs.” Turn down the tiny road and honk around corners to warn those approaching the other way that you’re coming up. Get to cliffs by 6:30PM, sunset is 9:30PM)
(From CoM to Shannon – 62km, 1 hour)
Hotel:
Treacys Oakwood Hotel
Airport Road, Shannon, Co. Clare, Ireland
includes free parking and breakfast
**Optional Dublin to Galway. Spend the night in Galway.
Day 2
Shannon to Killarney, sleep in Killarney
(Shannon to Bunratty – 10 minutes)
Bunratty -
(Bunratty to Dingle – 160km, 2.5 hours)
Dingle -
- Dingle Peninsula
- Slea Head Drive
- James G. Ashe Pub
(Dingle to Killarney – 65km, 1.5 hours)
Hotel:
Cahernane House Hotel – includes breakfast **highly recommend
Address: Muckross Road, Killarney, Co. Kerry, Ireland
Phone: +353 64 663 1895
E-mail: info@cahernane.com
Day 3
Killarney, sleep in Killarney
Killarney -
- Ross Castle
- Killarney National Park (Kissane Sheep Dog Farm)
- Gap of Dunloe
- Inch Beach
- Muckross House
- Torc Waterfall
- Ring of Kerry
Hotel:
Brehon Hotel and Angsana Spa – includes breakfast
Muckross Road, Killarney, Ireland
+353 64 6630700
info@thebrehon.com
Day 4
(Killarney to Cashel – 142km, 2 hours)
Cashel –
(Cashel to Dublin 141km, 2 hours)
Hotel:
The Morrison, a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
Ormond Quay Lower, Dublin, DUB IE
T: 353 18872400
**Optional stops in Kilkenny (Medieval Mile) and Cork (Blarney Castle)
Day 5
- Dublin Castle
- Lunch downtown
- Return Rental Car
- Fly out
** Optional Guinness Storehouse, Temple Bar, Jameson Distillery
It’s been a little while since our trip to Berlin and my last update. Since then, we haven’t traveled much because I have been sick and it has been a Sicilian summer (aka hot AF). I have been working quite a bit and picked up some volunteer opportunities which have kept me pretty busy! However, we recently got back on the road for a midsummer trip to Ireland! *If you’re looking for a simplified planning itinerary with additional options, click here.
I have to say, I wasn’t as excited about Ireland as some other places we have traveled. As it turns out, Ireland is my most favorite place yet.
Here is our itinerary for our five-day venture, along with lots of photos of course!
Day 1 – Dublin and Cliffs of Moher
On our very first day in Ireland, we awoke in Dublin and decided to spend the first half of the day checking out what it had to offer before we jaunted off to the Cliffs of Moher for sunset. We had already pre-purchased tickets (I highly recommend doing this) to Kilmainham Gaol and The Book of Kells at Trinity College. So, as I kept saying during the trip, our first stop in Ireland was… prison 🙂
Kilmainham Goal is a former prison that held many Irish revolutionaries, including the leaders of the 1916 Easter Rising. The tour was a bit somber, but enlightening, as we learned about and visited areas where many were imprisoned and executed by the British.
After the tour, we walked around Dublin a bit before our reserved time to see the Book of Kells and the Old Library at Trinity College. The Book of Kells is Ireland’s national treasure – a book created in a monastery c. 800 AD! The book is very ornately illustrated and contains a manuscript of the four Gospels of the New Testament in Latin, along with other passages. Of course, photos of the book are not allowed, but I was able to take a few photographs of the impressive Old Library.
After our visit to the prison and the library, we stopped in at an Irish bar for a pint. After the pint, we did some walking and shopping before heading to the opposite side of the island to the Cliffs!
Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at the Cliffs, there was no visibility. So, we headed to Shannon for our second night.
