After much anticipation and an 8 hour bus ride from Seville, we arrived in the beautiful city of Lisbon. The bus trip itself was uneventful, however should you ever decide to make this trek by bus, be aware that there are no toilets on the bus. To be fair, the bus was cheap, about $40, so you gets what you pay for. Needless to say, we ate and drank sparingly for fear of having to use facilities that were non-existent. Luckily, our driver scheduled a few much needed bathroom breaks along the way. The scenery along the drive was quite beautiful consisting of terraced hills, sheep, and some of the most exotic looking trees I’ve seen.
The bus dropped us off at the Oriente metro station in Lisbon, another beautiful structure designed by Santiago Calatrava. From there it was an easy and quick trip to our accommodations in Lisbon. Our GORGEOUS apartment was located in the central Intendente neighbourhood. We had booked the place through airbnb and it was STUNNING! Andrew, Emma’s boyfriend, was joining us in Lisbon and for the rest of our trip so we needed a comfortable and spacious place and this apartment delivered. We had two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a kitchen, and living/dining room. The place was beautifully decorated with no detail missed. I loved this place and I knew immediately that it would be difficult to leave at the end of our stay.
That evening, after Andrew arrived after almost 24 hours of traveling, we caught up over some wine while planning our activities for the following day.
Alfama from a distance
Next morning, our first order of business was booking a walking tour of the city. We chose the Sandeman New Europe tour which was meant to be 3 hours. This tour, which did not include the famed Alfama neighbourhood, started in the Barrio Alto neighbourhood and wound its way through many of the cities cobblestone streets as our tour guide shared stories of the city’s heroes, history, food and monuments. Our guide was wonderful at telling stories and we certainly learned a lot, however the tour ran quite late at almost 4 hours! By the end of it we were exhausted and starving. Don’t get me wrong, we enjoyed the tour, but it could have easily been shortened and would have still been quite useful and informative. We could not help but feel as though our guide really enjoyed listening to the sound of his own voice and his seemingly endless remarks about needing tips to cover his rent along and his requests for us to book additional paid tours during our break instead of online following the tour (he gets a commission for the tours you book that day) got a bit old. All that being said, the tour was quite good.
Following the tour, we were thirsty and what better way to quench your thirst then to enjoy some sangria on a patio. We found a nice little resto on a side street and settled in for our first official sangria pitcher in Portugal.
Dinner was actually not too bad, considering we ended up at a small, family run, restaurant where they served both Portuguese and Indian fare. A little weird, but we were so hungry we didn’t care. We ordered lamb and fish dishes which were surprisingly delicious given that this place was a bit of a hole in the wall, the desserts however, were the stars of the show. We had creme brule, a flan and, a traditional Portuguese cake that consisted of layers of cookies interspersed with a coffee flavoured cream that was so tasty I’m still thinking about it. After polishing off our desserts, our server offered us a complimentary ‘whiskey’. I should point out that this ‘whiskey’ was home made and clear in colour. Honestly, it smelled like pure alcohol and tasted like gasoline. I barely chocked it down. Andrew loved it and actually complimented the server on it. His reward? He was happily given a second shot of this Portuguese fire water to gulp down. Why anyone would voluntarily submit themselves to that kind of punishment is beyond me. That stuff was disgusting.
The next morning we signed up for a tour of Alfama which started at 3pm later that day. We spent the morning walking through Lisbon taking in the sights then made our way to the meeting spot for our 3 pm tour. The tour was short and sweet and our guide, who was clearly new at this, was engaging and informative. We walked through Alfama’s winding streets while being regaled with stories of life in Alfama, it’s traditions and people. We were even treated to a shot of homemade Gingha (a delicious cherry flavoured liqueur) served from the window of a lovely lady’s home as we walked by on our tour. I couldn’t help but notice that several enterprising locals were selling shots of Gingha from their windows and stoops to the very thirsty tourists exploring their neighbourhood.
Walking through Alfama
If you visit Lisbon you must treat yourselves to a Fado performance. Fado is a traditional form of music the origins of which can be traced to the 1820s and it’s cultural importance is as significant to Portugal as Flamenco is to Spain. There are no words that can accurately describe Fado music, suffice it to say that it is both beautiful and mournful. We were lucky enough to enjoy an evening of Fado while enjoying a delicious traditional Portuguese meal in the historical Alfama neighbourhood later that evening following our tour.
Fado singing during dinner in Alfama
The following day was pretty busy as we made our way out to Belem to visit the Torre de Belem, enjoyed a delicious lunch of grilled chicken, explored the park after a nice self-catered picnic – made friends with some ducklings and a few peacocks – ate our weight in Pasteis de Belem‘s WORLD FAMOUS Portuguese custard tarts and finally making our way back to our neighbourhood in time to see the sunset from the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte.
Torre Belem
The bustle is non-stop at Pasteis de Belem
Let me tell you, climbing that hill to see the sunset was a killer. However, once we arrived at the top of the hill we were lucky enough to witness one of the most beautiful city sunsets ever. There was something truly magical about this place. We arrived at the top of the hill, sweating, out of breath, cursing every bloody stair we had to climb to make it there, yet somehow all of that didn’t matter. It also didn’t seem to matter to the other thirty or so other people who had also made the ascent. As the sunset over Lisbon, the crowd snapped pictures while toasting each other with wine and beer (which we in our haste forgot to bring. At some point a small band began serenading the crowd with some old standards and as the sunlight faded and the sky began to shift from orange, to pink, and finally red, the jazz trumpet played the sun out of the sky, I couldn’t help but smile. It was a perfect end to a wonderful day.
Sunset over Lisbon
In total, we were in Lisbon for 6 days and we could have easily stayed longer and not run out of things to do or see. We loved the city, its people and its food and I cannot wait to return some day.
After the busy and frenetic pace of Lisbon, we were happy to arrive in Porto. I couldn’t help but notice almost immediately that Porto seemed to be much more quieter and laid back then Lisbon. We arrived by train after a relatively short trip, about 3 hours. Our apartment, again an airbnb rental, was centrally located, about a 10 minute walk from the Sao Bento train station. Fun Fact: the train station was named after a 16th century Benectine monastery which was at one time located on the site, but was destroyed by fire in the late 18th century. It was rebuilt but fell into a state of disrepair. In the early 1900s King Carlos I decided to expand the Portuguese train system and engaged a famous architect, Jose Marques de Silva to redesign the defunct monastery for it to be used as the main train station in Porto
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One of the two azulejo panels at the Sao Bento station in Porto.
