For someone who currently lives in Madrid, I don’t write nearly enough about this great city. I guess it’s like the saying goes: the grass always seems greener on the other side. Well, the grass is rarely green in dry, sunny Spain – but the sky is (famously) blue, the buildings vibrant, and the lifestyle even more so. So let’s back-track and return to a few of the places I’ve been (re)discovering these past few weeks…
So you’ve climbed the Spanish Steps, tossed a coin in the Trevi fountain and been herded into the Sistine Chapel; now what? Rome hides over 10,000 years of secrets. Book a room at the Parco dei Principi Grand Hotel, get on that plane, and explore some of these hidden Roman gems:
A pulsating city full of vibrant characters, with history behind every statue and facade, Rome is also home to the best coffee in the world. This city wasn’t built in a day, so you shouldn’t have to see it in one. Finding an authentic and budget-friendly place to rest your head in the Eternal City is no easy feat, but to help you plan, here are the most unique places to stay in Europe’s city that never sleeps.
London is an expensive city, sometimes prohibitively so, but this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. Here are a few pointers for those visiting London on a budget.
A couple of months ago I wrote about my favorite spots in London, and every time I read up on what’s going on in the capital that has everything, I realize there are many more places to add to my list. So, here are some hidden gems to keep in mind for those of you currently searching for London hotels.
I am not a seasoned traveler. Far from it. Yet, I’m not embarrassed to admit the staggering number of places I have yet to visit and the idea that there is still so much for me to explore is motivating. Often it is these places which we have not yet seen or known that we romanticize the most. And because it’s January, the month of plans and resolutions, I decided to dream up a list of places I would go to if I could travel anywhere in the world this year, without budgets or limits… (hey, dreaming is free, right?)
The year is coming to a close and we’re already gearing up for the next 12 months ahead. In honour of the number twelve, here’s a personal kind of list of 12 good things:
With Black Friday behind us and the city’s Christmas lights on full display, Madrid’s navideño spirit is alive and well. The holidays are only a few weeks away, and while some of us are looking forward to a few days of sleeping in and reading by the fireplace, others are in full-on gift hunting mode and ready to find something for everyone on their list. So, in the spirit of giving, I contributed a guest post over at Naked Madrid about the best Christmas markets going on in the Spanish capital. From pop-ups that only last a few days, to season-long traditional “mercadillos”, these are my recommendations for Madrid’s best Christmas markets.
[Photo credit: TheHovse]
I don’t know where the time went. Oh wait, I do know… It got away from me. But I managed to get away from time too and escaped to Paris for a few days. I didn’t have a plan really, and not having one turned out to be the best plan of all. Visiting friends, listening to beautiful French, walking through street markets, and remembering what it was like to live there.
Starting today, for the next three days, is Madrid’s annual “Fiesta del Cine“. From the 27th to the 29th of October, movies are only €2.90 for all those who sign up on the official website for a special code. So while we can watch almost anything online, it will never beat the feeling of seeing a movie on the big screen. Three days of dirt cheap movies in Madrid… What to see?