Alsace, Burgundy, Crete, Dublin, Edinburgh, Europe, London, Paris, Zurich

Itinerary: 1 Month in the UK & Europe, from Ireland to Greece

Last summer, we spent 1 month in the UK & Europe, which was 4.5 wonderful weeks travelling through Ireland, the UK, France, Switzerland and Greece. I’ve shared our itinerary for one month in Europe below, to share some ideas for your own big trip! I still can’t quite believe how wonderful this trip was. Our itinerary was full of destinations that felt so different from … Continue reading Itinerary: 1 Month in the UK & Europe, from Ireland to Greece

Genevieve LaurenOctober 10, 2024August 3, 2025Leave a comment

Glendalough Monastic Site in Wicklow Mountains National Park

History, Ireland

Glendalough: Ireland’s Ancient Monastic City in the Wicklow Mountains

The Glendalough monastic city is one of the most treasured Early Medieval sites in Ireland, and has attracted pilgrims for more than 1400 years. Today, it’s one of the most beloved sites in Ireland’s Ancient East region and a popular day trip from Dublin. Highlights of a trip to Glendalough include wandering through the magnificent Romanesque ruins of the monastic city and an amble through the … Continue reading Glendalough: Ireland’s Ancient Monastic City in the Wicklow Mountains

Genevieve LaurenAugust 15, 2024August 3, 2025Leave a comment

City Guides, Paros

Lefkes: Paros’ enchanting medieval capital

Lefkes is one of the most beautiful villages in Paros. Tucked away in the mountains, it became Paros’ medieval capital because it was hidden from pirates, and today it’s largely hidden from mass tourism. The tiny, narrow streets are pedestrian-only, preserving a sense of tranquility, even as the crowds gently swell after the first bus arrives around 11am. Since it’s not on the water, like … Continue reading Lefkes: Paros’ enchanting medieval capital

Genevieve LaurenJune 25, 2024April 26, 20258 Comments

Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre Towns: Guide to the 5 Villages of Cinque Terre, Italy

Cinque Terre is a series of 5 colourful villages on the coast of northwest Italy in the region of Liguria. The Cinque Terre villages are some of the most beautiful and popular destinations in Liguria, alongside pretty Portofino. The five Cinque Terre villages are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore, and each village is slightly different to the last. There is a local train connecting … Continue reading Cinque Terre Towns: Guide to the 5 Villages of Cinque Terre, Italy

Genevieve LaurenMay 31, 2024October 22, 2024Leave a comment

Milos

Sarakiniko Beach: Milos’s Most Unique Beach

The lunar landscape of Sarakiniko beach makes it one of the most striking beaches in Greece. Sarakiniko is on the northern coast of Milos, which is famous for having the best beaches in the Cyclades. We spent five days on Milos, which is my favourite Greek island because there is a seemingly never-ending supply of natural beauty. Even by the high standards of the Greek … Continue reading Sarakiniko Beach: Milos’s Most Unique Beach

Genevieve LaurenApril 17, 2024May 29, 20252 Comments

City Guides, France, Paris

The 12 Best Neighbourhoods in Paris to Visit (Guide + Map)

Paris is best explored by neighbourhood. The best neighbourhoods in Paris to visit include Le Marais, St Germain, Montmartre, the 7th Arrondissement and Ile de Cite, but you’ll be rewarded for venturing to charming, leafy and quieter neighbourhoods like Montparnasse and Passy with a slice of everyday Parisian life. Paris is divided into arrondissements, which are arranged a bit like a snail’s shell, working their way … Continue reading The 12 Best Neighbourhoods in Paris to Visit (Guide + Map)

Genevieve LaurenMarch 6, 2024November 2, 20258 Comments

Europe, France, History, Versailles

The Temple of Love in the gardens of Versailles

The Temple of Love is a neo-classical temple in the English Gardens at Versailles, erected for Marie Antoinette. The Queen preferred the more “natural” style of the fashionable English gardens, as opposed to the French order imposed upon meticulous greenhouses and manicured garden beds, which you can see in the rest of the gardens. You could lose hours in the seemingly never-ending gardens of Versailles. … Continue reading The Temple of Love in the gardens of Versailles

Genevieve LaurenJanuary 10, 2024October 29, 20255 Comments

Greece, Islands & Beaches, Nature, Opinion, Santorini

3 Reasons I Didn’t Ride a Donkey in Santorini

I chose not to ride a donkey in Santorini for three reasons. I had two before I arrived in Greece, but I found another heartbreaking reason when I was cruising between the islands. 1. Donkey rides in Santorini are tourist traps. I was already sceptical about the authenticity of a donkey ride in Santorini. I’d read online that locals view it as a bizarre activity … Continue reading 3 Reasons I Didn’t Ride a Donkey in Santorini

Genevieve LaurenDecember 9, 2023December 9, 202312 Comments

Athens

Is Athens Safe for Tourists?

Riots in Athens were on the news almost every day leading up to my first trip Greece, and I started to get nervous. I started to worry about whether Athens was safe, and found that lots of other travellers wondered the same thing. On my first trip in 2013, I had two nights in Athens either side of visiting the Greek islands. My first impressions … Continue reading Is Athens Safe for Tourists?

Genevieve LaurenNovember 12, 2023September 2, 202514 Comments

Greece, Melbourne, New York City

2019: A Year in Travel

This year has been one of the most exciting and yet also the most challenging years of my life. I’ve never written a year-long wrap up before, but I feel like I was all over the place so much that I wanted to put it all in one place, and also take a moment to take stock of what was an unpredictable and ultimately very … Continue reading 2019: A Year in Travel

Genevieve LaurenJanuary 1, 2020October 14, 20213 Comments

The Wanderbug

Travel Blog

Category: Europe