As you may already know, most of our travel occurs over long weekends. Thus, our trips are generally pretty quick, lasting two to four days. At first, I thought the timeframe was too short, but now I think the full four days is too much to visit some cities in Europe. Barcelona is not one of them, though! There were so many things to do here, we could have definitely stayed a bit longer to explore. One thing I loved about Barcelona (besides the food) was all of the COLOR! Just wait – you’ll see.
We actually took this trip over Thanksgiving and funny enough, Black Friday is a thing in Europe too (see the rest of the Best of 2018 here). So, what would I recommend you do if you only have a weekend (or couple days)? Scroll on to find out!
Catalan Cuisine
The food in Barcelona is on point. There are a plethora of options, so you will definitely not go hungry. We made sure to try the paella, potatas braves, bombas, crema Catalana, and of course, Jamón ibérico ham. The first thing we saw as we stepped off of the plane were pig legs and Jamón ibérico sandwiches. Of course, we snatched one up, as we had to taste the world’s most expensive ham!
If you’re looking for a tapas restaurant that won’t disappoint, Tapas 2254 will hit the spot. Their olives stuffed with Sicilian orange and olive oil caviar were my favorite!!
We also made sure to stop by Mercado de La Boqueria (a large public market) to grab some fresh fruit juice and some food.
Modern Architecture
Part of the fun of Barcelona is checking out the incredible Catalan Gothic and Modernisme architecture, which was like nothing else I’ve ever seen in my life! Sometimes, I feel like tourist attractions are overrated, but these were just soooo worth visiting.
Sagrada Família
You’ve undoubtedly heard of Sagrada Família before, as it is a true masterpiece. The famous architect, Antoni Gaudí, joined the building of this church in 1883. Construction still continues today as only EIGHT of EIGHTEEN towers have been built. Construction is expected to be finished in 2026, but it’s worth visiting as it is. We visited the tower on the Nativity façade, the facade that was completed prior to Gaudi’s death in 1926.
Not only is the church itself absolutely breathtaking on the outside, the inside was just so stunning!!
We also really enjoyed the views of the city from the top! You can also see Torre Agbar, a slender, conical building from the top as well. The tickets to visit were a bit pricey, but seriously worth every penny. I highly recommend reserving as far in advance as possible.
Park Güell
Part bushy parkland, part Gaudi design, Park Güell is definitely worth the steep uphill trek. Definitely be aware of this, as it was a bit strenuous. If you want to see Gaudi’s designs, you have to purchase a ticket BEFORE coming to the park. We didn’t have a firm plan for our trip, so we did not purchase tickets beforehand. It did appear that most of the Gaudi part appeared to be under construction. We took some time to explore the bushy part and enjoyed.
La Pedrera – Casa Milà
An apartment building that Casa Batlló commissioned Antoni Gaudí to build. You can purchase tickets to visit and acmes the roof terrace.
Casa Batlló
Another of Gaudí ‘s masterpieces.
Arco de Triunfo de Barcelona
An arch originally built as the access gate for the Barcelona World Fair in 1888. We had a fun photoshoot here for our friends, Rachel and AJ, and their parents, who just happened to be visiting at the same time! Check out more from our session here.
Entertainment
Flamenco Show
We made a decision on a whim to go out for a show with our friends Rachel and AJ and it was worth it! Rachel actually cried. Full disclaimer, we were all shoved into a crowded little room with uncomfortable chairs, but the show was fantastic!!
Passages
Like Paris, the city has some hidden passages that are worth exploring if you have time. The Yurbban Passage, just happened to be right beside our hotel, the Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa.
Art Browsing/Shopping
We really enjoyed checking out the art shops around Barcelona. This particular shop in the Jewish Quarter was pretty neat!
Hotel
Yurbban Passage Hotel & Spa
Our hotel was pretty sweet! It’s not central-central, but requires a tiny bit of a walk. We never mind a little walk for a nice hotel! The views from the rooftop were stellar. If it were warm weather, it would have also been a super cool place to hang!
Jordan and I REALLY wanted to go skiing on Mount Etna, but we honestly had no idea where or how (remember the Christmas eve eruption?!). Even with Google translate, I wasn’t able to find much information online, so I decided to share the information I obtained here.