Day 2 – Cliffs of Moher and Killarney
Since the Cliffs were rained out on the first day, we decided to try again on Day 2. We arrived just in time to get a decent view before the rain came in and clouds covered. It was an amazing to see in person. We also got to pet some super cute cows, so that was a bonus!
The Cliffs of Moher are ~700 feet at their highest point and range for over five miles. Photos don’t do it justice at all – even seeing it in the fog and rain was just so breathtaking. If you look closely at the left side of the photo, you can see tiny little people on top. That can give you an idea of just how overwhelming the cliff faces are.
After the Cliffs, we drove to Killarney and checked into our “hotel,” Cahernane House, which was actually a manor house that was constructed in 1877. It was absolutely gorgeous and definitely one of the most luxurious places I’ve ever stayed. We spent the remainder of the day relaxing around the grounds.
Day 3 – Dingle
After a much needed day of relaxation, we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at our hotel before before heading out to Dingle for the day.
The drive to Dingle was stunning! Our first stop was at Inch Beach.
After Inch Beach, we proceeded to Slea Head Drive, where we drove around the peninsula and stopped in various locations to explore and enjoy the views!
Famine Cottages
This famine cottage museum is dedicated as a memorial of the Great Famine in Ireland (+2 million deaths). They also have a small animal park located there, in which we got to pet a variety of cute animals.
Scenic Views
Slead Head Drive is a MUST SEE while in Ireland.
Dún Chaoin
Ceann Sibéal – Star Wars Film Location for ‘The Last Jedi’
This dry rubble masonry building is ~1,300 years old (and it’s completely waterproof, how?!). It was built by early christians in the area and is definitely worth the 3€ entrance fee!
After exploring the peninsula, we headed back to Dingle for dinner before returning to Killarney for the night.
Day 4 – Killarney
We originally intended to visit Dingle on Day 2 and Killarney on Day 3, but alas, rain. It definitely would have been nice to have more time to explore the Ring of Kerry/Killarney National Park, but it would have taken us much more time than we had available. We started the day off at Ross Castle and then moved on the visit Muckross House (which was coincidentally once owned by the brother of the former owner of the Cahernane House). The grounds surrounding the house were massive, so we explore them a bit before continuing on the drive around the Ring. We stopped at random stop offs before visiting Ladies View, which was absolutely remarkable. Since we needed to drive back to Dublin that night, we had to end our exploration of Killarney there and hit the road.
Ross Castle
Muckross House
Built in 1843, the house is now managed by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and Trustees of Muckross House. The Queen of England once stayed here as a guest and you can see her quarters if you elect the tour. We had the tour (no photographs allowed), and it was very informative. But, the grounds themselves are massive and gorgeous, so you don’t really need the tour to fill your time.
Torc Waterfall
Ladies View
Scenic Stop-Off
About half-way to Dublin, we stopped in Cashel to see the Rock of Cashel and have dinner. According to local folklore, the Rock of Cashel originated in a mountain 20 miles outside of Cashel but landed in Cashel when St. Patrick banished Satan from a cave. It was also the traditional seat of the kings of Munster for several hundred years prior to the Norman Invasion.
After our visit, we had a nice, leisurely dinner and then hopped back in the car to Dublin.
Day 5 – Dublin and home
On the last day, we spent most of our time packing to go before walking around Dublin one last time and heading to the airport to catch our flight. We briefly checked out Dublin Castle.
We honestly wish we had more time to spend exploring Ireland. So, you know what that means… we will be back! 🙂
Germany! One of my favorite places to visit in Europe. It was the destination of my very first international trip and will always hold a special place in my heart. Don’t get me wrong – Lyon and Malta are gems!
I first visited Berlin five or six years ago. I loved it so much, I knew I had to go back and take Jordan. We went over a long weekend and met up with my sweet friend, Pauline, whom I haven’t seen in years!
