Travel Diary: And So It Ends, In Beautiful Geneva

 These are a series of posts covering my 5 weeks in Europe, and each country I see in bite sizes. Or as my best friend likes to say, “speed touristing.” I visited most places for 4 days, with the exception of Germany and some day trips. This is my way of taking you guys on my adventures through Europe, giving you guys my thoughts on each place and any tips I’ve picked up!

And So It Ends, In Beautiful Geneva

Alas, we have reached the end of my five week trip … that happened almost a year ago. Yep. Guys I am back to complete my bitesize travel posts. 

Five weeks of flying through Europe made me really appreciate ending my trip in the beautiful city of Geneva. It was the perfect opportunity for me to wind down before heading home. I had 4 days to discover Geneva, which, thankfully, was enough time as the city itself is quite small. I was also grateful that I had a friend to stay with, making it a lot more convenient to visit different sites in the city and learn how to access public transport. We spent our days walking around the city, seeking out look out points and having picnics in the local parks. Geneva isn’t a cheap place to travel to though, much like the rest of Switzerland. I barely ate at restaurants, instead accompanying my friends on her grocery trips and grabbing local cheese and bread, coupled with fruits and other cold meats. Look, if there’s cheese involved I cannot complain.

Geneva being crazy expensive also didn’t help when I wanted to do a final shopping trip. I picked up a bottle of perfume for almost AUD$250, eeeep. Luckily, Lyon is just a two hour bus ride across the border. I booked myself a ticket and spent a day in France, planning to just eat and shop to my hearts content before I left. The amount of croissants I consumed could be considered alarming, but we’re not going to go there. I found a really cute restaurant for lunch, which changes their one item menu daily. There’s a communal feel that, despite eating alone, I felt welcomed and comfortable as everyone in the restaurant was sharing the same meal and experience. If you’re not up for dining in, there’s also a takeaway option that’s packed into a lunch box as well! I walked and window shopped, finding a shop with an immense amount of French wines, before picking up some more skincare I didn’t get the chance to buy whilst in Paris. Lyon itself is also quite pretty. I found that I liked being there more than when I was in Paris.

Both Geneva and Lyon are quiet cities, perfect for spending some alone time or just wanting to relax and enjoy the scenery. Places do close super early in Geneva, with most shutting just after 5 or 6 and on Sunday being closed - just to keep in mind. Public transport is easily accessible but walking is also a great option to take in your surroundings. Even flying into the city is breathtaking with the Alps and Lake Geneva is in full view through the plane’s windows.

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Travel Diary: Speeding Through Scandinavia

These are a series of posts covering my 5 weeks in Europe, and each country I see in bite sizes. Or as my best friend likes to say, “speed touristing.” I visited most places for 4 days, with the exception of Germany and some day trips. This is my way of taking you guys on my adventures through Europe, giving you guys my thoughts on each place and any tips I’ve picked up!

Speeding Through Scandinavia

Stockholm and Copenhagen were small enough to walk through and take a look in one day each! It was rushed but I also felt like I saw what I needed to see - although not do everything I wanted to do. Both cities are beautiful in warm, sunny weather, as the cities have rivers flowing through them. You only have to sit back on the steps at the riverside or smaller parks and just sunbathe to have a great time. 

Stockholm

Accomodation:

I stayed at this cosy and super cute Airbnb in Sodermalm. It's a short train ride away from the city centre, and home to various bars and clubs - perfect for the night life.

Places I Visited:

Gamla Stan

Stockholm's Old Town

The Vasa Museum

I opted to check this out only because of the history behind this ship and how they managed to rescue it from the depths of the sea in it's entirety to be put on show.

Food:

Brunch

Cafe Schweizer - 

Vasterlanggatan 9, Stockholm - located in Gamla Stan

Nyrorget 6 - 

Nytorget 6, 116 40, Stockholm 

This place was a short walk away from my Airbnb and I highly recommend it! I had "The Vanja"and it was such a unique dish to try out.

Dinner

Meatballs - For The People

Nytorgsgatan 30, Sodermalm

You haven't gone to Sweden if you don't eat meatballs!