Currently, the train station acts as a main hub for Porto’s suburban train lines. The architecture is stunning, however, the real star attraction of the station are the two azulejo painted tile panels by Jorge Colaco – who was considered to be the most important azulejo painter at the time. The two panels depict landscapes and historical events and are located in the main vestibule of the station.
We arrived at our apartment which was located in a circa 1960’s three story walk-up. Let me tell you that walking into that apartment was like taking a step back in time. The apartment, which used to be owned by an architect, had been magnificently restored to its original design, complete with wood paneled walls, post modern lighting and the most amazing divider wall come bookcase I have ever seen. However, the decor itself paled in comparison to the current owner’s extensive collection of jazz and fado CDs! I was over the moon at discovering these magnificent musical gems and the best part? The owner also left us a delicious bottle of Porto for us to sip on while we enjoyed her sensational jazz collection.
Enjoying some of Porto’s finest at the historical Majestic Cafe.
The following morning we set off to explore the city. Sadly Porto’s only walking tour was not being offered during the days we would be in the city, so we did a bit of research online and made a list of some attractions to seek out while walking around Lisbon. One of the first places we checked out was Porto’s historical Majestic Cafe. There was a bitof a line up but we didn’t mind, since we knew that something delicious was waiting for us inside. We each ordered a dessert and port pairing from their recommended pairings menu, and no surprise, the pairings were perfect.
Luckily for us, we just happened to arrive in Porto while a number of great outdoor events and festivals were taking place, including the one day Em D’Bandada music festival. This music festival is unlike most music festivals in that the bands perform in some very interesting locations such as a streetcar, or in a grocery store, or marching down the sidewalk. Em D’Bandada begins early morning and continues well into the pre-dawn hours. We were fortunate enough to see some great performances as we walked through the city that day. Unfortunately, I got sick that evening but Emma and Andrew were able to check out some of the performances, including a street party featuring a DJ spinning from inside the basket of a cherry picker 5 meters above the street until 4am.
On our first morning walk through the city, we happened upon an outdoor market selling everything from homemade cookies, compotes and macaroons…just to name a few. I, of course, took full advantage and picked up a small bag of cookies along with a delicious port, apricot and raspberry jam. All were made by small local producers who were all very enthusiastic about their products and rightfully so. All that traveling had made me quite hungry.
Outdoor market in Porto
Porto is also home to a very large outdoor book fair as well as a festival that pays homage to Porto’s official dish, the Francesinha. This dish can best be described as a franken-sandwich stuffed with cured ham, sausage, and beef wrapped in melted cheese then drowned in a beer and tomato sauce. It’s sometimes topped with an egg and served with french fries. It’s not an attractive looking dish, but I was assured by both Emma and Andrew that it was delicious. I wasn’t feeling well, and upon seeing this monstrosity of a sandwich, I was grateful for not being able to stomach food, because there was no way I was putting any of it in my mouth, as I assure you it looked disgusting.
The famous Francesinha…at 2500 calories each, this thing packs a punch
The forecast for the next few days was not very promising with nothing but torrential downpours in the forecast. We decided that the best way to beat the weather was to visit one of the many port lodges across the Douro and hole up there for an afternoon of porto tasting. I mean, what choice did we have?
We attended a really nice tasting at the Taylor’s port lodge. Our tasting included a guided tour and three glasses of port. The tour and tasted lasted about an hour and a half in total and we paired our ports with a very nice artisanal cheese and some handcrafted chocolate truffles. It was pure bliss and by far the best way to combat the dismal weather outside.
Taylor’s port tasting…best way to escape the rain.
Later that evening, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Grade A, a family run restaurant near the waterfront. The food was simply prepared and absolutely delicious. We were offered a delicious and delicate octopus salad and a plate of lightly battered and deep fried sardines drizzled in oil as appetizers which we devoured almost immediately. I then ordered the prawns in lemon butter and paprika served with lemon wedges, while Emma ordered the pan seared lamb and Andrew had the oven roasted kid. Dessert was a dream, we each ordered something different and shared, as you do! I had a slice of key lime pie – divine! Andrew ordered another version of the layered mocha cream cake he’d had in Lisbon and Emma ordered an oven roasted apple with cinnamon – YUM!
We managed to sign up for the Taste Porto Food tour, which quite frankly I cannot recommend enough. The tour lasted about 3 1/2 hours and was pretty amazing. Our guide Andre, was very knowledgeable and he offered us an experience that took us off the beaten path. The beauty of this tour is that Andre and his team will not take you to the typical touristy food places, his food tour gives you the opportunity to taste the Porto that the locals enjoy. He works closely with local vendors and suppliers to curate a truly authentic Porto food experience. During this tour we visited 6 stops including the Mercado Bolhao, Flor dos Congregados (the oldest restaurant in Porto, a third generation family run resto that has been operating for 152 years – and counting), an incredible bakery famous for its eclairs, another bakery specializing in an incredibly flaky pastry stuffed with both savoury and sweet fillings, an historic coffee house and a taberno specializing in curating the best wines, cheeses and sausages from small local producers. This tour was an absolute highlight and Andre was an absolute wealth of information on the food scene in Porto offering us suggestions on where to eat and which wine bars to visit. Just incredible. One of the best things about this particular tour were the other foodies who also signed up. We met some pretty amazing people including including a journalist from the U.K. who was living in Poland with his wife (we met up with them later that day for pint at a local craft beer pub) another couple from Australia who were living in London, another couple from just outside Toronto who were last minute additions to the tour, and a fantastic woman named Nanna, from Reykjavik, who also happened to be a well known cook book author.
I discovered so much while visiting this amazing city and I’m not just talking about the food and the port. We visited many wonderful spots including the Livraria Lello, an incredible library dating back to 1869 which served as J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Hogwarts while writing Harry Potter.
Inside Livreria Lello
On another day, we wandered into the incredible HATS & C.A.T.S. where I had the pleasure of trying on some of the most beautiful hats I’ve laid eyes upon. These hats were not just hats, they were pure artistry.
Finally, on our last day in Porto we took the historic Tram 1 to Passeio Alegre and walked along the sea wall to watch the waves crashed against the light house as the sun set on the horizon, a scene so wondrously beautiful it made my heart sing. I just couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be there to witness something so amazing.
Malaga has long been one of my absolute favourite destinations, if not for its beautiful old city centre than most definitely for its rich history and breathtaking views from atop the Gibralfaro.