Here are some of my favorite things I’ve done while visiting Berlin:
Berliner Dom
This 15th century cathedral is worth the few dollar fee to visit. I think we may have spent two hours here between hanging out on the lawn outside, walking down the isle to Wagner’s “here comes the bride,” (seriously, I felt just like Meghan Markle), and exploring the narrow passageways and path on top of the dome. The view of the city from the top was pretty remarkable!
Gendarmenmarkt
This well-known square not far from the Berliner Dom is known as the square with the two identical churches. One church is the German Church and the other, the French Church. In the middle of the square sits the Konzerthaus (the concert hall of Berlin). While we were there, there was a group of people with a huge bubble pool and we got to pop a few before we walked on!
Reichstag Building
The national parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany sits in the Reichstag Building in Berlin. I honestly can’t believe they let people sign up and tour this incredibly important building, but I am so glad they do! This was my second visit to see this well-engineered structure and I would highly recommend it to anyone who happens to visit. It’s completely free and you even get a short audio guide that helps you to understand the history of the building and the surrounding area as you walk up to the top.
East Side Gallery
Most of the Berlin Wall was dismantled when the wall fell in 1989, but on Mühlenstrasse, a 1.3km stretch still remains. This stretch became the world’s largest open-air mural collection, known as the East Side Gallery (you can also walk around the wall to the “west side,” which has some graffiti (see below).
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Seeing and experiencing this memorial was a very somber and thought-provoking experience. What looks flat and parallel from the top, turns deep and vertical as you walk though it.
Brandenburger Tor & Checkpoint Charlie
Two iconic sites that are very symbolic for Berlin. I somehow surprised Jordan with Checkpoint Charlie (I just didn’t tell him where we were walking). And, Berlin surprised us with a World Cup viewing party at the Brandenburger Tor!
German Food – duh!
This topic deserves it’s own post, but alas, we only at at ONE restaurant while visiting (with Pauline). I figured I had to mention the food because Berlin had SO MANY amazing restaurants. You really just can’t go wrong!
Zoe and I met during the SAWS Pet Appreciation Day event which was held in my local community last month. I was photographing people and their dogs in the “kissing booth” and Zoe was my very first customer! So, it was quite fitting that she is also my very first family session client in Sicily!
Zoe, her husband Nick, and their daughter Scarlett are (sadly, for me!) moving back to the US next month. They wanted a way to say farewell to Sicily and commemorate their time living on the island. What better way to do that than with an epic photoshoot overlooking the stunning Sicilian countryside?!
The Costellos are truly such a lovely family and little Scarlett couldn’t be more adorable, teeter-tottering around with her sea blue eyes.
Thank you so much for trusting me to capture your family for this very special photoshoot! Best wishes for a safe journey to Florida!
Shortly after we returned from Malta a few weeks ago, Jordan and I spent a long weekend in Lyon, France. We had debated for awhile if we should visit Lyon, or just go to Paris, affectionally known as the city of love. We chose Lyon, and as we found out, Lyon and “the city of love” might be one and the same.
Jordan and I had planned to just explore the city by foot, but eventually caved and decided to take a car to Parc de la Tête d’or, a 19th century park, which was supposed to be lovely and was a bit too far to walk from our airbnb.
It turned out to be very hot that day, but we enjoyed our time there anyway. The park was beautiful with a few rose gardens, statues, a lake in the middle, and luckily, tons of trees. We spent a few hours there, mostly on the side of the park near where we entered, but I decided that we needed to walk around the WHOLE thing. So, we did.
I’m so glad we did because we just happened to run into Natalie and Rob… the cutest couple, who had just gotten engaged!!!
I honestly have no idea HOW it happened. All I know is that Jordan saw a “really cool” weeping willow that formed a cave right by the water and had to go in to check it out. Once we entered the cave, we overheard Rob telling Natalie how nervous he was trying to hide the ring while packing for the trip. And that’s when we knew… he had JUST popped the question!!
So, of course I asked them if I could snap a couple of photos to mark the occasion. And, then we left them to enjoy their engagement day!!