Copenhagen

Places I Visited:

Tourist Sites

Rosenborg Castle, Opera House, Amalienborg (Royal Palace)

Free Town Christiania

Located in the Christianshavn area, Free Town is a small anarchist district within Copenhagen, relatively well-known for its open cannabis trade. It has its own rules and regulations, independent of the government, although still in communications with the State. It is such a creative space, filled with so  many buildings of different designs, stalls and communal spaces. An absolutely gorgeous place. 

Food:

Brunch

Moller - Kaffe & Kokken

Norrebrogade 160 2200, Copenhagen

The concept here is that you get a variety of categories on the menu with smaller dishes so you can pick and choose to make the perfect brunch meal! Loved it!

Reffen

Refshalevej 167A, 1432 Copenhagen K

Is this super cool outdoor food market, where there are different zones with containers of a variety of cuisines. Best yet is the brewery, Mikkeller, located just near the riverside. Great beer and great views!

Transport Tips

Stockholm 

From the Airport

There are loads of options, but the cheapest is the bus. However, it is also the longest option and you could possibly be stuck in traffic if your flight times are around peak hour so keep that in mind. Otherwise the metro/underground is also a relatively affordable option. 

Around the City

As I was staying outside of the city centre a little I had to rely on trains, which were easy to navigate and not expensive either. I was lucky to have an underground station right next to my Airbnb as well!

Copenhagen

From the Airport

Travelling to and from the airport is so easy in Copenhagen because of how small the city is. There is only one train stop, and the S-train can take you to the main station where there are a number of buses to take around the city as well. 

Around the City

You definitely don't need public transport to make your way around Copenhagen. Everything is easily accessible by walking, and biking is the predominant mode of transport. 

Currency

Both countries use their own currency though so keep that in mind! 

Swedish Krona (SEK) or Danish Krona (DKK) 

The conversion rate is currently

1SEK = 0.15AUD

1DKK = 0.20AUD

They're not cheap countries - just a warning

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Travel Diary: A List Do's and Don'ts of Ibiza, As Experienced By Yours Truly

These are a series of posts covering my 5 weeks in Europe, and each country I see in bite sizes. Or as my best friend likes to say, “speed touristing.” I visited most places for 4 days, with the exception of Germany and some day trips. This is my way of taking you guys on my adventures through Europe, giving you guys my thoughts on each place and any tips I’ve picked up! 

A List of Do's and Don'ts of Ibiza, As Experienced By Yours Truly

Do research a little on where you want to stay. Ibiza is actually quite big and there are two areas that you can look into staying at - San Antonio and Playa d’en Bossa. San Antonio is on the side closer to Barcelona, accessible by ferry between the two. Playa d’en Bossa is a 25 minute drive on the other side of the island, closer to the Airport. Both places have very well-known venues/parties, so take a look and pick your place! 

Accomodation: Ryans Ibiza Apartment

Don't just limit yourself to the area you’re in! Ibiza has a lot more to offer than just partying. Formentera, one of Spain’s smaller islands, is a short ferry ride away. I’ve also heard the Old Town, Dalt Vila is beautiful to visit. Find a local Spanish restaurant for a taste of some authentic cuisine or hire a Quad Bike/Scooter and get around the island at your own pace. 

Do have cash. It makes it a lot easier, especially when you’ll most likely be catching Taxis rather than buses. Not all taxis are fitted with EFTPOS machines. Also means you’re not pulling out your card at multiple times throughout the night, increasing the chances of losing it.

Don't rely on getting wasted at clubs/events. Drinks are insanely expensive. At one point I paid 65 euros for a voucher of 5 cocktails - that’s basically $100AUD. Instead, there are heaps of supermarkets that sell alcohol or bars where drinks are a little cheaper. Pre-drink is all I say!

Do plan your day ahead. By this, I mean look up events you want to attend as most places will be selling tickets prior and is a lot cheaper when you purchase beforehand. I used the website Ibiza Spotilght, which breaks down months, venues and days for easier viewing. Also meant I could skip certain queues.

Don't, in any circumstance, leave your mobile phone in the bathroom and then proceed to lose the people you are with, in a club that is immensely big. For instance, Pacha. The experience is not fun, stumbling around flights of stairs trying to remember which bathroom you went to or where you might find your friends again, as Fat Boy Slim hypes up the crowd.

