CHEAP & EASY EUROPEAN GETAWAYS

So you may have gathered, from my posts, that I like a weekend escape. I like to take a break from the every day 9-5 lifestyle, and visit new places as much as possible. And living in Europe means I have the opportunity to fly to lots of different places very easily, and most importantly...cheaply! 

In 2017 I spent a lot of my weekends travelling to various different cities, within the UK and Europe. I thought I would compile a list of some easy and cheap destinations to visit if you are short of time, but still needing that escape. 

Now with this list, it's one that i feel can continuously be added to. Cheap air travel around Europe, with budget airlines, makes it easier then ever to book a last minute weekend away. This list consists of all the weekends away i did across Europe, in 2017, to try and show how easy it really is! 

Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

From my local airport, Amsterdam is only a 20 minute flight, though this can be quite pricey at times. But if you fly from one of the London airports, you can get a great deal on flights, making this beautiful city perfect for a weekend break! Amsterdam is one of my favourite places in the world, and there is always something new to be discovered. Museums, parks, and shopping. It's a great place for people of every age and background to visit. You don't necessarily have to visit a certain place in Amsterdam, as you can just walk to your hearts content and admire the beauty that this city holds, just make sure you look twice before crossing the streets!

We all know why most people go to Amsterdam, but when you get there you realise that there is much much more to be explored. The Jordaan area is a particular favourite of mine, and it is where the Ann Frank Huis is situated. You also have Vondelpark, which is beautiful in both winter and summer, and close to museumplein which is where you can find many of the top museums that this city has to offer. 

A visit to this city is not complete without a trip to the infamous Bloemenmarkt, a flower market full of all the tulips you could ever want or imagine. If you're a big foodie like me then you must also visit the Foodhallen, a place full of different cuisines for an affordable price, and a great picture taking opportunity too! I could go on forever with my love for Amsterdam and recommendations of must do's. 

Dublin, Ireland. 

A few years ago I visited Ireland for the first time, and to be honest it was quite a rushed visit, as we only had two nights to experience such a vast and exciting place. It was our second weekend in a row, in a different country, with very little rest period in between. Not that i'm complaining. But we managed to score some low cost flights, around £40 return each, so we thought why not head on over and tick another place off our bucket list! We decided to stay in a private room in a hostel, to save on money, and ended up staying in the Temple Bar area of Dublin. Now Temple Bar is the spot to be for nightlife. Though if you are like me, and wanting a nice quiet place to stay, or a light sleeper, then it's probably not the best place to stay. Saying that, if you're coming to Dublin in the aim to drink to your hearts content, then this is the perfect place to walk in at 4 a.m.

Transport from the airport and into the city centre is very easy to navigate and also very reasonably priced. There's lots to do in Dublin and lots of Guinness to be drank! 

During our two day stay we managed to visit the castle, the oldest pub in Ireland (The Brazen Head) and of course Temple Bar. We explored the side streets, walked across the river, and had time for a little bit of shopping in between. Our step count was through the roof! 

Dublin is a great place for a weekend away, and has something for everyone. Families, couples and a group of friends. I will definitely be returning.

Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

Not a very commonly talked about city, and one that I never realised was so important. There isn't a lot of activities to do in Luxembourg, but it is still a good place to visit, especially for a weekend away! Though, just be warned, the vast majority of shops and restaurants are shut on the first Sunday of each month, so if you are like me, then you'll just end up going to the airport 6 hours early to avoid getting soaked in the rain. 

There are some beautiful parks, and walks to go on within this small city. Definitely a place to be explored by foot, and maybe one to visit during the summer months. I find it fascinating that the country has three official languages, French, German and Luxembourgish, and every person is fluent in all of them. When you go to buy something, you're not sure which language is going to be used. 

Luxembourg is also one of the safest countries in the world, which is good for solo travellers and families. Flights are relatively cheap from London airports, and there are plenty of reasonably price hotels going around. I visited with no knowledge of what to expect, and I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. The scenery is beautiful and you don't feel as though you are in a capital city.  My favourite thing to do here was to take a leisurely stroll to Casemates Du Bock, and then follow the river back to the main city. The buildings are beautiful and there's some great picture taking spots along this route. 

The country is small, and so is the capital. Allowing you to be able to visit most, if not all, places on your list. I was pleasantly surprised, and i think it's worth a visit at least some point in your life.

Edinburgh, Scotland
A lot closer to home for me, and with lots of different transport options from London, for every budget. Edinburgh is a city that everyone should visit at least once in their life. Flights are relatively cheap and trains can give you great views of the English countryside. Edinburgh is a beautiful city, with beautiful buildings, friendly faces and lots of little cafes. You can visit at any time of the year, which is a reason i would love to go back. Maybe to a Christmas market this time around.