Rose garden in Malaga, beautiful spot along the waterfront
We arrived in Malaga mid afternoon after a scenic train ride through the country side. Upon arrival we checked into our room – booked through airbnb – located in the heart of the old city centre. The room was located in an airy third floor walk up with tall ceilings, an adorable kitchen and spacious living room with large windowed doors opening up to two balconies overlooking the cobblestone streets below. Our room was adorably decorated in whitewashed finish with a large cupboard for our clothes and the most comfortable beds ever – and lets not forget, real, actual pillows…like actual foam pillows. If I’d had room in my backpack, they may have accidentally made their way into my luggage. Mornings were an absolute delight at this place, we enjoyed our breakfasts in the company of other guests and sharing travel stories with them…loved this place.
Freshly caught and deep fried whitebaits with sangria
After checking in we made our way to Confederation Square located in the heart of Malaga, one of my favourite spots to people watch. We promptly sat down at a table on one of the restaurant terraces overlooking the square and ordered a pitcher of sangria and plate of battered and fried whitebaits…absolutely scrumptious! We lingered there for most of the afternoon musing about our adventure so far and what we should explore while staying in Malaga.
We had initially planned a day trip to Morocco from Malaga, but soon discovered that we wouldn’t have enough time to do so. Luckily for us, this would give us time to explore the Alcazaba and the Castillo de Gibralfaro instead. The Alcazaba is a former palace-fortress dating back to 1057 and was occupied by the Muslim governors during their time in Spain. Easily walkable and bargain as you can visit both sites for less than 3 euros – if you are willing to wait until later in the afternoon to make the climb to the Castillo de Gibralfaro as entrance is free after 2pm. We decided to explore both the following day.
One of many beautiful gardens for you to enjoy as you stroll through Malaga
That evening, we decided to check out the tapas scene in Malaga and made our way to El Tapy, a local tapas bar which was highly rated on Yelp because of it’s varied menu and cheap eats. What. A. Shit. Show. The place was crowded and our server ushered us to a tiny table in the back room, crammed up against another table. It was so crammed that the guy at the next table kept hitting me in the back with his elbow every time he took a drink from his wine glass and he and his friend had just ordered another full bottle of wine! We ordered two beers which were brought to us fairly quickly, they were ice cold and accompanied by, quite possibly, the most gag inducing plate of paella I’ve ever had the misfortune of putting in my mouth. I’m afraid it was time to call time on El Tapy. We downed our beers and spent the next 20 minutes trying to flag down our server in order to get our bill. Emma literally, no joke, had to tackle another server in order to finally get our bill. We made haste out of there and off to a quaint little tapas placed we had walked by earlier in the evening, Vineria Cervantes.
Disgusting El Tapy paella, to be avoided at all costs
It was brilliant! We were seated at a small table outside (perfect for people watching) and given a menu. Now the challenges was in choosing something since every plate that passed by our table looked mouth watering and every dish described on the menu sounded delicious. We finally decided on the battered prawns with treacle and a coriander mayonnaise and the Argentine steak with tomatoes and roasted potatoes, paired with a Rioja tinto – Biga ‘crianza’. Their wine list was quite impressive, with many wines available by the glass, so choosing a wine was a bit of an effort, but our server was extremely knowledgeable and quite helpful in helping us choose the right wine.
Vineria Cervantes’ Prawns with treacle and cilantro aoli, not to be missed.
The prawns were incredibly tasty with the sweetness of the treacle playing off nicely against the tang of the coriander mayo. The steak was cooked to perfection and though the tomatoes and roast potatoes were nice, the star of the dish was the spicy chimichurri sauce served alongside, it was heaven. The entire meal brought a tear to my eye, it was so freakin’ good, with the Rioja capping off an absolutely wonderful meal in Malaga.
It’s worth a mention that we ordered the half plates and we did not leave hungry.
Our first step the following day was the Picasso Museum, a permanent Picasso exhibit on display in the artist’s childhood home. Picasso lived in Malaga as a child, left to pursue his art and returned to Malaga only once at the age of 19. The family home was restored and now houses approximately 250 of his oeuvres, generously donated by his family trust. The price is 7 euros and includes the audioguide, which was very informative and offered a great deal of insight into his personal life, his creative process and his progression as an artist. Touring the museum takes about an hour to 90 minutes and not only includes his paintings, but also features a few of his sculptures and a large collection of his pottery which was donated to the museum by his widow. The pottery was quite interesting, but the room in which it is housed was the showstopper, as they feature beautiful murals and gilded ceilings. Absolutely stunning. Of note, the museum also features some pretty interesting temporary exhibits from time to time. Last time I was there, the Dennis Hopper photography exhibit was on offer, and this time they were featuring Louise Bourgeois’ I’ve Been to Hell and Back .
The museum also houses an archaeological dig in the basement, discovered while the home was being restored, displaying remains from the Roman wall which at one time surrounded the city. Though the display itself is quite small, it’s well worth a visit.
Our next stop was the Alcazaba, a palace cum fortress constructed in the early 11th century to house the Muslim emperors who ruled the region at that time. If you plan on visiting this place, be sure to set aside at least a couple of hours and make the hike up the hillside to the Castillo de Gibralfaro as well for some stunning views of the city. Both are amazing examples of Moorish architecture and an absolute must. We also took advantage of the small cafe on site and took a much deserved sangria break under the shade of the trees and overlooking the city below. Delightful!
After a full day of sightseeing, what better way to cap of the day then drinks on the roof of the Marriott hotel followed by dinner at one of the oldest restaurants in the city. Our hosts had recommended the rooftop at the Marriott and it did not disappoint. We were treated to 360 degree sweeping views of the city below while we sipped our sangrias and watched dusk turn into night.
Views from atop the AC Marriott in Malaga, simply breathtaking
Later, we made our way to El Chinitas, one of the oldest restaurants in Malaga. The restaurant specializes in seafood and has an extensive wine list. Prices are what you would expect to pay in the touristy part of the city, but the food was good and we were treated to a delicious meal on the terrace. We shared a mixed tapas appetizer plate featuring fish, meat, beans and sausages and each had a fish plate. I ordered the sole meuniere and Emma ordered their deep fried seafood platter. I wish I could say the food was amazing, but sadly it was not. My fish was average at best and the appetizer selection was less than stellar, though Emma appeared to enjoy her seafood plate.
Sole a la meuniere – El ChinitasFried fish platter, a must try in Malaga
Following dinner, we walked through its cobblestone streets, exploring the many bars and terraces where locals and tourists alike commiserate over sangria and the music from the clubs spills out into the streets. The perfect end to our last day in this beautiful place.