Do make sure you have Find my iPhone, or any other tracking service your device offers turned on, so that you can track to see where it has gone. Turn on lost mode to ensure no one can use your device. If and when you do find it, either give your phone a ring or have something identifiable that you can point out to let the cloak room ladies know it’s yours. For me, it was a Polaroid photo on the back. (Yes, I did get my phone back).

Don’t freak out if you lose it. Enjoy your day. Ibiza is THE place to distract yourself from real life. Find a day party to forget that you did something so stupid, such as hitting up Ushuaia. The venue is an incredible open club, seeing some pretty big names during the Summer. As soon as party season starts the you’ll see the likes of David Guetta, Robin Schulz and Hardwell headlining. Get ready to party all day long!

Do have an amazing time in general. Regardless of what happens during Ibiza I can guarantee it will be memorable and you’ll look back and have a good laugh. I do, at the very least, when I recount my weekend in Ibiza. Honestly though, how the hell did I get my phone back after misplacing it for 24 hours?!

What Was One Thing I Should've Done in Ibiza?

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Travel Diary: Everything I Loved About Amsterdam

These are a series of posts covering my 5 weeks in Europe, and each country I see in bite sizes. Or as my best friend likes to say, “speed touristing.” I visited most places for 4 days, with the exception of Germany and some day trips. This is my way of taking you guys on my adventures through Europe, giving you guys my thoughts on each place and any tips I’ve picked up!

Everything I Loved About Amsterdam

Amsterdam was without a doubt one of my favourite places I visited - such a highlight to my trip. The city has these chilled vibes and the weather was so nice that it was fun just ambling around in the streets. I am well aware that people visit Amsterdam because weed is legal there, but being someone who doesn’t dabble in that area, I still thoroughly enjoyed my time and will 110% go back. It was only one of 3 place I stayed at for more than 3 days.

Accomodation

The Flying Pig Hostel Downtown

Well worth the stay! The Flying Pig is a really homely hostel, and I felt so comfortable staying here. I met some awesome people as well, who were friendly and open to get to know one another. It’s a 5 minute walk from Central Station and is located within close proximity to majority of the tourist attractions including the IAmsterdam sign, Van Gogh Museum, Anne Frank Museum and Vondelpark. 

Being A Tourist

Amsterdam is set out so you can knock out a lot of tourist attractions in a day or two. The rest of my days I spent enjoying the weather - I had a day in a park just reading and another pedal boating around the canals, or heading out at night with some friends to discover what Amsterdam's night life was like.

I ticked off the Anne Frank museum the first day I got there, and was one of the favourite things I did that week. It is such an intuitive experience, with each person having their own audio guide synced to the required language. When you’re walking through the house there are numbers to scan and the audio guide starts - everyone is listening to and experiencing the same things, but in different languages. 

Tip: Pre-book your ticket! This is very important!

Another thing I surprisingly loved was visiting Spa Zuiver - a spa and sauna centre 25 minutes away from Amsterdam. It’s actually attached to a hotel if you want to stay away from the city for a day or two! The place is decked out with an indoor and outdoor pool, multiple saunas, steam room, jacuzzis (both indoor and outdoor), aroma bath - the list goes on! There’s also a restaurant and bar. Do note though, that this place is usually a naked spa but Tuesdays and Thursdays are bathing suit days if you’re not super comfortable being in the nude. Highly recommend!

Surprise, surprise I did a walk through Amsterdam’s infamous Red Light district. I can definitely understand the fascination behind it amongst tourists, but didn’t feel like I wanted to revisit it every night. I also visited the I Amsterdam Sign, Moco Museum and Westerpark. The Moco Museum had two exhibitions on - Roy Lichtenstein and Banksy.

Places To Eat

Bakers and Roasters

I’m fairly sure I brunched at least once in every country I visited, and hey I’m not complaining. Bakers and Roasters are known for eggs. They have an abundance of different egg dishes you can choose from, and my choice was salmon and hollandaise sauce. You can sit outside right next to the canals, super cute!

