How to save money in Barcelona
Barcelona, with its tasty food, nightlife, city beaches and unique Gaudi-built architecture is an exciting and colourful city to explore. However, with so much to keep visitors occupied costs can build up quickly. Here are my tips on how to save money while enjoying the best Barcelona has to offer. Barcelona city transport Like most large European cities, Barcelona has an extensive and reliable public transport system. Buy a T10 ticket for less than €10 and you can take 10 trips on the metro or bus. Not only is it simpler than paying individual fares, as long as you take 10 trips, it is cheaper. If you plan to visit…
Europe’s Best Islands
When we think of islands it is usually the tropical kind but travellers looking for island destinations should not overlook Europe. Some of Europe’s islands offer enormously diverse scenery, fascinating history and incredible beaches with crystal clear water. Here are my favourites. Santorini, Greece If you have ever been seduced by an image of the Greek Islands, it was most likely by a photograph of Santorini. Nestled amongst the Cyclades islands, Santorini was created by volcanic activity that left the island in the semi circle shape it is today. Settlements are on the clifftops making for spectacular sunset photos but also making beach access a bit of a mission. Santorini…
Nerja – The Bustling Balcony of Europe
There are not many towns around the Mediterranean that claim to be the Balcony of Europe but, on account of its fantastic seaside promenade, Nerja on the Costa Del Sol does. This town on Spain’s southern Mediterranean coast has a town centre that must be the envy of many. Perched high above the sea on a clifftop the Balcon de Europa offers visitors sweeping panoramic views along the coastline and out to sea. It was so named after a visit from King Alfonso XII who visited in 1885, who it is believed took in the view and was so impressed he declared, “This is the balcony of Europe.” King Alfonso’s…
Alhambra
The Alhambra is a palace, fortress and a feast of Moorish architecture. To squeeze some culture into your break on Spain’s coast get up to Granada where you will be rewarded with exotic and lavish gardens and an exquisitely decorated palace. One of Spain’s 42 UNESCO heritage sites, the Alhambra has a rich history of occupants including both Arabs and Christians (not together obviously). It consists of a palace with functional areas, living rooms and a harem, the main fortress and a residential area for subordinates. It was built perched on a hilltop and different parts seem scattered about and connected by courtyards. The history of the Alhambra The complex…
European cities – what not to miss
With so many people, cultures and influences all packed into a relatively small area, it comes as no surprise that Europe boasts some of the world’s most interesting cities. Here are some European cities not to miss. Europe offers a plethora of different towns and cities to explore and enjoy, so how did I choose just the few you see here? The simple answer is that I chose my favourites. We all have different priorities and preferences. These are the things I love about these cities, which are not necessarily capital cities incidentally. Maybe you will agree with my choices, maybe not. Let me know! Nice, France The perfect marriage…
Tasty Tapas
Tapas is a staple offering in most bars in Spain. Traditionally tapas were simply nibbles and bar snacks, but nowadays they have become very popular internationally and virtually formed an entire cuisine. The Spanish eat dinner late, usually after 9pm. That is a long time to wait between meals, and so tapas were born! What is tapas? Tapas started out as a piece of cured meat or bread that was balanced on top of sherry glasses in order to keep fruit flies out of the sherry. Cured meat was salty, provoking the desire to drink, and once bar-owners cottoned-on to this there was no stopping them. Small servings of just…
My Dad – My Travel Hero
My parents are travellers. Not the strange hippy kind but the curious-about-the-world type. Travelling is something that always interested Dad especially. From a young age he was curious, taking part in his school exchange to Germany as a gawky teenager and later spending his gap year in Swaziland (in the 1960s when gap years were far less common than they are now). My parents met and I was born in Luxembourg, while they were both expats there. I blame them both for my nomadic streak! From a young age, my brother and I were taken abroad as our parents explored the world. Thanks to them I have fond childhood memories…
How to sail around the world on a luxury yacht
The yachting industry can seem, to an outsider, like a well-kept secret, but I’m going to let you in on it. Do you fancy the idea of sailing around the world on a luxury yacht? Want to know how to get paid to do it? Read on. What do you do onboard a yacht? The key things to understand are that yachts require maintenance and service standards are extremely high. Interior crew maintain the interior guest areas laundry and crew mess. Crew from the deck and engineering departments maintain the exterior and engine room, whilst also supervising guest use of toys (such as jetskis, waterskiing and scuba diving). Pros and…
The Caves of Nerja
Discovered by a bunch of intrepid Spanish youths in 1959, the caves of Nerja are an impressive find. They are believed to be about 5 million years old. I enjoy a good cave, but don’t think I have ever visited any caves as enormous as these. Human remains, rock art and various tools have been found in the caves. Some serious time has been spent researching the articles found and it is believed the caves were occupied as long ago as the Bronze age, by early humans and their animals. You enter through a small building-like foyer by the ticket office and descend down a staircase. At the bottom of…
Spanish Supermarket Giggles
Having arrived in Spain late last night, there was nothing much in the flat to eat today, so a foray to the supermercado was a priority. A foreign supermarket always interests me. I enjoy exploring daily norms overseas, not to mention having a giggle at some of the strange and sometimes unfortunate names given to some of the products. Here are a few such amusements I came across today: The washing powder called ‘Colon’ (above) was too funny. What inspired that name I wonder? Actually, I hate to think. Call me immature but yes, I find a brand of biscuits called ‘Bimbo’ amusing And ‘Bonka’ coffee was just a bit…