This beautiful 2000 year old city was definitely one of the many highlights of this trip. Once considered to be a major fishing and much desired trade hub, Sevilla was conquered by both the Cartagenas and the Romans, colonized and named by Julius Caesar, then Muslim occupied for more than 500 years. As expected this rich and storied past has influenced its architecture, traditions, food, culture and its people.
Seville at night, there is no place more beautiful.
We arrived in Seville by train in the early afternoon and quickly made our way to Pension Vergara, a former convent now converted into a two story pension, and our home for the next few days. The pension was located on the most famous neighbourhoods of Seville – though we didn’t know it at the time. More on that later.
After checking in to our room, we unloaded our bags and made quick work of finding a nearby restaurant for a bite to eat and a glass of wine, of course. Let me say that this did not prove to be very difficult as the winding cobblestone streets outside our pension were lined with restaurants, tabernas, terraces and bodegas. We had hit pay dirt!
Our first food stop on this leg of the trip was Cerverceria Giraldi, A small restaurant with a stunning sidewalk view of the cathedral. We ordered small tapas plates of Iberico ham, grilled lamb chops, grilled mushrooms, and manchego cheese along with a crisp bottle of perfectly chilled vinho verde.
We lingered over our tapas and wine planning out our last few days in Spain while watching tourists and locals alike going about their business in the shadow of the cathedral and later that evening we walked through the city snapping pictures and taking in the beauty of this wonderful place. Sevilla at night is absolutely stunning. I must have taken over a thousand pictures while visiting this city alone. Just incredible. After a few hours of taking in the magnificence of this place at night, and witnessing quite possibly, one of the most beautiful city sunsets I’ve ever seen, we headed back to our pension for a solid night’s rest. There was a lot to see here and we didn’t want to miss a second of it!
The following morning we headed to the meeting spot for the free walking tour. Our guide Lupee was born in Seville and has a degree in Art History, so she was the perfect person to lead our tour through this historic city. Our tour focused on the the many monuments of Seville, as well as the area near the cathedral, the India Archives and the Real Alcazar. The tour lasted about 3 hours with stops at the oldest bullfighting ring in Sevilla, the Gold Tower, the Royal Tobacco Factory, now converted into a public university, the grounds of the Ibero-American Exposition World’s Fair which took place in Seville in 1929, and the Plaza de Espana . While we saw many things on this tour, my favourite stop was by far, the Plaza de Espanya, also built as part of the Ibero-American Export to highlight Spain’s industry and technology exhibits. Currently it houses Seville’s City Hall along with various government departments. Fun Fact: the building was also used in the filming of Lawrence of Arabia.
Plaza de Espanya
While on our walking tour, our guide mentioned a Flamenco evening event which was also offered by the same tour company. We signed up on the spot and we certainly did not regret it. For 28 euros, we were treated to a brief, one-hour history lesson on Flamenco in Sevilla from the rooftop of the Hotel Dona Maria in Old Sevilla. The views and wine alone were worth the price of the tour. As the sun set over the cathedral and we sipped our wine, Lupee provided us with a detailed overview of the various branches of the art, its costumes, and its folklore. Once the sun had set the history lesson was complete and it was time to make our way to the famed Casa de la Guitarra for the Flamenco show. The venue was quite small, with a maximum seating of probably 50 people. The lines of the small room are lined with the largest collection of Spanish Flamenco guitars in the world. The privately owned collection is said to be one of the most important in Spain with guitars dating back to the 16th century.
Now, it is said that the art of Flamenco should be enjoyed in a small, intimate space where you can see the sweat on the dancer’s brow and feel the music of the guitar and the vibrato of the singer’s voice and the stomping of the performers’ feet. The venue delivered on all fronts. We were seated very close to the front, second row, and thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It was an absolute treat and the highlight of our time in Seville. As our tour guide said it best “you don’t go the opera for steak”, so why would you sign up for a flamenco dinner show in a large theatre. She was right. This is the only way to enjoy the art of Flamenco. I cannot recommend this show enough.
The food in Seville is beyond compare, we enjoyed many delicious meals in this city and we even found a favourite hangout, the Bodega Santa Cruz. We had heard a lot about the Santa Cruz neighbourhood and how it was an absolutely must while in Seville. On our final day in Seville, we decided to look up some restaurants in that neighbourhood and make our way there for dinner. Well, we didn’t have to go very far, as it turned out that after 4 days of talking about how we must visit this neighbourhood, the restaurant we were planning to go to was literally outside the front door of our pensione. We had been in the bloody neighbourhood for our entire trip and didn’t even realize it! You would think that the bodega we visited every night, the Bodega Santa Cruz, would have tipped us off? Idiots! Highly embarrassing! Needless to say we loved Santa Cruz, it’s winding cobblestone streets, historic sights and delicious food!
Metropol Parasol, The Second Room and their ridiculously potent dry martinis.
We stopped into the Second Room after visiting the Metropol Parasol, a wooden structure designed by noted German architect Jurgen Mayer-Hermann. The admission for entrance is 3 euros and it includes a free cocktail at one of 3 restaurants located at the base of the structure. We, of course, took full advantage of this incredible freebie and enjoyed a chilled glass of vinho verde under the Parasol.
This glass of vinho verde was followed by an order of deep fried calamari and onions with hot chili peppers and a bottle of wine – they were offering a promotion on wine after all – who can say no to that? Well, certainly not Emma and I. So, we ate the calamari and polished off the bottle of wine. As we made our way back to our hotel, we happened to notice a sign outside the Second Room, a popular cocktail bar, promoting their dry martini. It was ridiculously priced at 14 euros, but how could we say no to the only decent martini we’d seen on a menu in over a month. We sat down and ordered the martini, as you do – ‘Very dry with 3 olives, please and thank you!’ It was delicious! It was so delicious in fact, that we ordered a second martini…with 5 olives this time! Let me just say in our defence, that we had already consumed a half bottle of wine each and a martini, so we clearly were not thinking straight. Fast forward to the next afternoon when we woke up in our beds at the pension, fully clothed – I was still wearing my sandals – with absolutely no recollection of when or how we got there. After checking our bags to make sure we still had our wallets and cash, we checked our cameras to see if we had taken any photos following our martini throw down. The last photo on my phone was a picture of the 5 olive martini, it was time stamped 6:57PM. It was now past noon! Yikes! Thus, I would recommend that you do try the martini, but for the love of all that is holy, don’t be an idiot. Don’t drink a bottle of wine before hand and no matter what you do…do not, under any circumstances, order a second one!
The Second Room’s DEADLY DRY MARTINI – stop at one if you know what’s good for you!