Mount Etna Ski Areas
Etna Nord (North Etna)
We chose to ski at Etna Nord because we had friends going there on the same day. The pin to the ski lift area is here. If the pin doesn’t work for you, simply use Google maps and type in “Etna Nord Chairlift” HA!
When you get to the ski area, it costs 3€ to park. After parking, you can walk over to the little huts and rent your gear.
I rented skis and Jordan rented a snowboard. You can also rent a sled and go sledding there. Both rentals were 20€ each (I’m not sure of the cost of a sled). Once you have your ski/board, walk over to the lift and purchase a lift ticket. The ticket is 30€ and reduces in price after 12:30.
Jordan and I rented our gear from different outfitters. I preferred the one I wandered into AND they spoke English. Big pro for me. The shop owner also told me I could call her to check the conditions before driving up. If you’d like to call, her information is: Baita Mareneve (shop name) Phone: 3478546266
Also offered are shops with food and a small lounge area. The rental shops also appear to rent apparel and other items of interest. They also sell items like gloves, hats, goggles, etc. There are quite a few shops to select from. With that being said, this is not a typical resort that you would find in the US — you should plan to spend most of your time on the slopes.
Etna Sud (South Etna)
I have never been skiing at Etna Sud! Being totally transparent here. I am providing this information just because I know you CAN ski on Etna Sud and if that’s more convenient for you, here is a website that might help. I chose Etna Nord over Etna Sud due to views (but from what I can find, it looks like the skiing is better too).
Know Before You Go
If you snowboard, you can rent a board from MWR for $25/weekend. MWR also offers ski trips. If you decide to go on your own, chains on tires are required from November through April. We did not use chains (neither did most anyone else) and were totally fine. We do have a four-wheel drive vehicle though, so I would suggest at least having them in your trunk.
It takes approximately 1.5 hours to travel from Marinai to Etna Nord. I’d recommend arriving a few minutes prior to opening (9AM). I believe the resort closes around 4PM.
The drive and entire experience was lovely! I highly recommend going up at least once while you’re here!!
Happy New Year! Wow! I can’t believe it’s already 2019. One trip I did not mention in my “best of 2018” post was this one…. because it hadn’t happed yet!!
Budapest is a relatively popular tourist destination with good reason. I first visited the city in 2006 (yep, that’s ~12 years ago) in conjunction with a class I was taking that focused on transitioning economies. At that time, communism had fallen in Hungary approximately only 17 years earlier and the country had just joined the EU in 2004. It was an interesting time to visit as someone who had only been overseas just one time prior. That trip made the impact of a lifetime on me, so it was really fun to be able to revisit and see how things have changed. One thing that I can say about Budapest for anyone interested in visiting, it has become the cutest little boutique city with unique crafts, gifts, and food. You really won’t want to miss it!
Budapest Sights
Budapest is a unified city that was once three cities: Buda, Óbuda, and Pest. There are LOTS of sights to see in Budapest, so make sure to bring your walking shoes!! Despite everything being in Hungarian, public transportation is incredibly easy to use. Some of the best advice I received from a friend, was to buy the 72 hour Budapest pass, which is valid for bus, metro, and tram for unlimited rides. The pass costs one 4150 forint which is currently equivalent to around $14.
Országház (Parlament)
The Hungarian Parliament building (1904) is one of the most beautiful in Budapest (in my opinion, of course). Visiting the inside is possible with advanced tickets and tours are offered in a plethora of languages.
Halászbástya (Fisherman’s Bastion) and Mátyás Templom (Matthias Church)
My favorite place to photograph in Budapest! Yes, Fisherman’s Bastion is incredibly popular, but also incredibly beautiful. The seven towers of the monument were intended to represent the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the area – one of which may or may not have inspired the logo of Disney (I think it’s debatable, but I’m going to choose to believe it).
Budavári Palota (Buda Castle)
Historical home to Hungarian kings since 1265! Tours are available and a ride on the funicular is a must!!
Hősök tere (Heroe’s Square) and Vajdahunyad vára (Vajdahunyad Castle)
Heroe’s Square is a major square in Budapest. It is famous for its statue complex which contains the seven chieftains of the Magyars, important Hungarian national leaders, and the Memorial Stone of Heroes (aka Tomb of the Unknown Soldier). While wandering around the area, we walked by a cute little Christmas market outside of Vajdahunyad Castle and even found a couple willing to take our photo!
