If living in Scotland has taught me one thing, besides that Scots are amongst the friendliest people one will ever meet, is that you don’t let a glorious sunny day go to waste. So on one of the sunniest Saturday mornings I have ever experienced in Scotland, with“The Rough guide to Scottish Highlands & islands” always on one hand and backpack on the other, we were off to the Highlands!
The mission? To EAT! More specifically, to feast our way through the West Highlands on some of Scotland’s best and freshest seafood, which is famous all over Europe!I‘m talking splendid Scottish salmon(whose exports this year reached a record-breaking £600 million!),succulent scallops, ginormous lobsters, amazing oysters and more. And I was about to consume all of the above – and then some – whilst making my way to the Seafood Capital of Scotland, the beautiful Oban.
Easter (known as “Pascha” in Greek) is a big deal where I’m from and a very special time to be in Cyprus.First and foremost, you get to experience the island in spring, which is pretty wonderful (and smells divine), be present in the country’s most mystical and spiritual of days, and participate in tons of fun and interesting traditions, some of which have been around for hundreds, if not thousands of years.
A road trip to the Scottish Highlands should be on everyone’s bucket list, including yours (sorry to sound patronising, but trust me on this one.). Why? Because Scotland is a magical land of breathtaking natural scenery, striking man-made wonders and a fascinating history wrapped up in myths and legends, which make it the ideal place to go for a drive. Yet to be convinced? Then note that just this past year Scotland was voted as “the most beautiful country in the world” by the readers of Rough Guides, one of the most distinguished and famous travel guidebooks worldwide (*cue the applause!!!*) .
Of course Scotland owes part of its fame and glory to its enchanting, interesting and historic cities, such as Edinburgh, Stirling, Glasgow and St Andrews, but to properly experience the magnitude of the country’s beauty, you MUST drive to the Scottish Highlands.
So pick the route, buckle up, turn up the music and enjoy the ride!
Dublin is cool.It has aViking past(which earns the city major cool points),captivating combination of elegant Georgian architecture, medieval and Gothic structures and modern design, rich literary history(the Irish capital earned its UNESCO City of Literature accolade in 2010 – shared only by 27 other cities worldwide) and, for all you foodies, anup-and-coming culinary scene.Not to mention Dublin’sepic, one-of-a-kind, world-class pub culture, which guarantees an excellent night out. So if you are heading there soon (I mean, Saint Patrick’s Day is just around the corner!), or planning to travel there in the future for the first time…
here is how you spend your first weekend in Dublin:
Let’s face it, Europe is jam-packed with romantic spots. Whether it’s a mesmerising castle, a medieval town square, a beautiful park or a cosy art-deco café in a charming neighbourhood, I believe there’s something for anyone who enjoys a bit of romance. And since I am one of those people…
…here are 5+1 of the most r♥mantic European destinations:
And I use the term “winter” loosely, especially when comparing it to the winters of most other European countries. In fact, before I continue any furtherlet me drop some numbers regarding February’s weather in my home country:
Average number of sunshine hours in Larnaca:209h (compared to 67h in Copenhagen, 74h in Berlin, 78h in London, 168h in Athens and 186h in Santa Cruz-Tenerife).
Average number of rainy days in Larnaca:6 (compared to 7 in Santa Cruz-Tenerife, 8 in Athens, 9 in Berlin, 10 in London and 11 in Copenhagen).
Average daytime temperature in Larnaca: 17°C (compared to 3°C in Copenhagen, 5°C in Berlin, 9°C in London, 14°C in Athens and 21°C in Santa Cruz-Tenerife. Ok, Tenerife, you won here).
Need I write more?
Now, if you are heading over to Cyprus for a wee winter getaway(omg how Scottish am I?! → clarification: “wee” in Scottish slang means “small”, not to be confused with the synonym for “pee”) and to escape the frozen horror that was winter 2017/2018, then..
here are 5+1 ways to enjoy the island, even in its “coldest” of days:
Ask anyone to name the5 most beautiful cities in Europe and rest assured that they willinclude Praguein that list. The capital and largest city of the Czech Republic is atrue gem of culture, history and architecture, so much so that in 1992 theOld Town’s Historic(and gorgeous)Centre Squarehas been added to theUNESCO World Heritage Sites list. Being literally in the city centre of Europe makes Prague asuper accessible destination. In fact, Prague (along with London and Athens) ismy most visited holiday city destination– besides the cities / countries I have lived in; I traveled there for a long weekend in the spring of 2011, a week in the summer of 2015, and another long weekend in the winter of 2017, and loved every bit of it.
So without further ado,
here are the 5 things not to miss when visiting Prague:
If you have ever visited visited Edinburgh or even just looked at a single picture of it, you will understand why it is hands down the prettiest city in the whole of the UK (voted Britain’s best city for the past 4 years according toThe Telegraph). So imagine how drop dead gorgeous the Scottish capital is when it undergoes a Christmas makeover every winter, which gives its Gothic character a cheerful and sparkly twist.
If you are (lucky enough to be) visiting Edinburgh during these holidays, here are the top 5+1 festive things that you should do to make your trip unforgettable:
Once the capital of Poland and currently the cultural hub of the country, Kraków is the perfect destination for a weekend’s (or even a week’s) getaway. Why? Well, let’s see…
For starters, the city is beautiful; featuring, amongst others, a 13th-century castle, narrow cobblestone streets (major beauty points for any place) and a grand medieval market square (which is the largest square in Europe) in the heart of the Old Town.
Second, there’s loads to do; from sightseeing to learning more about Poland’s historic past to drinking and dancing your way through its many, many bars, pubs and clubs.
And to top it all off, your visit there won’t cost a fortune; although prices are on the rise during the past years, Krakówis still cheaper than other popular European destinations.