On our last full day in Seville and we couldn’t possibly leave the city without visiting the famous Real Alcazar. To be completely honest, it’s the one thing I absolutely had to visit, especially knowing that episodes of Game of Thrones have been filmed there. The grounds and palace defy description and the photos alone do not do it justice. Suffice it to say that it was well worth the price of admission and the 2 hours we spent there were not nearly enough. The surrounding gardens are equally beautiful and one could spend 2 hours alone enjoying the quiet sanctuary they offer.
Real Alcazar, SevillaInside the Real Alcazar, Sevilla
First of all, this city is amazing! Hands down one of the most eclectic, vibrant and culturally rich cities I’ve ever visited.
While in Istanbul, we stayed at #bunk Taksim, located about 5 minutes walk from Taksim Square. Taksim Square is located in the heart of the city centre and happens to be the main transportation hub for the city. The metro system in Istanbul is very reliable and its routes cover the entire city. Our location was ideal for this reason since there is so much to see and do in Istanbul.
Getting to know Taksim Square on our first night in Istanbul
Taksim at Night…so much to see and do.More sights from Taksim Square, Istanbul
On our first night in Istanbul, we decided to walk around Taksim Square and the adjoining neighbourhood of Beyoglu. We wandered through very crowded streets lined with all manner of bars and restaurants. There are two things about this place that struck us immediately, the first being the amount of people out and the bold, aggressive approach of the men who work at getting you into their bars or restaurants. They will do whatever it takes to get you to stop in front of their establishment, short of grabbing hold of you and physically dragging you in. At first intimidating and then comical. Whatever their methodology it always starts with “Lady, can I ask you a question?” And is usually follows up with, not a question, but more of a statement meant to entice you like “rooftop terrace”, “cheapest beer in Istanbul”, “good prices”, but never an actual question.
Spectacular view from one of Istanbul’s many rooftop bars
Taking in the sights of one of Istanbul’s rooftop bars
On our first night we stopped by Mado for some rice pudding, Turkish coffee and Turkish Delight, followed by a beer at one of the many bars offering a rooftop terrace (nearly every bar in Beyoglu has one). I have been a fan of rice pudding for as long as I can remember, as my memere Genier used to make it every weekend and it kicked ass. However, this Turkish rice pudding was on a whole other level. It was richer and creamier with less rice and more pudding, finished in the oven with a nice golden crust and topped with a bit of rose water. Simply delectable. Not to be outdone, the Turkish Delights were almost otherworldly, available in a head spinning variety of flavours from pomegranate to pistachio to orange to rose water – complete with dried rose petals. Delicious and beautiful. I wanted to eat all of them! All of this followed by Turkish coffee, bold, flavourful and gritty.
Rice pudding, my absolute favourite.
The next morning we were off to Cihangar Khevlahti Evi for a traditional Turkish breakfast. Let me say that these people LOVE their breakfasts. The traditional breakfast we ordered consisted of 4 different types of cheese, eggs with sausage, a variety of breads, olives, salami, pomegranate jam, tahini, fresh honey and honeycomb, and salad. There was enough food for 4 people! We ate it all though! Only problem was that after gorging on this massive breakfast we realized we would be late for our free walking tour Emma had signed us up that morning and we had a 45 minute walk to the start point. It was a bit of a mad rush to get there in 30 degree heat. We arrived at the start point – ON TIME – and began to search for our guide. We weren’t able to locate them so we asked the tourist information people who worked in the park and they told us that this tour doesn’t exist. That it was just a scam. Apparently, they lure you to the square in this very touristy neighbourhood where they offer all manner of tours at a cost, once you arrive you’ll probably decide to buy one of the tour packages being offered. Well, not us my friends! We were pissed, of course, we literally half ran there in the heat to get there on time. So, after sculling down some water we toured the area ourselves.
Traditional Turkish Breakfast
We snapped photos of the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque, also known as the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, and started our own ‘self guided’ tour.
Hagia Sophia, IstanbulBlue Mosque, Istanbul
Our first stop was the Basilica Cistern, the largest of many cisterns below the city. It was built, by slaves, in the 6th century during the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I.
Basilica Cistern, Istanbul
Next up, Istanbul’s famous Grand Bazaar. Let me say this, it was most certainly grand. We could have spent the entire day exploring the maze of stalls with vendors selling everything under the sun from antique lamps, dried fruits, exotic spices and woven rugs. It was wondrously overwhelming. We must have been there for a couple of hours and didn’t even visit a tiny fraction of the place.
Scenes from inside the Grand Bazaar, Istanbul
After spending the bulk of our day wandering around Sultanahmet exploring the many attractions we slowly made our way back to our hotel, but not before grabbing a bite at a small pide restaurant (of course).
We did stop at a different bar every night, and every single place offered a different experience from rooftop terraces with sweeping views of the city and live entertainment and that night was no different.
For dinner, we stopped at Durumzade, a kebap place which was featured on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations. OMG, it was by far the most delicious meal of our trip so far AND it only cost us $7 each! Admittedly, we were questioning our decision to stop here as we made our way there. The street it’s located on can only be described as something out of scene out of ‘Taken’. The street was nothing more than rumble and our table was set up just outside the entrance to the place with old tires and piles of bricks strewn about. Regardless, the food was incredible. Anthony did not steer us wrong.
Durumzade
So delicious…me so happy!
On our last day in Istanbul we hopped on the ferry to cross the Bosphorous and visit the Asian side of Istanbul, and by Asian side I mean the part of the city located on the continent of Asia. It as a pretty cool experience taking a short ferry ride and then stepping off in another continent. This Istanbul neighbourhood is referred to as Kadikoy. It has a very different energy compared to the very frenetic and crowded Taksim Square. The streets were much less crowded with cute little shops and sidewalk restaurants. We even found a nice park by the water where we napped for a bit. It was unbelievably quiet and so peaceful.
Crossing the Bosphorus to the Asian side of IstanbulOur unexpected lunch guestAdorable lunch spot in Ortakoy…definitely not as crowded as Taksim SquareHarbour at Kadikoy, Asian side of Istanbul
After a few hours in Kadikoy, we boarded the ferry again, this time making our way to Besiktas, a waterfront neighbourhood, this time located on the European side. We quickly discovered that it was very touristy and decided to walk to an area known as Ortakoy. A few people we met had recommended that we check it out. Ortakoy consisted of several small shops and restos, as well as a large outdoor market located along the waterfront. It was just as touristy as Besiktas but I rather enjoyed it because it was lively and eclectic.
Shisha bar in OrtakoyOpen air market of OrtakoyHello there little fella.Waterfront at OrtakoyWandering through Ortakoy
After enjoying some food from one of the many food stalls, we made our way back to the hostel to freshen up before spending our final night exploring this amazing city.