Thermal Baths – Szechenyi Termal Bath
Budapest is famous for its thermal baths! The Széchenyi Bath is the largest medicinal bath in Europe with its water supplied by thermal springs. Unfortunately, we did not make a reservation in time to be able to swim, but we did stop by to take a look anyway!
Széchenyi Lánchíd (Széchenyi Chain Bridge)
A walk along the Danube will allow you to take in all of the beauty of this bridge. You can even cross it on foot.
St. Istvan Basilica/ St. Stephen’s Basilica and Vörösmarthy Square Christmas Markets
One of the best parts of this trip for me was getting to visit the many Christmas markets! Even though it was after Christmas, the markets were still alive and so much fun!
Hungarian Food
My favorite part of any trip is the food part!! Hungarian food is delicious and plentiful! Prices are very affordable and the food is hearty. Some Hungarian specialities include: Goulash soup, stuffed cabbage, strudels, and Dobos cake – all of which we tasted and devoured. My friend, Niki, was also kind enough to provide me with a list of her favorite restaurants (sights, things, etc.) in the city. We tried as many as we could!
A few of Niki’s recommendations included:
Szimply Breakfast/ Hotizont Café
We ventured to Szimply Breakfast, but they were already full! The host was so kind to refer us to their sister cafe, Horizont Café, that just opened (and serves the same menu). Funny enough, Horizont Café was RIGHT next to our hotel. It worked out perfectly and the food was AMAZING!
Belvárosi Lugas Vendéglő
I didn’t take any photos here, but this restaurant is right behind St. Stephen’s Basilica and had delicious Hungarian food that was reasonably priced. I had deer stew and it was SO GOOD!!! The server was kind enough to recommend his favorite dishes as well. We were stuffed when we left.
New York Café
Niki recommended the New York Café for cakes, coffee or teatime in a gorgeous place. We enjoyed afternoon tea here shortly after we arrived. It was gorgeous! Luckily for us, it was also part of our hotel. The New York Cafe is high end, so expect to spend considerably more than you would most other places in Budapest.
Hotel
New York Palace Hotel
The fabulous Katie from Planes, Trains, and Babies was kind enough to provide us with hotel recommendations. With Katie’s help, we booked the New York Palace Hotel and it was luxurious and so beautiful! We loved our stay there and enjoyed ringing in the New Year with new friends at their hotel bar.
Flight
If you are flying from Sicily (or another place in Europe), WizzAir offers incredibly affordable one way flights. Our flight back home was a 6AM (talk about early wake-up!). While I was really dreading the flight, I appreciated it once we were in the air. Hungary at sunrise is BEAUTIFUL!!!
Mount Etna in the morning wasn’t too bad either 😉
This past weekend, Jordan and I flew up to Berlin to experience the phenomenon that is German Christmas markets! Ever since I found out Christmas markets existed, I have wanted to visit one (in Germany specifically). This year, that dream came true when we traveled to Berlin to get the full market experience.
There are many, many Christmas markets in Berlin (between 80 and 100 to be not exact at all). Since there are so many to choose from, we enlisted the help of friends to decide which to check out. Our friends Pauline and Ben, who live in Berlin, hosted us and took us to two markets: Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt and Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg. Bless their hearts because it was Saturday night and the markets were hoppin! My photog friend, Caitlin, also recommended Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt, as well as Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei. They did not disappoint!
I am usually not a fan of crowds, but I have really sucked it up this year to attend some remarkable events (like the Christmas markets and Oktoberfest). Also, I forgot the battery for my camera (ugh, again!), so you can see some of my iPhone images from these two markets over in my “highlights” on my Instagram (and no, you don’t have to have Instagram to view them). All of the photos in this post are from Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei.
Three Berlin Christmas Markets
Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei
Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt
The first market we visited was Weihnachtszauber Gendarmenmarkt. It was beautiful and very classic and traditional. All of the markets we visited offered a large range of handmade goods crafted by artisans and Christmas food (ahhhhmazing!!!), but this one offered entertainment as well. We really loved this one, but it was probably the most crowded. There was also a 1€ entrance fee, but don’t let that stop you. We also experienced snow while we were there! See my iPhone photos from this market here.
Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg
The second market, Weihnachtsmarkt am Schloss Charlottenburg was literally in the very front of Charlottenburg Palace!! What a picturesque setting!! This market had over 250 vendors (it seemed bigger than Gendarmenmarkt) and beautiful illuminations of the market itself and the palace. Like Gendarmenmarkt, you could purchase many handmade items and traditional Christmas foods and sweets such as: stollen, spritz biscuits, marzipan, gingerbread, mulled wine, and freshly-baked bread. The mulled wine (aka Glühwein) was our favorite of the night. We tried to collect as many Glühwein mugs as we could! See my iPhone photos from this market here.
Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei
Before we headed back to Sicily, we made another stop at Lucia weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei (Lucia Christmas Market). This market was recommended by a photographer friend who lives in Berlin, Caitlin (check out her work here). This Christmas market was much different than the other two, as it is dedicated to the Scandinavian countries. You might be wondering why it’s called “Lucia,” this is because Lucia is the light-bringer of the dark winter in Sweden and other Nordic countries. This market was particularly cool because there are a variety of Scandinavian delicacies available to taste, including over 20 variations of mulled wine (we tried three)! Lucia market is also unique in that it has unique “open-air mantle heating,” places where people can slip into hanging warmed fur coats, and a mobile sauna (without wheels or undressing). You could also buy exotic meats to eat.
Lucia Weihnachtsmarkt in der KulturBrauerei
Jordan and I traveled to Munich to join our friends at the Oktoberfest festival and see what the city had to offer (*spoiler alert* a lot!) We LOVED Munich! The city was so clean and so easy to navigate. The food was seriously amazing (of course!!) AND, our friends were able to join us. Overall, it was one of my favorite trips – and this is significant because I was initially so hesitant to go.
*To skip all this jazz and read specifically about Oktoberfest, click here!*
Flight
We flew EasyJet to Munich and Condor back to Sicily. Both flights were easy and smooth. The flight to Munich was definitely one of the most beautiful flights I’ve ever taken, as we flew right over the Alps.
Beer
You don’t have to go far to get a good beer once you land in Munich. Ashley, John, Jordan and I all reunited at a bar right in the middle of the airport. The beer was so amazing that we looked for it all over the city, with no luck. We wondered if we just thought it was good because it was our first beer upon arrival. But, after getting to the airport early just to have another, we determined the beer is really just that good.
I later looked it up online because I still really wanted to know where to find it. As it turns out, it is literally only sold at the airport, hence the name Airbräu. I am very entertained by this fact, but also pleased because it means all flights through Munich will result in me acquiring this beer. Spend the extra 5 minutes in the airport to savor one of these babies.
Food
We visited quite a few food joints in Munich, but I only have photos from one: Spatenhaus at the opera. This beautiful place was situated, well, right in front of the opera house (as the name states). I also noted the adjacent Louis Vuitton 🙂 Anyway, the food here was very traditional and done exceptionally well. The service was also pretty good!
Some of our other favorite spots included:
- Hirschgarten – Hosts the largest beer garden in Munich (and possibly in Europe) that seats over 8,000 people!
- Brasserie Tresznjewski – Visit for an amazing brunch (seriously drooling just thinking about it)!
- Augustiner-Keller – Third largest beer garden in Munich, seating 5,000 people! The traditional food here was some of the best we had!
- Ratskeller – Location is very central (like Spatenhaus at the Opera). It’s a restaurant in a cellar with regional dishes (which were delish!) and huge beers!
- Platzl Karree Boden & Bar – For a nice drink in an incredibly scenic setting.
- Hofbrauhaus – Check out this traditional beer hall if you want to get really crazy! We just walked though, as all of the noise and excitement (aka drunkeness) was just too much for me.
Special thanks to Ashley for helping me out with this section!
Nymphenburg Palace
My mind was totally blown the moment we stepped into the Palace. With its Baroque architecture, the rooms were absolutely stunning! Nymphenburg Palace opened in 1675 and was originally the main summer home of the former rulers of Bavaria (House of Wittelsbach). You could spend quite a bit of time here if you choose. Make sure to bring your camera (I forgot my battery. Boo).
Munich Residence
Another one of my favorite tours was Munich Residence. It was also centrally located, so very easy to access.
