Treasure hunting at the antique markets in Nice

Back home, the best markets are usually reserved for the weekend. In Nice, even markets on a Monday are a shopping mecca! If only I had an empty suitcase and an overflowing bank account to visit them with. Row after row of cute, brightly coloured striped awnings shade stall after stall of treasures. The market specialised in costume jewellery, art, furniture and homewares. For fellow … Continue reading Treasure hunting at the antique markets in Nice

Rome: Expectations vs. Reality

Rome is full of cliches and surprises. I’d like to go again but not because I immediately fell in love with it.  I didn’t get to know it well enough or explore all that I know it has to offer. With a city as famous as Rome you arrive with expectations and preconceptions but there are always a few surprises. The Expected Being blown away … Continue reading Rome: Expectations vs. Reality

Locked in the city love on the Pont des Art

With the ability to simultaneously make some swoon and others sick, the Pont Des Arts in Paris certainly makes a statement.  Only a stone’s throw from Notre Dame, I was  surprised at how long it took me to find it. Paris is funny like that. Nothing is ever where you think it is and then suddenly, you’re there. Despite not having a single romantically inclined … Continue reading Locked in the city love on the Pont des Art

Brick Labyrinth

“You’re going to get lost in Venice regardless, so stick your map in your back pocket, forget about it and just wander.” Our tour manager couldn’t have been more right. This was one of the narrowest alleyways we went down when we had lost ourselves in a seemingly deserted part of busy Venice. The atmosphere changed completely as we walked around these eerily silent alleyways. … Continue reading Brick Labyrinth

Postcards from Parisian Rooftops

As far as landscapes and cityscapes go, this view has always been my  (unlikely) favourite. Maybe it’s because it was my first ever view from a foreign window. It was my first overseas trip and I was in Paris‘ beautiful 16th arrondissement. Even though the view was just rooftops the light in Paris made it look magical at any time of day. I’ve never been stuck … Continue reading Postcards from Parisian Rooftops

Cutting out the middle man in Amsterdam

Burgers… from a vending machine? Feebo is a popular chain in Amsterdam that takes fast food that one step further. It’s for those times ( in Amsterdam) when you just aren’t feeling up to talking to people about complex topics as ordering a burger. Instead, head into a Feebo, spot your prize, throw down a few coins and the little door for your burger pops … Continue reading Cutting out the middle man in Amsterdam

East Side Story

The Berlin Wall’s famous East Side Gallery does not disappoint. It was probably one of the coldest days of my life, walking up and down the wall and waging a battle in my mind, trying to convince my ice cold hands to leave my pockets to take photos. Berlin is so different from any other city I’ve visited in Europe. It’s history seems to weigh … Continue reading East Side Story

Unpopular Opinion: I didn’t like the Moulin Rouge

On my first visit to Paris, I didn’t make it to the Moulin Rouge and I’d always regretted it. When I went back to study last summer, it was on the top of my list and I had pretty high expectations. The world’s most famous cabaret is in Paris’ red light district, in the historic Montmartre neighbourhood. Seeing the famous Can-Can was cool. The stage … Continue reading Unpopular Opinion: I didn’t like the Moulin Rouge

A night at the Monte Carlo Grande Casino

What Monaco lacks in size, it makes up for in sparkle. And by sparkle I mean glitz, glamour and ostentatious wealth oozing out of every pore of this tiny principality located less than an hour from Nice. Famous for this view of glittering Port Hercules by night, being crowded by zillion dollar yachts, being a beautiful backdrop to the Grand Prix, Monaco is the affluent … Continue reading A night at the Monte Carlo Grande Casino