Cannible Royale

If you love meat, and having a huge steak, hit up this place. It isn’t cheap though so do expect to be paying a bit, but well worth it. 

De 3 Graefjes

Yes, this is another brunch place. Don’t judge me.

Satellite Sports Cafe

Oh wow, I just realised my pattern in eating. Again, meat lovers, you want to eat all that you can in ribs go and find this place. We paid 12 euros, but after 10PM its 10 euros! 

Gartine

Gartine is a really cute cafe that serves high tea, which is exactly what we ordered. We kind of splurged a little and went for the set that encompassed everything high tea could offer, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Haesje Claes

This restaurant was recommended by a local for authentic Dutch food. It’s semi fancy and there was a line when we got there, but I thought ahead and made a reservation. To be quite honest, we didn’t really know what to order so just chose somewhat randomly, including Dutch Hodgepodge. 

Quick Tips

You don’t really need to catch public transport in Amsterdam because everything is so easy to walk to. However, you will see, and fairly sure everyone knows this, a ton of bikes. Both locals and tourists fill the roads with bikes and is most likely the easiest way to see the entire city. 

If you’re trying to make your way to Amsterdam from London, Paris or somewhere nearby, definitely look at booking a train ticket because it makes it way easier to get right into the city. I booked a seat with Thalys from Paris to Amsterdam and it was only 3 hours.

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Travel Diary: London in Three Days

These are a series of posts covering my 5 weeks in Europe, and each country I see in bite sizes. Or as my best friend likes to say, “speed touristing.” I visited most places for 4 days, with the exception of Germany and some day trips. This is my way of taking you guys on my adventures through Europe, giving you guys my thoughts on each place and any tips I’ve picked up! 

London in Three Days

I sped through London in three days and loved every moment of it! Out of all the cities, I’m fairly sure I did the most touristy things here. Navigating through the city was super easy and I didn’t have to rely on public transport too much. London really turned it up for me, being super sunny and warm, so I took full advantage of it and walked pretty much everywhere. 

Places I Visited

Hampstead Heath

I spent my first day lazing around at Hampstead Heath, just one of the many parks London has to offer. It’s insane how people swarm to parks, not just in the U.K but pretty much everywhere in Europe as soon as the sun comes out. I guess coming from a country like Australia where we sometimes do take advantage of the weather we get, it really shocked me how much people loved being outdoors as soon as it was nice and warm. My cousin, who’s just migrated over there, told me that London’s weather is never like how it was when I was there. I was getting 27-28 degrees days, which suited me plenty.

Tower of London and London Bridge

I did a quick walk around the Tower of London before deciding it wasn’t necessary to actually go inside. I will say I am a huge history buff and the Tudor era is one of my favourite periods in history to learn about. However, as a tourist, I’m not one to venture further than what I consider necessary. The tower was impressive to look at but I wasn’t very keen on spending almost $50AUD for a ticket into the place. Instead, I walked along the river and saw the bridge before crossing it.  

Shakespeare's Globe Tour

I did opt to take up the William Shakespeare Globe Tour, and was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it. My tour guide was a very enthusiastic girl who made the whole tour really exciting and fun to listen to. Even better, they handed us free tickets to watch the Twelfth Night that was currently being performed. That was enjoyable for about 30 minutes until standing right underneath the sun became a bit too much. 

St. Paul’s Cathedral

I ended the day by walking over to St. Paul’s Cathedral and seeing how grand it was followed with doing a quick walk down Oxford St. 

King’s Cross Station (Platform 9 3/4)

I got there to the iconic Platform 9 3/4 platform for a photo at 9:30-10:00AM and there was already a line, so be sure to get there early or it’ll just get busier! Bless the girl in the line behind me who was alone as well - she took a killer photo. They have a person to help stage the photo and props available. 

Buckingham Palace and Harrod's

Then it was more sightseeing with Buckingham Palace my next stop. I actually didn’t realise that 11:00AM is when the guards change their posts and there were so many people. I was trying to side step someone to see what was happening but had a police officer tell me off for overstepping the boundaries. Oops. In all honesty, I got kind of bored so I began to walk to Harrod’s instead. Harrod’s is a huge department store with very fancy interior and exterior. I popped in to buy some Harrod’s tea and then went to the other side of the street to shop some more. 