As one of the largest museum complexes in Bavaria, we were completely unprepared for a museum of its size! We decided to check it out prior to heading to our Oktoberfest reservations on Saturday. This lead to us running out of the labyrinth toward the end. It is recommended that you provide adequate time to walk though (at least the Palace portion) if you visit.
The Munich Residence started as a castle in 1385 and was gradually transformed by the rulers over the centuries into a palace served as the seat of the government. It was the residence of the Bavarian dukes, electors and kings from 1508 to 1918. Today, the palace is home to art collections from the Renaissance to the early Baroque and Rococo epochs to Neoclassicism. Honestly, it is something to behold!
Odeonsplatz
Large square near Munich Residence and in the central part of the city. An art festival and huge farmers market both popped up while we were there.
Marienplatz
Marienplatz is the city-center square with a larger than life cuckoo clock (The Glockenspiel), St. Peter’s church, two town halls & a toy museum.
I was most excited to see The Glockenspiel, but we actually had a really hard time arriving in time! For your information, The Glockenspiel is active every day at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., and 5 p.m. If you visit between November and February, the 5 p.m. performance doesn’t occur. The performance is approximately 12 minutes long and ends with a cuckoo bird coming out above the display. It was pretty neat to see!
As a side note, you can climb the tower of St. Peter’s church to get an amazing view of Marienplatz and the city. We didn’t have time, unfortunately.
Day Trips from Munich
We slept too late to do any of the day trips we planned, but here are some ideas for you:
- Salzburg, Austria – Technically, you can make this a day trip, but I’d probably stay a night or two. Trains from Munich to Salzburg take approximately 1.5 – 2 hours. On an average weekday, there are 36 trains per day on this route. There are tons of things to do – from sightseeing in the city to hiking in the Alps.
- Nuremberg, Germany The trip is approximately 1 hour via train. It’s the city in which the Nuremberg trials were held, but also is known for its medieval architecture, especially in the Old Town.
- Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site Right outside of the city and around 30 minutes to 1 hr via train. It’s the site of a former Nazi concentration camp. It has been converted to a memorial and museum.
Out of all of the countries in Europe, I have visited Germany more times than any other. What can I say? I guess I find Germany quite charming! I haven’t visited a city there that I didn’t like. With that being said, I originally did not want to visit Munich or go to Oktoberfest. I know, I’m weird right? I’ve heard a lot of people say that Oktoberfest isn’t even something that Germans do. It’s an American attraction, a drunk fest. Blah, blah, blah. So, when Maddie and Justin invited us to go, I thought, okay, maybe. And then, when my best girlfriend, Ashley, who lives in the US told me she was thinking of going and wanted to meet there, I couldn’t say no. Maddie + Justin + Ashley + John in one city = a solid yes for me. Who cares what city or what event? Thus my trip to Munich and Oktoberfest came to fruition.
Since this was one of my longer trips, I’m going to divide it into two posts – one about Oktoberfest and one about Munich itself. This post will be about Oktoberfest, both our personal experience and some tips!
So first, let me say – I’m really glad I went! I had an amazing time and lots of fun even though I don’t do crowds. The experience itself was worth it!!
The Oktoberfest Festival
I’m not sure what I really expected, but Oktoberfest is a… festival!! Ha! They have a ton of really cute stands that sell everything from crepes (see below), to pretzels, to Lebkuchen Heart Cookies (see below), to souvenirs and attire. I also saw a stand with five or six different types of fish on a stick (also see below!)….
Most people who attended Oktoberfest wore traditional attire (Drindl’s for women and lederhosen for men). I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate or not, but it was definitely encouraged by all of the locals I met.
- Drindls come in mini (short), midi (mid-length), and long.
- You’re supposed to tie the knot on the skirt according to your “status.” A knot on the right indicates you are taken and left indicates you’re single.
- You can buy them on Amazon (much cheaper!!) or in Munich (very expensive!). If you want to buy them in Munich, look for second hand shops (we found new Leiderhosen to cost from 500 to 1,000 euro!)
- I’d also recommend wearing a (small – big bags aren’t permitted in the tents!!) purse and shoes you don’t mind getting beer on.
Oktoberfest also hosts a huge variety of amusement park rides! They looked tempting (heard they were good), but alas beer.