The castle is definitely a must visit on your trip, and offers stunning views of the city below.  Make sure you visit the Greyfriars Bobby, a statue of the famous little terrier that spent the last 14 years of its life guarding the grave of its owner.  And if you're in to walking then make sure you venture up Arthurs Seat, in Holyrood Park. 

One of the best times to visit Edinburgh is during the Fringe Festival, the largest arts festival in the world. Thousands of performances across hundreds of venues in the space of just over three weeks, with most being free or very reasonably priced. Whilst you're their grab yourself a deep fried mars bar!


Cologne, Germany

I have a whole post on my blog dedicated to this city, so go on over and give that a read if you're looking for a more in depth experience! Cologne is very cheap to travel to, and a very easy city to explore.  

It's home to one of the most spectacular cathedrals in the world, and one of the most famous landmarks in Germany. Nearby, is the Hohenzollern Bridge, famous for the thousands of love locks that are placed in every little nook. If you're visiting, make sure to end each night with a stein of beer, and give the traditional foods like bratwurst, spätzle and sauerkraut a try. 

There are plenty of cafes, and bakeries to stop for a coffee, especially in the streets of the Old Town, so picking one will probably be the hardest decision of your visit! If you're a big chocolate fan then make sure you take a visit to the Schokoladenmuseum, where you can grab free samples and finish the day with a hot chocolate in the cafe. 



I'm sure in a few years, I will be making a "Cheap & Easy European Getaways Part II". But for now i hope this post has given you some inspiration for your next little trip! As always, feel free to leave a comment, and/or message me if you're wanting any further advice on these wonderful places.

Thanks for reading, xo

*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon S120 and iPhone 6S.

COLOGNE | A WEEKEND AWAY

Hey everyone! 

I usually start my blog posts by saying 'recently I visited...' but I'm not going to lie, I visited Cologne in April 2017, deciding this is were we wanted to spend out long Easter bank holiday weekend. So it's been a while, a full year in fact. Nevertheless, my memory is still as vivid as ever with the help from the many photos that were taken, and a previously half written blog entry that I've decided to re-write before sharing to the world! 

We stayed in a small hotel, Hotel Alt Deutz, which was across the river from the main city. Meaning we could take a lovely little stroll across one of the many bridges every day, including the infamous Hohenzollern Bridge (also known as the one with all the love locks!)

After a short flight, we landed in Cologne, and navigated the trains to reach our hotel. Luckily we could check in early, so went straight to our room to abandon our belongings so we could head straight out and grab some food. We found a restaurant that looked over to the river, and grabbed our first taste of sauerkraut and bratwurst! (In the traditional setting, I might add) And of course, a stein or two of beer. 

I always say that the best way to discover a new place is to walk around, so that's what we did for the next three days. Though, after some food and a few hours walking we decided to head back to our hotel for an early night, seeing as we had been awake since the early morning travelling...

The next day we visited the love lock bridge of Cologne, where everyone writes their name on a padlock, adds it to the bridge and throws the key into the river below as an act to show that their love will never end. There where thousands of them on every single part of the bridge, in all different colours and all shapes and sizes. Both with our cameras in hand, we spent a good few hours strolling up and down taking hundreds of photos and watching people at new ones.

After this we decided to visit the famous Cologne Cathedral, and Germanys most famous landmark (according to Wikipedia!)

It's a truly beautiful building, with incredible architecture. The cathedral itself is close to the central station, so it's very easy to get to. You could stand for hours looking at all the details on each spire, or the carvings around each door.

The rain then decided to come down, so we took shelter in the train station for a snack and much needed coffee. Soon enough we were back out exploring the Old Town with its many side streets, grabbing pretzels, spätzle and of course more beer! Finishing the wet and windy day off with some ice cream... of course!


The sunset on the walk back to our hotel that night was beautiful, with the cathedral and the river creating a beautiful scene.

On our final day we made a last minute decision to visit the schokoladenmuseum, basically a chocolate museum that has partnered with Lindt. Meaning lots of free samples! Better then we were expecting, and you also got the opportunity to create your own Lindt chocolate bar. After eating too many samples, we made the decision to visit the onsite chocolate cafe, to eat yet more chocolate. Slowly but surely we then made our way back to the airport to catch our evening flight home.

Cologne is a perfect city for a weekend exploring, and definitely one that I will be back to explore some more.

Thanks for reading, xo

*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon S120 and iPhone 6S.