Favourite Things I Did

Les Miserable

I bought tickets to Les Miserable one afternoon and it was by far my favourite thing I did in London. The musical was playing at Queens Theatre and was so magical. Hands down, Les Miserable has topped my list of favourite musicals - it is a must watch! 

Tottenham vs. Newcastle

Then it was a mad dash to Wembley Stadium to see Tottenham versus Newcastle, which was also super fun. I watched football, or as we Australians like to call it, soccer, when I was younger, but to actually be in the atmosphere and see what the crowd is like was incredible. 

What To Eat

Dishoom

Please, please do yourself a favour and head to one of the Dishoom restaurants in London. I went there for breakfast and was so sad that I was by myself because I couldn’t order everything on the menu! As soon as you take a bite from the dish you’re just overwhelmed with all the different spices and elements that come together to create an amazing taste. Really, I would go everyday just to make my way through all Dishoom has to offer.

Borough Market

If you’re a fan of food stalls/trucks take a stroll through Borough Market and try to decide what you want to eat the most. There are so many options it took me forever to decide! But I felt like the best choice was fish and chips considering I was in London after all. 

Hakkasan Hanway Place

This Michelin star restaurant was well worth the money. There’s a set menu you can order, which includes entree, main and dessert and complimentary cocktail. Loved the entree and the dessert was amazing. There are a few options for mains and my cousin and I shared ours so we could taste both. 

Granger & Co

I couldn't not eat brunch, and after heaps of research I hunted down Granger & Co for some acai. I also found out a fellow Aussie set up this place so I knew it would be good!

Quick Tips

Transport from the Airport to the City

I took the Underground, which was immensely cheaper than the Airport Express option, which the airport has so many signs for. Don’t be fooled! It’s different to the local trains that London has so read your signs carefully. The only thing is taking trains underground means there is no reception so make sure you’ve plotted your trip beforehand to know which stations to get off and if you need to transfer. 

Accessing Public Transport

Super easy! If you’re only there for a few days there’s no need to purchase an Opal card. Instead, you can just tap your debit/credit card at each station and on the bus and that’s it. I relied on Google Maps to know which trains and buses to take and it was pretty successful. It was also kind of exciting to be on a double decker bus - I know, super cheesy.

You could definitely say I had a very “English” experience, and ultimately I did fall in love with London. The weather really did help in my case but I loved that it reminded me of Melbourne but had much more history in its buildings, giving the city a more whimsical feel. 

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Travel Diary: A Weekend In Tuscany

These are a series of posts covering my 5 weeks in Europe, and each country I see in bite sizes. Or as my best friend likes to say, “speed touristing.” I'm in most places for 3 to 4 days, with some exceptions and I wanted to bring you guys along! Follow me on my adventure to see what I love and don't love, and tips and tricks I might pick up on the way

A Weekend In Tuscany

Starting off in Italy was such a great way to immerse myself in European culture. Instead of heading to the more well-known areas, I opted to join my cousin and her friends on a girl’s weekend to Tuscany and Verona for 3 nights. We spent majority of our time in Tuscany, and did lunch stops in two places - Bologna and Sirmione.

Bologna

Bologna is, and I honestly don’t know why I didn’t believe this in the first place, famous for Bolognese. I know right? We stopped between our drive from the airport to our destination to have lunch whilst seeing what Bologna had to offer. It’s not a small town, but not as big as Verona either. There isn’t a whole lot to see but when we arrived there was a market with cheap clothing and the town square was lively. We were adamant on trying bolognese based pasta before leaving. The restaurant we ate at offered a variety of pastas famous within Bologna. Between the two that I tried - Tortellini Bolognese and Pappardelle Della Nona - the pappardelle actually won out. The pasta was thick and just the right texture, the sauce so flavoursome and fresh. It was my first taste of authentic Italian pasta and I was impressed.

Tuscany

Our main destination was Villa Campestri Olive Oil Resort, located in Vicchio. The place sits high on a hill away from any other towns, offering some peace and quiet, perfect for an R&R session. There's also a pool available for nicer weather, just on the edge of the hill, overlooking a number of small towns. Alongside that are activities that can be undertaken, including cooking classes, spa session and truffle hunting when in season.