Taksim square is a major landmark in Budapest and a central hub for the metro, it also happens to be a great place for people watching. We saw more crazy in that square and its surrounding than anywhere else in the city. On our last morning in particular while enjoying our final breakfast there we witnessed a man being kicked by an old lady then slapped (very lightly) by a random guy – he fled across the square bawling at the top of his lungs, without once looking back. We then spotted what appeared to be an attempted cat poisoning, followed by a fully naked man taking a bath in the fountain. No one batted an eye at any of this. Just your typical day in Taksim Square.
Istanbul is an incredible city, visit it if you have the opportunity, I know I’m grateful I did!
Emma and I arrived in Greece over a week ago and we’ve been busy! We started in Syros, then off to Mykonos, Paros, and Ios…as we wait for our ferry to Santorini, I thought I’d update you on what we’ve been up to. By the way, EVERY island sells post cards with their name followed by “The Best Island” caption. I thought I would assign categories to each of the islands we visited, in keeping with “The Best Island” theme. You will notice that not a single island received a Best Island for WiFi access…it’s basically shit and in some places mega shit, that’s why it’s taken me so long to get this post up…just sayin’.
Syros – “The Best Island” for lazing around in the sun:
The beach located directly across the street from our hotel
Arrived in Syros, our first stop in Greece, after over 12 hours of flights, waits, ferries and buses and it was so worth it.
Now there is one thing I want to mention as I feel I would be remiss in not bringing this to your attention. Traveling for any amount of time on a ferry or bus in Europe in the middle of summer is NOT glamorous, like at all. Every travel day we leave our hotel freshly showered in clean clothes and our spirits filled with hope that today’s travel experience will be different. It NEVER is. Every travel leg, be it on a plane, a bus, or a ferry it ways ends the same way. Emma and I sweaty and stinking, reduced to puddles and wanting nothing more than a shower and fresh clothes. Some days the trip is short and the shower and bathroom are clean and fresh towels are waiting while other days you end up sitting naked on a stool in a 3×3 foot stall that smells like it hasn’t seen the end of a cleaning brush in decades just praying that your skin doesn’t accidentally brush up against the wall or shower curtain while you attempt to wash the dirt away. Lucky for us, since arriving in Greece we’ve had nothing but clean bathrooms and functioning showers, which makes me fear for what awaits. We’ve been a little too lucky over the last few days. It has me worried.
I’m not sure if it was the combination of the airport bathroom incident, the middle of the night flight, 3am arrival at Athens airport, the 1 hour bus ride to Piraeus port (the man drove like a ‘goddamn animal’, seriously luggage and people were jostled about the bus like balls in a lottery machine), the seemingly innocent glass enclosure on the ferry to Spyros – just a giant easy bake oven for us to slow roast in – but by the time we got to the island my feet were swollen to twice their normal size.
I spent the first night lying on the bed with my legs above my head against the wall to drain the blood from my feet. It was surprisingly comfortable. Who knew that sleeping in an L-shape could be so restful? I awoke the next morning to normal size feet – yay!
Enjoying a beer while watching our first sunset in SyrosFirst sunset in Syros, Greece. This picture does not do it justice.
The next morning, Emma and I got right down to business, and by business I mean eating breakfast then finding wine and a spot on the beach conveniently located directly across the street from our hotel.
We spent the entire day lying on the sand and taking the occasional dip in the sea. The waters were crystal clear in the morning, however, by mid afternoon we noticed something was off. This idyllic setting was no longer. The first thing Emma pointed out was a dead frog floating in the water, upon closer inspection, we quickly realized that it was no dead frog. It was something much, much worse. To our horror, the thing floating toward us in the water was in fact a discarded tampon. As we quickly tried to create as much distance between us and the NOT A DEAD FROG, we then spotted more trash floating in the water – ice cream cone wrappers, a panty liner, plastic bottles, etc. It was as though someone threw a bag of trash into the water. Our spot on the beach, which had been so beautiful earlier had almost instantaneously been transformed into a scene from some post-apocalyptic movie where the seas are filled with trash. Yuck!
(We were told later that afternoon that someone had cleaned things up. Apparently, a passing boat had carelessly dumped their trash into the water…who does that?! Anyway, there is a group of volunteers in Galissas who take care of the beach and do their best to keep it clean. The mess was cleaned up rather quickly.)
Picturesque Galissas, Syros Greece
Needless to say, we left the beach and retreated to our hotel across the street. While in Galissas we stayed at Maistrali Hotel, a small family run property. Our room cost us 90€ for 3 nights and it was a great value. Located directly across from the beach, small balcony at the back and breakfast buffet every morning for an additional 5€. The bathroom was good but the beds were really hard, as in one step above sleeping on a concrete slab. We were in room 1 which was right next to the reception desk. It was ok most of the time, however, the owner who often sat at reception behaved like a petulant child most days – shouting at guests and locals, annoyingly ringing the service bell whenever he wanted the staff to bring him something (most likely a drink because he appeared to be soused most of the time). He was also really flirty – offering to have me run away with him to the Maldives – What?! He was so loud that one couple switched rooms in hopes that it would quieter, didn’t work. There really was no escape.
Our quaint little hotel in Galissas. Maistrali is a family owned hotel, with great rooms and a very good price.
Galissas is a really quaint little town. There really isn’t a lot to do there, but that was kind of the point. After the hustle and bustle of Prague, the change of pace was most welcome.
The town is mostly a tourist stop and appears to exist for that reason alone. The shops clearly cater to tourists selling all manner of souvenirs, postcards, beach towels and sunscreen. The restaurants all face the beach so you can take in the full magnificence of the sunsets on this island, and trust me, they are spectacular. The menus feature Greek food with some burgers and chicken nuggets thrown in for the less adventurous eaters.
While on Syros, we took a bus from Galissas to Megas Gialos a nearby beach town. Again, super small and quiet, but the beach was beautiful and CLEAN! We had lunch and a beer (of course) while overlooking the beach. The bus ride was about 15 minutes and the fare was 1.90€ each way. Well worth it.
Megas Galios, Syros, GreeceChef’s salad and a beer – just a light lunch given that we’re in our bikinis and on the beachDakos and beer, my light lunch…quite tasty.
We spent every evening either drinking beer or wine and toasting the sunsets. On our last night in Galissas we climbed to the peak of the large hill overlooking the bay. At the top of this hill is a tiny white church and one of the most amazing views of the town below and the sun as it sets behind a nearby island. If you happen to glance to the left of the hill you will notice a tiny beach located in a small cove. The water looked so inviting and we may have considered checking it out the next day were it not for the colony of nude campers who had overtaken that tiny beach.