Tents & Tickets
Probably the top questions pertaining to Oktoberfest include: “How do I get tickets?” and “Which tent is the best?” I think the answer to both of those depends on who you ask. We actually acquired zero tickets for ourselves – both sets of friends acquired them for us. So, I will tell you about how they did this.
Maddie’s Method:
Maddie Googled: “The 12 Octoberfest Tents” and then went to each tent’s website and applied for tickets. Each tent has different application dates, with some starting in January and most ending in July. According to Maddie, most tents opened for applications in March, so if you decided you wanted to go to Oktoberfest after March, it might be difficult to get a good table.
Ashley’s Method:
Ashley decided she was going purchase tickets to Oktoberfest in July. At this point, prime time for purchasing tickets had past. Thus, the only way to get them was to buy them from a reseller (which is actually not allowed, but quite a few people did it!). Tickets are much more expensive this way than Maddie’s way. However, this is great if you aren’t able to plan a year ahead.
Ashley elected to go to Oktoberfest on Saturday night (prime time – also most crowded). We shared a table with people we didn’t know, but it was A TON of fun!
Our tent for Saturday night was Hacker-Pschorr. It was a beautiful tent and the people were spirited!
Hacker-Pschorr with Ashley + John
Festhalle Schottenhamel with Maddie + Justin + Family
We took the time to visit every single tent there, and every single one was unique in its own way. Thus, I don’t have a recommendation for which tent to visit. My only recommendation is to pick one and ENJOY all Oktoberfest has to offer!!
I know, I know – My last travel update was for our trip to San Vito Lo Capo in August, but what can I say? We have been crazy busy with our travels and photo sessions, but I’m finally sitting down and doin’ this thang!
When I saw a great deal on airfare for Paris over a four-day weekend, I knew we had to go! Paris is one of those iconic cities that I have dreamed of visiting since I was a kid. We had such a wonderful time there; it was every bit of a romantic weekend getaway that I thought it would be. Jordan and I also had the pleasure of meeting up with a friend I met at Longwood, Christelle. We had an amazing time wandering the city with her and her boyfriend JB. Too bad we didn’t have more time with them!
Our little weekend getaway happened to fall right after our five-day vacation to Munich for Oktoberfest, so needless to say, we were pretty tired. The day we returned home, I started feeling ill, which I thought was just because of all of the traveling. However, it turned out to be a nice bacterial infection that caused me to be bedridden for over a week. Luckily, I’m on some heavy-duty antibiotics and almost feeling back to normal.
Either way, we loved Paris and would definitely not hesitate to visit again!
Hotel
We stayed at Hotel Tourville , which was very close to the Eiffel Tower. I wanted to stay close to the iconic monument so we could easily walk there for sunrise. The hotel was really nice and even had a little free bar stocked with beers, waters, juices, and little finger food snacks. There are so many places to stay in Paris, it was definitely very hard to decide! Hotel Tourville did not have a direct view of the monument, but like I said, it was pretty close! I’d recommend it to a friend.
Day 1
We began our trip with an early sunrise trip to the Eiffel Tower. Luckily for us, sunrise was at 8AM, so we didn’t have to get up too early bird! I’d highly recommend going at this time. There were very few people there and it was a gorgeous sunrise over the tower and the city.
We also visited at night, since it was so close to our hotel.
After our sunrise visit to the Eiffel Tower, we enjoyed an amazing brunch at Kozy and then took the metro to Notre Dame Cathedral to start the rest of the day from there.
Needless to say, by the time we arrived around noon, it Notre Dame was PACKED. And, by packed, I mean the line wrapped around the block. I am not a line person, so we just took it in from the outside. If we return to Paris, we will prioritize this and go early 🙂
From there, we shopped at some little boutiques nearby, and then walked to the Louvre. As you probably already know, the Louvre is the world’s largest art museum and quite a historic part of Paris. Of course, I wanted to go in, but we opted not to because of timing and line. Next time, we will visit in the inside of the museum, but for this time, we just spent some time marveling at the outside and strolling though the nearby gardens.
We also met a sweet man who was offering Polaroids for 15€. Of course, I personally sought him out for this service and I absolutely loved the shots he took!
After exploring around the Louvre, we walked to Champs-Élysées for some real shopping! Just kidding, I didn’t buy a single thing. But, I did marvel at all of the stores. At the end of the shopping area, is the Arc de Triomphe. The traffic surrounding it was incredibly busy, so we got a good look and proceeded on our way.