Natalie and Rob, congratulations again!! It was such a pleasure running in to you and we hope you are having tons of fun planning for the big day!
P.S. Check out Natalie’s ring!! (It’s was Rob’s grandmother’s – what an honor!)
Living in Sicily certainly has its perks… like flights to Malta for less than 40€!
Prior to our move here, visiting Malta was #1 on my travel list. Why, you ask? Because Malta (along with Gozo and Comino) is an alluring jewel of an island that is beyond rich in culture, history, and charm. Not to mention, the food and wine are AMAZING and completely underrated. Malta is conveniently located in the Mediterranean Sea just south of Sicily. Most people ask me if Malta is part of Italy or Spain. The answer is… neither! Malta actually declared independence from the UK in the 70’s! So, it’s its own country. Most people also speak English there (and Maltese), so it’s super easy to get around.
We were completely overwhelmed with the plethora of options for our adventures. Three days were definitely not enough to take in all Malta had to offer. So, I thought I’d create a little guide for anyone interested in making the most out of a breathtaking trip in the most remarkable place.
Things to Know
The attractions in Malta are quite spread out, as the island’s size can be deceptive. Distance-wise, you’d think traveling from point A to point B would only take 10-15 minutes, when in reality, traffic. And a much longer ride (especially if traveling by bus).
Public transportation is incredibly cheap (1.50€ for a two hour bus ticket) and easy to use. However, if you are in a hurry, it’s best you rent a car. We did not rent a car and occasionally spent an hour or so waiting for a bus. Sometimes the bus was on time, but full. Other times we had to stand the entire time on the hour-long bus ride to our destination or back. In short, I’d recommend renting a car (P.S. They drive on the left side of the road!).
Prior to booking a hotel, you should decide what “feel” you are going for. Do you want a resort vacation where you lay out on the beach all day? Malta has that! Do you want to explore historical cities and sites? Malta has that! Do you want to feel excluded from the rest of the world? Malta has that! Where you stay is indicative of what type of trip it will be.
**We stayed in St. Juliens at the Gold Lion Holiday. It was near this beautiful rocky shore and the bay (shown above) and all of the hoppin’ night life. And boy, was it hoppin!
Valletta
The capital and cultural and historical hub. If you go to Malta, you’re going to want to check out Valletta. The historical capital is well preserved with many points of interest to explore. We spent a whole day here and it was worth it. We did not stay in Valletta, as the hotels were over 200€ per night, which was a bit over budget for us! However, Valletta does host some luxurious accommodations in some historical places (I’m talking, 4-star and 5-star hotels).
Upper Barrakka Gardens
Public garden offering a panoramic view of the Grand Harbour.
War HQ Tunnel / Liscaris War Rooms
Under the Barrakka Garderns lies Malta’s best kept secret from WWII…a secret underground complex that housed Britan’s War Headquarters. Extremely interesting and impressive!
Casa Rocca Piccola
A Maltese Noble family’s 16th Century Palace. Definitely worth the $!
St. John’s Co-Cathedral
Super unimpressive from the outside, right?
But when you step in, BREATHTAKING!! The most impressive church I’ve seen so far, and it should be, as it is considered to be one of Europe’s finest examples of Baroque architecture. It houses nine chapels and some notable works of art including Caravaggio’s only signed painting, The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist. Despite the massive number of tourists visiting, the church and Caravaggio’s painting are still very moving.
The ornate interior, with gold walls and painted ceilings that appear like carvings.
The intricate details are impressive.
The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist and another ornate ceiling.
Valletta is a beautiful and historic city that we really enjoyed visiting!
Mdina
A fortified city founded in the 8th century BC, Mdina will wow you with it’s beauty. While Valetta was gorgeous, I was just smitten with Mdina.
Mdina Gate
The first thing you see as you walk into the city is the fortified wall and medieval gate.
