Croatia and Bosnia

I spent a week holidaying on the Croatian coast last month. And it was everything!

Crystal clear waters, beautiful sunshine, great company, and lots of doing nothing. Just what a perfect holiday should be.

Unlike other posts, I don’t have a ton of tips or restaurant recommendations because we spent most of our time sunbathing, swimming, eating fresh fruit and sampling local seafood. But, I do have a few photos to bring sunshine to your screens.

We were staying on the Peljesac peninsula in the southern Dalmatian coast. It’s roughly halfway between Dubrovnik and Split, which made it a great spot to settle in and take day trips. Continue reading

Marseille

Make way for… hens hens hens! 🐔

For my gal pal Liv’s hen-do (‘bachelorette party’ for Yankees), we flew down to the Marseille for a quick 36-hour visit. Around 30 of those hours were spent drinking rosé, signing karaoke, dancing, and sleeping. But here’s what I managed to see of Marseille in the little time we had there.

Marseille is France’s biggest port city. This 2000-year old city has had a bit of a bad reputation it’s trying to overcome. Over the last few years, it has reinvested itself as a gritty, stylish getaway for sunseekers on a budget. Marseille’s renaissance has produced some excellent restaurants, bars and even coffee shops. Continue reading

Barcelona

To celebrate our friend Alex’s 30th birthday, half-a-plane-load of us went to Barcelona.

Ok, it was more like a dozen of us, but that’s still a testament to 1) Alex’s popularity and 2) Barcelona’s popularity. This seaside city is full of great architecture, beautiful views, and endless tapas bars, making it a world-class destination for merry-making.

But Barcelona doesn’t need any endorsements. In fact, the residents of Barcelona probably want people like me to stop raving about how amazing their city is. Barcelona is attempting to tamp down its tourist arrivals. Approximately 32 million visitors came to Barcelona last year, which is home to a mere 1.6 million. Continue reading

Hong Kong

I love a good city break. Few things get me as excited as the idea of eating good food in a new setting. Living in London opens the door for so many exciting weekend trips, but my new favourite city break happens to be on the other side of the hemisphere.

I went to Hong Kong last month to visit my childhood best friend who has now started calling this vibrant city her home.

hk4 hk3 hk1 Soho Hong Kong Wan Chai Wan Chai“How do you like living in Hong Kong?” I asked J when I got there.

“I absolutely love it,” she replied empathically. And I spent the next four days seeing first-hand why she was so enthusiastic about Hong Kong. Continue reading

Belgium

Chocolates, waffles, pommes frites, beer – why wouldn’t you want to pop over to Belgium for a weekend getaway?

Despite the proximity and appeal, I only made it to Belgium this December. This compact multilingual country is both historic and hip. There are countless castles, innovative museums, and cosy beer bars that dot the entire nation. At the same time, the Belgian people are still reeling from the terrorists attacks this year. Tourism in Belgium dropped 13% this year. Even in the picturesque city of Bruges, which usually attracts a lot of visitors.

On the bright (and frothy) side, Belgian beer was added to Unesco’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List (I rambled a lot about it during my Viennese coffee houses post last year).

Bruges Ghent Bruges BrugesSo if you are anywhere near Belgium – go! And go on an empty stomach. Continue reading

Dubrovnik

Croatia has been on the top of my bucket list for a couple of years now. So, it’s fair to say that I went to Dubrovnik with high expectations. I’d been warned that it was touristy and crowded. But once you’ve been to Dubrovnik, you’ll understand that its popularity is well-earned.

Long story short: Dubrovnik is beautiful, charming and unique, and everyone should go once.

Dubrovnik Dubrovnik DubrovnikCat and I went to Dubrovnik for four days on our annual getaway (last year we went to Istanbul). We’re both active tourists, but we also love to just relax. Dubrovnik is perfect for both those holiday goals. Continue reading

Lake Como

When in Milan, take a day trip to Lake Como.

Lake Como Lake Como Bellagio Lake ComoThere are many reasons one should visit Milan (I’ve outlined some of them in my last post), but the accessibility to Lake Como should be pretty high up on the list. Lake Como is a beautiful deep-blue lake set at the foothills of the Alps in northern Italy. Its namesake region is known for stunning scenery and upscale holidaying. But most importantly, it’s where George Clooney lives (and now you know why it rings a bell). No, we didn’t run into him.  Continue reading

Gaudi’s Barcelona

My favourite day in Spain was the one dedicated to exploring Antoni Gaudi’s magnificent architecture. Even though I am posting some, pictures don’t do justice to how interesting his architectural gems are, and I am not a good enough writer to take a stab at describing them.

So, I recommend you head over to Barcelona and check out his work for yourself. If you need some guidance on what to see, well then you are in the right place.

Continue reading

København in 24 hours

Copenhagen København is everything I imagined a Scandinavian city to be like: stunning architecture, cozy cafes and a relaxed vibe that North Americans, like myself, find hard to embrace at first. But then the hygge grows on you and you casually start strolling around the harbour, ignoring what time it is. If the clouds sneak up on you with surprising sun-showers, you can find shelter under one of the many umbrellas on the patio street. If you are sitting with a Dane, you won’t realize that hours have passed while you have been casually talking about everything under the sky while sipping on your coffee (or beer, as per your preference).

But, if you don’t have time on your side and need to catch your train to Stockholm (or better yet, your bus to Aarhus to visit me), here is what you must see and do while you are in Copenhagen.

Disclaimer: I didn’t make it to Vesterbro or Norrebro while I was in Copenhagen. 

Start your day by walking through Stroget and the Latin Quarter. Stroll carelessly on this longest pedestrian friendly, shopping street in Copenhagen. Stop to buy an overpriced souvenir or the most expensive coffee of your life before making your way to Nyhavn (pronounced as “New Hawn” as I was sternly corrected by a local).

Continue reading