We decided on doing a Wine Tour (surprise, surprise), which gave us the option of visiting multiple wineries or just one. The resort organised transportation to and from the place and we set off to Frascole farm, a short drive from the resort to learn about wine production and try the variations that came from Tuscany. Frascole is located in Dicomano and the scenery was so lush and green. We were actually expecting the weather to be absolutely horrible, but it was warm and sunny thankfully. The owner of the winery was a lovely gentlemen, who is meticulous in his wine production and treats his different wines as his babies. During the tasting we were also given a light lunch of cheese, Italian meats and bread, which was amazing. It was a really pleasant afternoon and we felt so welcomed and comfortable by the end of it. There is an option to purchase the wines after tasting with a courier service if there’s no way to transport it home.

When we were at the Resort, the staff were super accommodating and friendly, catering to our needs - or in our case, endless amount of wine and prosecco orders. We took full advantage of the weekend to try wines after wines after wines, along with constant pizza and pasta dishes. The Resort had free all-you-can-eat breakfast, with fresh oranges and grapefruits that can be placed in a squeezer for juice. That was amazing!! Both mornings there were slight variations in meats, cheeses and pastries available. In the evening there is a 3 course dinner if you decide to dine in. I chose a Grilled Octopus starter, Spaghetti for the main and Tiramisu for dessert. The starter was beautiful but I wasn’t crazy about the main or dessert.

Sirmione

We left early Sunday morning to drive to Sirmione, a resort town south of Lake Gada. Sirmione was stunning. It’s really hard to express how pretty the place is unless you head there yourself. It is quite touristy, but doesn’t lose its cultural aspect. We were lucky enough to have really warm weather so we sat in the sun during lunch sipping on Aperol Spritz, whilst eating, yes, pasta and pizza. I’ve noticed Aperol Spritz is a huge thing in Italy, or at the very least in Sirmione and Verona. Back at home it’s just begun to pick up and pretty much only in Summer when the Australian Open is on. If you’re after blue skies and cute cobblestone alleyways, this is the place to be.

Verona

Verona was exactly what I imagined Europe to be like. It’s famous for being the setting of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet” and they definitely take advantage of that by having a balcony, known as “Juliet’s Balcony,” for tourists to visit. It’s really just a balcony. The town square is bustling with market stalls selling trinkets and the vendors are all dressed up in historical costume. There’s quiet a bit to see so take a walk through the smaller streets, towards the lake and back around. During the warmer weather it’s no surprise to see cafe tables filled up outside as both tourist and locals sit around to chat and day drink. We had our last meal at a really cute restaurant, with tables set up in the alleyway and fairy lights, which admittedly caught our attention. We shared a number of starters and each had a pasta dish. The Pappardelle and Truffle pasta I had was nice, but I think I would’ve liked another element to the dish rather than just truffle. I know, stupid, considering I ordered it knowing it was just truffles. 

I’d have to say the weekend in Italy was amazing. I’m a little sad I’m not doing more of Italy after seeing a part of it, but would highly recommend Villa Campestri if you want to treat yourself whilst on holiday. It is a very quiet area though, and most of the guests are couples of smaller families who are looking to get away, so if you want big nights and crowds this isn’t the place. Verona was great as well, not too big but had a lot to offer. 

Travelling There

Driving to the Villa was roughly 3 hours from Verona airport. From the Resort to Sirmione was 2 and a half hours and Sirmione to Verona was only 45 minutes. We decided driving was the ideal option as there were 7 of us and hiring a minivan was more cost effective. Make sure you get insurance if you do hire, and be prepared to see some pretty crazy driving. The roads aren’t hard to navigate, but driving through the highway and using toll roads weren’t really cheap. There are multiple airports to fly into though, if you want to head to Tuscany, and accessible public transport. One of the girls flew to Piza and took a train to a station close to the Resort, calling ahead to make sure the Resort organised transportation from the train to the Resort for her. Average prices of food for the places we went to were roughly 10 euros for plate of pasta and alcohol was 4 to 5 euros. 

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