Hand Blown Glass
Next, are some really cute glass shops. My favorite was Mdina Glass:
I really wanted to buy some adorable little glasses for myself, but alas, I packed too much and there was no room in the carry on!
St. Paul’s Cathedral
Like Valetta, Mdina’s church, St. Paul’s Cathedral, was also a sight to behold and worth exploring.
There was also an attached museum that we loved which had some panoramic views from the windows.
Old Town
Mdina has some of the cutest little doorways and streets!
Mdina also hosts St. Paul’s Catacombs, which we skipped because, after Naples, we are catacombed out.
Dingli
Definitely not an area to stay in, but views for sure!!
Dingli Cliffs
The cliffs were near nothing, but worth the 1.5 hour bus ride. You can walk up and down the cliffside for quite a ways. The view is gorgeous and despite the tourists, it’s very peaceful and serene.
Qrendi
Blue Grotto
The only reason we traveled to Qrendi, was for the blue grotto! We traveled there a bit later in the day, so we skipped the boat tour and just opted for the shore views (which weren’t half bad!!).
Mgarr
Għajn Tuffieħa Bay
Għajn Tuffieħa Bay was our destination in Mgarr. One of the most popular beaches is Golden Bay, but we were told by a local to try Għajn Tuffieħa Bay instead, as it is less crowded since there are a set of stairs leading down to it. I actually loved that there were stairs because
LOOK AT THIS VIEW!!!
The water was gorgeous, but maybe a tiny bit chilly for my liking. There was a seaside restaurant there, where you could dine on the outdoor patio or grab some food for takeout. We got a pizza and some beers to enjoy on the beach. It made for a nice and relaxing day!
Food & Wine
Maltese Mama – For traditional Maltese cuisine, I’d make a reservation for dinner here! The traditional Maltese platter was a HUGE and amazing appetizer (shown below). We felt like we didn’t need entrees after that one. We also had the rabbit, which was also a very large dish and extra tasty!
Bianco’s – Great spot for a nice, relaxing dinner with great wine! Order the fried cheese appetizer – you will not regret it!!!
Marsovin Wine – Their sauvignon blanc was some of my favorite wine! Malta is full of amazing wine. I’d definitely give Marsovin wines a try!
Cisk Beer – Maltese beer is light and refreshing! Perfect for lounging seaside.
Things we wanted to do:
Like I said, 72 hours in Malta was definitely not enough time. There were many things we wanted to do that we were not able to. Here are a few:
Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum – Apparently this underground cavity and monument is THE attraction in Malta and is booked out for M O N T H S in advance. Make sure to make a reservation a solid 3+ months ahead of time.
Ħaġar Qim Temples – Megalithic temples from 3600 to 3200 BC. Sad we missed these!
Gozo & Comino – We really wanted to explore these islands, but we just did not have enough time (or a car). I’d recommend a car for full exploration, as they both have their own attractions!
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, you know that I have been on planes more than I have been at home as of late. At one point, I was home for less than 24 hours before I was off again. And, while exploring new cities is exciting and fun, jet-setting isn’t as glamorous as it may seem. Especially, when you like to travel light (let’s be honest, checking a bag is a pain in the ass). Over time, I have developed an essential packing list with items that I simply do not travel without. After all, if it cannot fit in my backpack, it isn’t going. And, even if it does fit, I still have to leave room for all of the little knick knacks I’ll want to buy. Here are my travel essentials – the items I simply do not travel without:
Mandalyn’s Top Six Travel Essentials:
A supportive pair of shoes
Whether it’s sandal or boot weather, it’s imperative to wear a good pair of shoes. I realized when I moved to Europe that all of the tiny-heeled little pumps and non-supportive flip flops I had just weren’t going to cut it. Thus, my mission for a great pair of walking shoes (and sandals) commenced.