At this point, we were super exhausted and decided to grab some quick food and call it a night.
Day 2
On day two we got up super early and caught the train to the Palace of Versailles. We planned ahead and bought tickets online because I hate lines! After reading online that you should pre-purchase your ticket AND be there at 9am, when they open, we made sure not to be late. However, it wasn’t enough and the line was still 1.5 hours. Since the Palace is a decent train ride away from the city center, we stayed and waited out the line. My error here was that I didn’t buy the most expensive ticket to reserve a time because I only wanted to see the Palace. If you plan to visit the Palace while you are in Paris, buy the expensive time reserved ticket. There is simply no other way to visit.
The inside of the Palace was BREATHTAKING and completely worth the wait (although, like I said, I would pay more next time to avoid it).
After our Palace visit, we stopped for crepes at a nearby crêperie (Le Blé Noir). They were amazing and we were SO FULL for our train ride back into the city.
Once we returned to the city, we met up with Christelle and JB! We met up at the National Academy of Music and after walking around for a bit, JB headed off to watch a soccer game and Christelle took us to see Sacré-Cœur, The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Paris.
The city views of Paris from this hilltop church were stunning.
Before heading back for the night, Jordan and I went to check out Moulin Rouge. We considered seeing a show there, but time – and money (shows run ~$200/ticket).
Day 3
For our last day in Paris, we mainly stayed close to the hotel. I was starting to feel poorly, so we just took it easy. We visited the Dôme des Invalides and Tomb of Napoleon I at the Musée de l’Armée. This was one of the most interesting churches I’ve been in, as it held flags of those conquered and spoils of war. I’ve never visited any other church that was similar.
Overall, we had a wonderful stay in Paris, but three days simply were not enough. For a return trip, I’ve love to visit the inside of the Louvre, Norte Dame, and the Catacombs (they are closed on Mondays). Use of the trains was extremely easy and affordable, although I’m told that buying passes in advance is a huge money saver. We just don’t ever plan ahead that far 🙂
After our nice, relaxing, and rather cool (temperature-wise) trip to Ireland & London, we resumed our exploration of sizzling Sicily. Despite the fact that we live on an island, it still takes us four hours to drive to the west coast. Thus, we had never been before this trip! Our good friends, Justin and Maddie, suggested a late summer weekend road trip to San Vito Lo Capo and Erice, so of course we said yes!
San Vito Lo Capo
Our first stop was the cute little beach town of San Vito Lo Capo in northwestern Sicily.
Justin had kindly reserved a nice little boat cruise down the shore of San Vito and Zingaro Nature Reserve for the afternoon we arrived. However, once we had checked into our airbnb and sat down for lunch, the company called to cancel. We were determined to still go boating, so we ended up booking a very last minute cruise with another boat, which was much bigger than the one Justin had originally reserved.
The boat cruise was not as intimate, but was still fun. We basically just ended up all hanging out together, taking in the sights, and snapping a bunch of photos! At one point, we all almost got left behind, as they stopped to let us out for a swim and ended up leaving much sooner than they originally told us (45 minutes instead of 1 hour). Thanks to Maddie for swimming ahead and saving us! 😀
After the cruise, we had a lovely dinner, enjoyed a street festival and hit the hay.
The next morning, we stopped at a beach on the way out of town and enjoyed the general splendor before heading to Erice.
Erice
Erice is a mountain top town that is located on top of, you guessed it, Mount Erice. The city overlooks Trapani and contains two castles: Pepoli Castle and Venus Castle. Pepoli Castle dates back to the Middle Ages, and Venus Castle the Norman period. Venus Castle was also built on top of the temple of Venus.
The drive up to the top was exciting and beautiful!
Once we arrived and found parking, we walked to the castles and explored the town a bit before grabbing lunch.
We stopped for lunch at La Tonda Fritta, which is an arancino restaurant. You might be wondering what an “arancino” is. Arancini are delicious fried rice balls with amazing fillings. We each selected two flavors and devoured them over by the local church.
After lunch, we wandered around a bit more before heading back to the car and making the four hour journey back home.
The trip was so much fun and the both towns were serious gems! Thanks, Maddie and Justin for vacationing with us! And, thanks Jordan for the amazing drone shots!
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