SKIATHOS, GREECE | A PHOTO DIARY

Hey everyone!


After having not visited the tiny island of Skiathos for almost ten years, I finally managed to go back to one of my favourite places. Not much has changed in my absence, except the Mamma Mia overload. This tiny island, and surrounding islands where used as film locations for the movie and the  locals have taken this as a great business opportunity! There's even an outdoor cinema in the main town that offers weekly viewings of the movie, with their own added twist! Settle down with a glass of wine and watch the film under the stars, by the end everyone will be up on their feet dancing and singing along!

Skiathos is a small island in the Northwest Aegean sea, situated in the group of islands known as Sporades. It's about six miles long, and four miles wide, with Skiathos Town being the most populous place. For me it was like returning home, my family used to visit for our holidays and I knew where I was going. Everyone is friendly and you will never feel unsafe.

This year we stayed a five minute walk from the town centre, which meant we could take in the great nightlife that this tiny island has to offer. Plenty of bars and restaurants that line the harbour, and the main road of Papadiamanti. Most of the food is very traditional, with plenty of places to grab a Gyros!

From the town you can grab a short boat across to the unpopulated island of Tsougria, which is a protected natural habitat and a perfect place to spend the day relaxing. It doesn't get too busy, and the water is crystal clear. There's a small taverna on the beach, and remember to bring your snorkelling gear!

Jump on a boat tour around the island, or a tour that visits the nearby islands of Alonnisos and Skopelos. Or do both! Why not? Make sure you keep your eyes peeled for the dolphins that live in the waters below!

The airport in Skiathos is very small, so small that it stretches from one side of the island to the other and has become a popular destination on the island for both plane spotters and those who are looking for an adrenaline rush. You can stand at the end of the runway, and feel the power of the planes engine as it speeds down the runway.

If you're able too, rent out a car for a couple of days so you can drive around the island and explore. We managed to visit the monastery for the first time, which has glorious views from the mountains and you can learn about some of the islands history. There's a shop that sells wine and liquor produced from the monastery itself. 

Whilst we had the car we decided to drive to the Il Kastro, a place we had also never explored before. Read up on this ruined town before you go, as it has a lot of history. It used to be the capital of the island, and a walk through the narrow pathways makes it easy to imagine the old society come to life around you. It's not easy to get to, no busses and very steep roads if you are going to drive. Some boats stop here, but require a very steep hike to reach. The best way to visit is to either rent a 4x4 or book on to a tour that stops here. Just bring sensible shoes and a bottle of water! It's definitely a hidden gem on the island, and so secluded that it will never be busy.

 Skiathos is full of lots of different beaches, some family favourites include; Mandraki, Koukounaries, Troulos and Tsougria as previously mentioned. But if you're looking for a relaxing place to swim without the sand, then head over to the Tennis Club to use the pool for free.

I will always keep coming back to visit this wonderful place, it holds so many of my memories and it's just beautiful. I want to bring everyone I know so that they can experience the island for themselves.

Thanks for reading, xo
*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon S120 and iPhone 6S. 

SAMI, KEFALONIA | A PHOTO DIARY

Hey everyone! 

Greece is one of my favourite places to visit. There are so many islands to explore. This time round I visited the beautiful island of Kefalonia in the Ionian Sea. 

We stayed in Sami, a port in the east of the island. It's a great location with lots of nearby things to do. The main attractions being the beautiful Antisamos Beach, where Captain Corellis Mandolin was filmed. Melissani Cave, and the Island of Ithaca are also a short journey away. 

We stayed in Hotel Pericles, about ten minutes out of Sami. It was a very simple hotel, but had everything we needed, including a free breakfast. Below is a picture of the view we had.

Most restaurants in Sami are at the harbours edge, Adonis being our favourite. The vegetarian moussaka and the baked eggplants where the best food we ate all holiday. 

We decided to do a day tour to the nearby island of Ithaca, travelling with Sami Star II. This included two swim stops in secluded bays, only accessible by boat, and also a visit to Vathi for a walk around and Kioni for lunch. Both of these villages where beautiful. 

The buildings in Vathi are beautifully coloured, all bright or pastel. 

After visiting Melissani Cave, we decided to walk back to Sami, through Karavamylos. We stopped for lunch by the lake, which is made up of water from the nearby cave. 

Antisamos Beach is in a horseshoe bay, with tavernas and water activities. A long twisting road around the mountains is the only way to access this glorious beach. It is covered in white stones that glisten under the water, and a small array of fish swim close to shore. It is a great place to snorkel. There are tavernas that offer free sun beds, drinks and snacks. 