For walking shoes, I finally discovered Geox’s Nebula trainers (my favorite pair), which are stylish, provide breathability from the bottom, and are slip-ons (but you’d never know)! My only regret is that I didn’t own these sooner.
The sandals I swear by are the Sabrina sandal by Naot. I was able to wear them straight out of the box for immediate travel. Not only do I wear them when I’m traveling, but they are also my go to for everyday wear.
Moisturizing lip balm
Airplane air can be extremely dry, so I can’t stress the importance of carrying a good lip balm. After trying lip balm after lip balm, I finally found a keeper: Aquaphor Lip Repair. I like this lip balm because it is extremely moisturizing without feeling greasy. It also doesn’t contain any fragrances or ingredients that make my lips tingle and it lasts for so long! I have been unsuccessful at finding this product in Europe, but luckily there is Amazon. I also just realized Aquaphor also makes one with SPF 30.
An essential carry-all
I’m a woman of many bags. If you ask my husband, he will agree. Since I don’t check any bags, fitting everything in cabin with me is essential. In Europe, you don’t get a carry-on bag AND a personal item. You only get one. Thus, my “personal item” aka purse, must also fit into my backpack.
After much trial and error, I’ve found the Le Pliage Tote in large is the best bag for the job. It’s water resistant and folds up into a tiny little sac that easily fits into the front pouch of my backpack, so it takes up minimal space. I remove my wallet (and all other items) and store them separately. Once I get to my destination, it’s easy for me to pop them out and go!
A quality backpack that meets airline standards and still fits all my essentials
When I pulled out my “roller backpack” I think Jordan may have snickered a little. However, this High Sierra bag fits it all AND I don’t have to carry it on my back if I don’t want to. Don’t worry – you can’t even tell it rolls when you have it on!
Sanitizer wipes
I carry a small liquid bottle as well, but I can’t stress the importance of the wipes. The first thing I do once I find my seat on the plane is bust them out and wipe down everything: the service tray, arm rest, window shade, tv (if there is one). The last thing I want to do is get sick!
Rain protection
Even smaller than carrying an umbrella is folding up the Columbia Arcadia II Rain Jacket. For less than $35, you can’t beat it. I make sure to carry it with me where ever I go. It folds up so small I don’t have to worry about it taking up much room. I have needed this jacket much more than I originally thought. Now I won’t leave home without it!
Note: I was not compensated for this post in any way, shape, or form. These are just the items I love!
Images via: Geox, Nordstrom, Amazon, Nordstrom, Amazon, Columbia
So you might be thinking… “Wait, I thought stromboli was a food.” Well, it is, but it’s also an island off of the coast of Sicily. Kind of like Turkey, you know?
Anyway, Jordan had an unexpected three-day weekend, so instead of just hanging around the house, we decided to check out the Aeolian Islands. The Aeolian Islands: Vulcano, Lipari, Salina, Panarea, Stromboli, Filicudi and Alicudi, each have their own unique features. When deciding where to go, we read about each island and looked up their main “attractions” online and in a Sicily travel guide we own. When we learned that you could hike up to the top of a volcano AND see it explode, we decided Stromboli would be our first stop.
As a side note, I can’t overstate the utility of buying actual travel guide BOOKS and not just researching what to do online. They are soooo helpful.
To get to Stromboli, we drive north to Milazzo. Milazzo is located in the north-eastern “corner” of Sicily. It took us about 1.5 hours – granted we left home around 5AM, so there was virtually no traffic. Once we arrived, we parked at Garage Delle Isole and they transported us to the port. We arrived at the port around 30 minutes before our hydrofoil. I was surprised at how long the line was for tickets! We purchased our tickets online the day before, so we already had spots reserved. However, we still had to wait in line to pick up a physical ticket. Silly, I know.
The line for the hydrofoil.
Once we picked up our tickets, we boarded the hydrofoil and were off to Stromboli. The hydrofoil stopped at a few of the islands before arriving in Stromboli and it was fun to see how vastly different each island looked.
