Planning an itinerary for two weeks in Italy is exciting and overwhelming. Where do you start? In the north, the fashion & finance powerhouse of Milan, the sinking canals of Venice and the bright villages of Cinque Terre each demand attention. The olive groves and vineyards of Tuscany, the streets of Florence oozing Renaissance splendour and the fine foods of Emilia-Romagna tempt travellers in the … Continue reading Itinerary: 2 weeks in Italy
One of the most bizarre things about the beaches in the Italian and French Rivieras is that huge sections of them are roped off and come at a price. I’ve never seen a private beach club in Australia and it seems strange to me that someone can own part of the beach. It’s a smart business move, however, because most of these beaches have rocks … Continue reading Lazy days at Opera Plage Beach Club, Nice
When you’re planning a multi-country trip, the list of things to organise is long and it’s rare that all of your plans will play nice. This is the blessing and curse of travel. How you choose to take advantage of it is up to you. We were meant to travel from Riomaggiore to Florence, spend a few days there and then travel north to Verona and … Continue reading When travel gives you lemons…go to Milan
Paris is a tough place to find decent accommodation on a budget, but now that I’ve found Hotel Eiffel Segur, I never have to worry again! Location The hotel is in Montparnasse, my favourite suburb in Paris to stay in. It’s a beautiful neighbourhood that isn’t too touristy but is in a great location for exploring the Left Bank. It’s not far from the Eiffel … Continue reading Stay in Paris: Hotel Eiffel Segur
Out of the ten cities I booked accommodation in last year, Paris was by far the trickiest. As such a popular tourist destination with plenty of great neighbourhoods to stay in, I thought it would be the easiest. I was wrong! In my experience, Italian hospitality is naturally better or more reliable than French hospitality. I loved everywhere I stayed in France, but it involved … Continue reading How to find good budget accommodation in Paris online
Athens really divides peoples. I’ve found that people love it or hate it, but if you visit Athens with an open mind and a few tips up your sleeve, it’s hard not to fall in love. Before I went to Athens I was a little nervous of what I’d find. In fact, my first impression of the city left me a ‘little underwhelmed. Luckily, when … Continue reading 6 Reasons you should visit Athens
In 2013 I had an amazing five-week holiday with my best friend around France, Greece, Italy & Turkey. What a way to celebrate graduating from uni! I felt like most of 2013 was spent head down, bum up, as I finished my final semester of university, planned the trip and worked two jobs so I could afford to go. Of course, all of this added to … Continue reading Top 5 Travel Experiences 2013
It had been a deliciously lazy day in Florence but by the late afternoon we felt that we should tick something else off our list. We were feeling fairly dusty, the aftermath of the night before which ended quite tellingly, at the most unlikely of places in such a foodie city – Florence’s golden arches. It was at the request of my friend, who works … Continue reading Biting off more than we can chew in the Boboli Gardens
Dinner in Italy for the price of a prosecco. For the penny pinching traveller who has an unfortunate, somewhat expensive taste (such as yours truly) this is like winning the lottery. Aperitivo hour has got your back (and your belly). Our first encounter with this blessing was in Rome. We’d arrived that day and were exhausted. Before we could sleep however, we had to eat. … Continue reading Discovering Aperitivo in Rome
The best thing about eating pasta in Italy? It’s free from the “evil carbs” baggage that it gets burdened with back home. No, Italian pasta doesn’t make you “fat” – just look at all the Italians. As our local guide explained, Italians don’t eat pasta drenched in creamy, fatty sauces. Our idea of a spaghetti bolognaise is virtually foreign to them and a carbonara in … Continue reading That’s Amore Pasta Cooking Class, Rome