Cove beach as seen from the top of the hillPicnicking at the top of the hill – a girl needs to eat after a long hikeSunset as seen from the top of the hill in GalissasThe church on the hilltop after sunset
As we made our way back down the hill toward our hotel we couldn’t help but marvel at how serene the town below was.
Mykonos – “The Best Island” for people watching:
Arriving in Mykonos Town
We boarded the ferry to Mykonos late morning and arrived at the port little more than an hour later. As we searched for our hotel transfer van, to no avail, I double checked our reservation confirmation email and discovered that we had arrived a day early! No wonder they weren’t there to pick us up. As soon as we realized the droid, we set about finding accommodations for the night. Emma quickly found us a private room at the Paraga Beach Hostel next to Paradise Beach for only 15€ a night each! Problem solved. If you ever arrive at one of he ports without lodging, do not fear. There are always people there with offers of rooms to let – even in high season. Don’t be afraid to negotiate and you can get some pretty good deals, depending on where you are of course. Mykonos and Santorini shamelessly survive on tourism and there are very few deals to be found.
Paraga Beach Hostel, Mykonos Greece
We arrived at Paraga Beach Hostel and it was awesome, well the pool and restaurant area was. The pool was surrounded by beach loungers and beautiful people. The DJ added to the overall Cafe del mar feel of the place. We were walked by the pool and brought to our room and that is when the fantasy ended and the reality hit us. We would not be sleeping in a room, oh no, we were camping that night my friends. We were sleeping in a tent. No A/C, one light and a screen panel for a window. With military style cots for beds. No wifi either so no distraction from the environment whatsoever. We quickly changed into our bikinis and made our way to the restaurant/pool area and ordered the mixed grill plate for two – we were famished after all. The grill plate was the best idea we’d had all week it was piled high with chicken, sausage, meat balls, pork chops and fries and it was DELICIOUS! After devouring the meat plate, we ordered a couple of beers and settled in poolside. Seriously, there is no better time to show off your bikini body than after you’ve eaten your weight in grilled sausages and french fries. Am I right?
How do you think I keep this bikini body…I just eat this!
After two beers worth of sun baking and quick dips in the pool we left the pool and walked over to Paradise Beach next door. The last time I was there was five years ago and a lot has changed. There are more bars and lounge chairs. Every bar is competing for your attention and your dollars. We settled in front of the Guapaloca bar to watch the Brazilian dancers. The host was entertaining and they were giving away free shots…so sure why not! We spent the rest of the day and most of the evening at Paradise Beach sipping beer, various cocktails and a bottle of rose. We ended up dancing the rest of the night away – the DJ was really good – playing everything from rap to hip hop to dance. We sang along and jumped around like idiots. It was awesome!
Overlooking the beach at Paraga Beach Hostel
That night as we made our way back to our tent, we toyed with the idea of sleeping on one of the couches outside the club rather than return to the sweat lodge we were booked in. We went back to our ‘room’ turned on the useless fan and tried to sleep. It was almost impossible to do so. Our cots, despite being elevated about a foot still had us feeling like we were sleeping on the hard ground. How did they manage to do that?! Add to this the fact that the place was a party hostel and there was zero sleep to be had. At one point I swear I heard some guy bust out his ukulele to serenade a group of backpackers in the tent next to us.
After our sleepless night, we hopped aboard the free shuttle to the port to meet the shuttle to the hotel we were booked at for that night. The owner of Maki’s Place greeted us at the shuttle and quickly whisked us away to the hotel which happened to be almost directly across the street from the port. His father, a bit of a curmudgeon, checked us in, all the while letting us know that we got a really good deal in the room (90€ it would normally be 150€) and that one night stays were pretty much the bane of his existence. Ok, we get it – we got a deal. Thanks for letting us know. Once checked in, we made our way to our room and it was adorable! The beds were hard as concrete – again. I began to wonder if concrete slabs as beds were a thing in Greece.
The pool at Maki’s Place was unbelievable…so deep touching the bottom was a struggle.
The beds may have been hard as rocks, but everything else was perfect. The pool was located just outside our room. It was clean and deep and beyond refreshing. After checking in and exploring the hotel, we changed out of our stinking and sweaty clothes and hopped in the sea bus to the old port in Mykonos Town. The sea bus cost 2€ and offered great views of the island as we made our way there.
Sightseeing and photo snapping in Mykonos
Once in Mykonos Town we stopped in a few shops bought some bathing suits we didn’t need, some Havaianas we didn’t need and some food and wine that we definitely did need! We walked through the small winding streets popping in and out of shops and snapping pictures of streetscapes and cats along the way.
Little Venice, Mykonos, Greece
I really wanted Emma to see Mykonos from the top of the hill and convinced her to climb the stairs to one of the vantage points above the town. It was so worth it! After having our fill of stairs and picture taking we headed back to our hotel for a swim, cocktails and dinner. Our last night on Mykonos was pretty unadventurous but it ended with dinner and wine on a deck overlooking the water so not bad at all.
Panorama from the top of Mykonos…well worth the climb
The next morning we checked out of our room and the curmudgeon who’d checked us in the day before had transformed into a funny and personable guy, I guess the people checking in that day had paid full price and were staying for multiple nights. Good for him, I ain’t mad at him. 🙂
Paros – “The Best Island” for shopping:
We arrived in Paros by ferry 2 days ago, hot, sweaty, stinky puddles – formerly human, now feral – and in desperate need of a shower and clean clothes. So our usual state, basically. The Stella Hotel where we are staying is the best place we’ve stayed at so far and at 89€ for 2 nights, it’s a bloody steal! We have a balcony overlooking the sea, a bathroom with a full on stand up shower and ACTUAL MATTRESSES ON THE BEDS. They have springs and everything!
Our first day in Paros we explored the town a little, had lunch on the water – we ordered a mixed plate of appetizers and it was perfect. Various Greek dips and octopus salad with beer, of course. After lunch we stopped by the supermarket to pick up some food stuff like meats, cheeses, tomatoes, grapes and some canned stuffed grape leaves, just in case we were peckish later. Oh and we also bought a 1.5L bottle of wine for bargain price of €2.30. C’mon you know you were wondering! 🙂
Beers on the water, first thing we did in Paros – Shocking!Mixed Greek appetizer platter, with hummus, fava, spicy eggplant, spicy cheese, octopus saladFried Haloumi, Emma’s favourite!