Stepping off the hydrofoil, the beauty of the black sand beaches and colorful fisherman boats were remarkable. The sheer size of the volcano also hit me in the face and I immediately wondered if perhaps I wasn’t quite ready for this!
The hydrofoil, Calypso.
From the port, we walked to our accommodations for the night, La Nassa. I was glad we actually had a room reserved, as they didn’t require a deposit, and because of this, I was skeptical. They also didn’t require a credit card on file or ANY money up front. It was a cash payment at the end, which is virtually unheard of (at least in places I’ve stayed). The staff were extremely friendly and accommodating and the room was very cute and quaint.
After dropping our stuff, we explored the town a bit before we went to check in with the tour company.
We also stopped for lunch at Bar Ristorante Pizzeria da Luciano Stromboli. It was nothing short of amazing.
We took a stroll along a black sand beach.
We booked (also no deposit) our night hike with MagmaTrek. The guides at MagmaTrek let us know that, because of the weather, it wasn’t guaranteed that we would be able to see any explosions that night. Since we traveled all that way, we decided to do it anyway. And boy, it was a hike!
We started from the very bottom of the volcano.
See how happy I look. I had no idea what was coming for me.
The hike took a total of about 7 hours from start to finish. First we went through a lot of vegetation and then we did what I like to call, the “rock climb,” where the path turned rocky.
Some shots from the vegetation part.
If you look very closely at the top of this photo, you can see the TINY people at the top.
The rocky part.
Halfway though our hike, it began to get dark, and I was DYING, so I didn’t take as many photos. The hike up was super hot. I was sweating like no other and I know Jordan was too. As soon as we make it to the top, it was suddenly freezing cold, mainly because the sun was gone and it was windy. So, we all changed into dry shirts and put on our coats. Unfortunately, the layers were not enough for me and standing on the crater ledge for an hour was a little painful.. in more than one way! Our guide also passed out masks, as the air was not very safe to breathe. We had to wear them until we made it back to the bottom.
Once we made it to the edge of the crater, our guide told us to pray we would see something (because it was soooooo foggy!). We got really lucky, because the clouds cleared and we were able to see all of the explosions clearly by the end!
Guys, I SAW A VOLCANO EXPLODE!!!!!!!!!!!
The way back down was drastically different than the way up. After walking down a rather rocky path for awhile, our guide stopped us and let us know that we were about to walk though sand… and that we couldn’t stop because avalanches were possible in this area!! The sand was over the ankle deep and the slope was steep!! Eventually we made it back down to the vegetation area and the path leveled off again. From there, we continued for what felt like forever until were back at Magmatrek.
After the hike was over, I thanked my lucky stars because, holy hell that was H-A-R-D! We grabbed a pizza and a beer and settled in for the night before we retuned back home tomorrow.
Overall, the experience itself was a 10/10. I’d say it was a ‘once in a lifetime experience’ because I probably could not be talked into making that hike again!! A two to three mile run a few times a week is not enough for scaling Stomboli. However, I am ready to visit the island again. It was relaxing, low key, and gorgeous.
I miss your solitude already, Stromboli.
Sigonella Animal Welfare Society (SAWS), one of my local animal rescue organizations, co-hosted a “Pet Appreciation Day” with the Red Cross to help raise funds for all of the little animals they rescue here in Sicily. One of the things to know about Sicily is that there are lots of stray animals. Fortunately, SAWS has been able to help home many of the animals in our area.
As part of the fundraiser, I volunteered to take kissing booth photos for donations. 100% of the donations went to SAWS to help fund their rescue and homing efforts. For the entire event, SAWS was able to raise $659.89! And, I got SO MANY super cute photos!
Check out the photos and download your own here. Contact me here if you have questions.
If you missed the event (or live outside of Sicily) and would like to donate, feel free to contact me (if you know me personally), or SAWS directly.