I would recommend Sami as a great spot for a holiday, and also recommend hiring a car to get around as this would give you more freedom during your stay. I was only there a week, so it wasn't a complete necessary for me and my travel companion. 

Everyone is very friendly in Sami, and the food is amazing. I couldn't get enough of the traditional Greek cuisine. 

Thanks for reading, xo

*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon 700d, Canon S120 and iPhone 6S.

A WEEK IN ICELAND | A DIARY

Hey everyone! 

Iceland was never a country I really ever thought about visiting, up until two years ago. I had seen pictures of these amazing landscapes, with mountains everywhere you look. I decided to do some more research into this amazing country, and said to myself 'I need to go there'. 

I was lucky enough to spend a week with my family, in Iceland, for my birthday. It was like no other place I had ever been to. 

We boarded an early morning flight from London, and landed just before lunch time. We had decided to rent a car, to give us a bit more freedom when exploring. I recommend doing just this, as it allows you to have a lot more freedom in your itinerary. 

Our first stop was the blue lagoon. We didn't bother to go into the lagoon itself, but instead walked around the outside area before needing to pay anything. 

After finishing up at the blue lagoon, we made our way to Icelands capital, Reykjavik. This place is like no other capital city you will find in the world. Everyone is friendly, everyone appreciates the country they are in. The streets are clean, and people have respect for each other. 

We rented a little apartment, and could see the striking Hallgrimskirkja from our window. We didn't rush out straight away, as we had been up since 3am and it was beginning to effect us. 

One thing I noticed in Reykjavik, is that every building is different to the next and they are colourful and beautiful to look at. 

Reykjavik has an amazing mountain view, that lights up an incredible red colour with the sunset. 

The following day we woke up early and drove the Golden Circle route, which is very much the main tourist route in Iceland. Taking in some of the countries most famous sights. 

There are a lot of waterfalls in Iceland, but all of them are unique in their own ways. 

The lava fields could easily be missed, as they are covered in moss and look like grass from a distance. But up close they are just as magical as anything else. 

 After the Golden Circle we headed back to our apartment in the capital, where we only had one more night booked. As the following day we were going to the little village of Vik, at the base of the Myrdalsjokull glacier with contains the Katla volcano. You can really feel the presence of this dangerous volcano looming over the village. 

This village itself is a great place to base yourself, if you want to head a little further east on the ring road. We only went as far as the Jokulsarlon Glacial Lagoon, probably my favourite place we visited on our week in Iceland. You can stand around the edge, and just be in awe of your surroundings. If you do visit this spectacular place, you should also walk over to the beach for an out of this world view. Trust me, you won't regret it. 

Once place that I was a little disappointed with, but also quite excited to see was the derelict place on the beach. From the road, you cannot see the plane. After walking for what felt like an eternity, with nothing but black sand to look at, we arrived at the plane. It is a wonderful place to photograph, but it is also full of tourists. We may have just been unlucky as their was a group of people walking over the plane, and having a mini photoshoot. Which meant we had to wait for them to clear, so that we could get a photo. It was quite interesting to see, but not a place I would rush back to you. Iceland is full of amazing places, so skip this and fit somewhere else in!

I want to finish this diary of Iceland, talking about the famous Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights. We couldn't have had more luck with them, as we saw them every single night we were there. The best ones though, were the ones we saw whilst staying in Vik. 

Now, one of my dreams has always been to see them in person, and the night before my 21st birthday I captured the image below. They were the strongest ones we saw during our time in Iceland, and they were dancing incredibly in the sky. It was a breath taking, emotional experience. And nothing quite prepares you for seeing them in the flesh. 

One day I would love to go back to Iceland, but to cover the whole country rather then just a small portion of it. The beauty of it is that it is almost untouched, and everyone who lives there, and majority of the tourists, appreciate the nature of it. It isn't a largely populated country, and although it is becoming more and more of a popular travel destination, it still retains its natural beauty. 

I just ask that anyone who does visit, respects the signs and respects the people. Take your litter with you and don't leave it for someone else to get rid of. When there's a danger sign, respect it and don't put yourself and those who would have to rescue you in danger. 

I'm sorry this is such a long post, but I could write a whole book on my love for this country, and all the places I visited. Would you believe me if I said I had to leave a lot out, to make this post a reasonable length? I have hundreds of photos I would to share with you as well. It really is one of my favourite destinations I have visited. 

Thanks for reading, xo 

*As with all pictures featured on my blog, they are all taken by me unless otherwise noted. I use a Canon 700d, Canon S120 and iPhone 6S.