When we got back to the hotel we napped for a bit then snacked on the stuff we bought earlier as we watched the sun set from our terrace. After polishing off half the salami and tomatoes, along with the entire bottle of wine (to be fair this was over a period of several hours) we showered, dressed and then hit the town. It may be a small place, but they have a great bar scene.
We stopped at Entropy, it was rated as the #1 attraction on the island, according to TripAdvisor.
It was pretty easy to find, thanks to my phone GPS. We walked in and there were all of 7 people in the bar, including the owners and the bartender. The first thing i noticed was the haze of cigarette smoke that filled the air. There were two young guys playing beer pong while the other patrons watched and cheered them on. We checked out the cocktail menu, and ordered a drink. Emma had the Wrong Island Ice Tea and I had the Tangerine Dream. They were both ok. We had high expectations for this place, given its high rating on TripAdvisor and I have to say we were disappointed. The owners were friendly and we chatted with them while we finished our drinks, but had zero desire to stick around – my eyes were watering and I felt like every breath was a direct drag off of someone’s ciggy, so we left as soon as we were done our drinks.
We walked around the neighbourhood and discovered this really cool, tiny bar on one of the rooftops over looking the waterfront. The place was packed with people of all ages and the music was pretty good, a very relaxed vibe. We ordered proscecco and settled in at one of the tiny tables to people watch for a bit.
After our proscecco, we walked along the water back to our hotel.
Of note, there are a lot of great shops in Paros and they’re open until quite late, around midnight. You can find pretty much anything you’re looking for and at a reasonable price.
The next morning, we were up early to grab breakfast, shop and then hop the ferry to Antiparos where we would visit the caves and relax at Soros Beach.
The winds were high that day my friends and the sea angry. The ferry ride felt like a roller coaster ride. The ferry chugged along the water as large waves crashed up against it in all directions, tossing us from side to side. There were several occasions during the ride where the passengers screamed – in delight or fear – probably about 50/50. One poor girl came and sat outside at the back of the ferry next to us, seasick.
View from the ferry as we crossed over to AntiparosScene from our ferry crossing to Antiparos
Now the ferry ride normally takes about 10-15 minutes, but it took over 30 minutes that morning. 30 minutes of nausea inducing waves, bobs and rolls. We were very happy to have survived the crossing without puking over the side of the boat.
As soon as we arrived at the port we hopped the bus to the caves and Soros beach (6€ return fare).
I have to admit that I wasn’t expecting much, but they were pretty amazing. The descent (411 steps) into the bottom of the caves was easy and the view was awesome. The caves are comprised of 3 chambers with a total depth of 100m. The entire cave visit took about an hour and I snapped a ton of pictures.
Entrance to St. John’s Caves, AntiparosInside the cave, absolutely breathtaking
Next we were off to Soros beach. The beach itself is not very large and the place was packed. The beach loungers are available to rent for the day for 30€, so fuck that! We’re laying on the sand! We opted to find a spot on the beach next to a tree – I mean, under a shrub – which offered a nice beach view and some shade. Sounds ideal right? Well, in theory yes, but the ‘free’ shelter was very crowded and though we did manage finding a spot, the view wasn’t so great. Yes, I was in the shade next to the beach but every time I looked up all I could see was some guy’s ‘plumber’s butt’. Manscaping hasn’t really caught on in Greece.
The 30 euros/day loungers and the shrub we took shelter under.
Despite the view challenges, we did enjoy the beach day. The water was crystal clear and so refreshing. I was sad to leave, but I knew there were many more beach days ahead of us.
The ferry back across was much smoother than our trip over earlier in the day.
Later that night, we had dinner on the water – like literally on the water – the waves were lapping against the table legs while we enjoyed grilled fish and chicken. It was a clear night and the lights of the island dotted the surrounding hillsides while the silhouettes of the boats in the harbour bobbed in the water in front of our table. It was a perfect final night in Paros.
Thank you all so much for the great feedback and questions I’ve received on the Prague blog post.
In order to answer your questions I thought it might be a good idea add an additional blog post on Prague and cover everything.
Some of you were interested in whether or not food and accommodations were reasonably priced and the answer is an unequivocal YES!
Our tour guide, Callum gave us the low-down on where to eat and what we should expect to pay. He referred to it as ‘The Callum Index’ (TCI) and we followed it to the letter.
The average cost of a 0.5L of draught beer in Prague is anywhere between 25-60 CZK and $1CDN=~19CZK so between $1.25-$3 each. Now, this is an average and if you’re eating and drinking in the ‘touristy’ areas of Prague (anywhere near the Old Town Square, The Charles Bridge, or the Castle) the prices will be in the upper range of that average. Now, according to the TCI no self-respecting Czech will pay more than 35CZK for a beer, so if you’re drinking at a place that charges more than that you’re in a tourist trap my friend. Additionally, a plate of traditional Czech Gulash should not cost you more than 159-189CZK and if it’s priced higher than that – again, tourist trap.
Emma and I had budgeted approximately $65 dollars or ~1200CZK a day for food, drink, excursions and transportation and we always had money left over. We didn’t skip meals and ate and drank a LOT! You’re best to ask where the locals eat if you’re looking for authentic food and good value. Our favourite spot was Krcma, just on the cusp of the touristy area near the Old Town Square. We both had appetizer, entrees and beer and it only cost us about $15/each. The portions were enormous and the food was delicious.
As for our accommodations, we stayed in a pretty dodgy place, at a cost of about $19/night each but the city has many really nice and reasonably priced hotel rooms. We’re just cheap. For $100-$120/night you can expect to find a pretty decent room.
Prague is a photographer’s dream there are so many sights, interesting characters and super cool pockets of the city to discover. The city is very safe so I would encourage to grab your camera and explore. We wandered around the winding streets day and night and discovered so many interesting buildings, statues, art installations and people, all of which increased this city’s cool factor a hundredfold. I snapped more pics in Prague then anywhere else so far and I can’t wait to get home and print some of them!
Now, what would my post be without another little story about Prague. The Czechs appear to be huge fans of ‘defenestrations’ (throwing people or things out of windows). There were two defenestrations in Prague of huge historical significance and impact.
The first happened on July 30, 1419 when a group of radical Hussite followers killed 7 members of their city council by storming the town hall and throwing them out of a window. This eventually led the Hussite wars.
The second defenestration took place in 1618 and it led to the Thirty Years war.
There were many subsequent defenestrations in Prague including the 1948 defenestration of Jan Masaryk, then Minister of Foreign Affairs.
So be warned, if you get into an argument with someone while in Prague, make sure you’re on the ground floor!
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