Paul & Luiza´s World Tour

Pamplona (Navarra), Vitoria-Gasteiz (capital of the Basque Country), Poncebos & Senda del Cares

pauluiza — Fri, 21 Apr 2023 05:37:00 GMT

Pamplona (Navarra), Vitoria-Gasteiz (capital of the Basque Country), Poncebos & Senda del Cares (Picos da Europa in the Asturias) & Valladollid (Castilla y Leon) - Spain - Cities, villages, food, wine, a bit of retail therapy & the third epic hike on this trip

Once again we leave early in the morning do our early shopping at Mercadona and make our way to Pamplona in 2hr20min then stop for a lovely lunch along the way at the Derry Tavern in the Basque Country, then on to Vitoria-Gasteiz, then 3hr20min to Poncebos in the Picos da Europa. We stay at the same hotel we stayed last time, Hostal Poncebos, 45euros including breakfast. We wake up early, have a very decent breakfast and make our way to the very famous Ruta del Cares. We tried to do this about 18 months ago but, to Paul's disappointment, I chickened out. So 3 days earlier I suggested to him that we try and do it again. We start at 8.30 am and finish at 2pm, 23 kms in 5.5 hours, usually people do it in 7 to 8 hours. Not easy and very scary but absolutely worth it. Afterwards we go back to the hostal for a cold beer and a lovely lunch, a menu del dia for 12 euros. Entrees were Spaghetti with Cabrales blue cheese sauce and a fabada Asturiana, mains were Lacon (ham steak) and roast chicken, both with fries and followed by two lovely homemade deserts, bolo de la abuela and a cheesecake, all washed down with a very decent bottle of red.

We then made our way to Valladollid and check in at the nice and comfortable Ibis Hotel, 64euros (more on the weekends) and fold for the night. Deliriously tired but absolutely happy. Another early morning as we head to the local wholesale food market for a very traditional Spanish breakfast, tortillas, tostada con tomate and cafe con leche. Then it´s time to see the historical old town of the very pleasant city Valladolid. After walking around this lovely city we then go for some retail therapy. First stop is the El Corte Ingles Outlet (centro de oportunidades in Spanish), followed by a couple of shopping centres and another supermarket. And of course we go back to the same place in the central market we had breakfast so we can have lunch, another menu, 12euros (carne con batatas, pasta salad, costillo, lomo and two delicious deserts with a bottle of rose).

Now its time to hit the road back home after 12 absolutely perfect days. Home, Sweet Home, after another fabulous roadtrip (3,500 kms, 25 places visited over 12 days). A perfect mix of cities & villages, completing our 73rd country visited (Andorra), 3 epic hikes in 3 of the most iconic national parks (Somiedo, Ordesa y Monte Perdido & Picos da Europa), great food & wine and a little shopping. That's all for now, will see you on our next trip.

Here's a map of our road trip for those interested ....

Aínsa, Broto, Parque Natural de Ordesa y Monte Perdido (Pirineu Aragones, Aragon Province) - Spain

pauluiza — Wed, 19 Apr 2023 05:18:00 GMT

Aínsa, Broto, Parque Natural de Ordesa y Monte Perdido (Pirineu Aragones, Aragon Province) - Spain - Snow-capped mountains, rivers, waterfalls and valleys as far as the eye can see plus the 2nd epic hike (Cola de Caballo) on this trip

We leave Andorra and in 5 minutes we’re back in Spain, what a relief... After a wonderful 4 hour drive through the lower pyrenees valley we reach the absolutely gorgeous village of Aìnsa, again voted one of the most beautiful in Spain and deservedly so. We walk around this gorgeous and very well preserved medieval village. There are tourists around, mostly Spanish and French as it's very close to the French border and we can only imagine how busy it gets in the summer. It's also relevant to say that the weather has been absolutely perfect, so we start peeling off the layers as soon as we leave Andorra. After visiting the medieval village, we go to My Pizza and have a lovely pizza and rosé lunch after a pit stop at the supermarket. Then it´s a 40 minute drive to the cute mountain village of Broto which will be our base for our hike the next day. We check in at the Hotel La Pousada, 45 euros, very nice and well run with an excellent location. We check out an amazing waterfall just 200 metres away (check out the video and pics) then go back to the room to rest.

The next day we wake up very early as we plan to do a hike that is over 2,000 metres high and which takes 8 hours. I'm quite scared but somehow Paul thinks we should be OK. When we arrive at the Pradera de Ordesa, it's just 1 degree Celsius and we get started, full of expectation and trepidation. Shortly after we find a sign saying that the very high trail (Senda de los Cazadores & Faja de Pelay) is closed due to strong recent snowstorms and we just have to do the normal trail along the valley floor, 19.8 kms return hike (4 hrs and 40 minutes), I'm so happy!!! It's far from easy and always up and down but it follows a route of the most beautiful rivers, lakes, waterfalls, rapids, forest and snow capped mountains. It's seriously breathtaking, literally and metaphorically, and highly recommended but you definitely need a certain level of fitness to complete it. We loved this region and are already planning a return for an extended hiking holiday. We go back to the town and have a fabulous and very fair lunch (menu 18 euros) at Las Endrinas restaurant, including a litre of wine, also recommended if you are ever in Broto or in this region.

Andorra La Vella & Andorra, Andorra

pauluiza — Mon, 17 Apr 2023 05:12:00 GMT

Andorra La Vella & Andorra, Andorra - our 73rd country & counting, shop till you drop

We are tired but happy as we've decided to stay in Andorra for 3 days, a little break from the grueling schedule. We check in at the Hotel San Eloi, it's seen better days but still comfortable with a very nice buffet breakfast, 54euros, costing more on weekends, and relax for the day so we have some energy tomorrow to explore this new, for us, country. We wake up in the morning and it's so windy, we overdress and regret it the rest of the day as it heats up. We go out to visit Andorra La Vella, which is quite plain but it's situation in a valley surrounded by the snowy mountains of the Pyrenees, quite makes up for it. After a bit of sightseeing we check out the very famous Andorra duty free shopping. The duty free shopping is great for tobacco and alcohol but not much else unless you're after name brands etc. Petrol is also much cheaper than anywhere else in Europe, so it's time to fill up. Sorry to disappoint you guys but give me some shopping in Spain anytime. Big fan of both Mercadona and El Corte Inglês Outlets (centro de oportunidades), seriously. The actual Andorran consumerism frenzy in times of a global crisis is kinda depressing, people clutching shopping bags like there's no tomorrow... but hey, did I mention the gorgeous valley surrounded by snowy mountains? Anyway, it's a skiing and shopping destination but we'll try to get some mountain hiking out of it. We wake up in the morning and we are supposed to go for a hike but then we read about it and it's over 2,300 metres high so it's back to the drawing board. I look at Paul and suggest that we leave today instead of tomorrow, he pauses for a moment then says ok let's go. After packing up and having another buffet breakfast, we make our way back to Spain. The hotel was paid for an extra day but who cares. Andorra was not really our vibe but it's worth the visit financially speaking.

Girona, Besalú & Castellfollit de la Roca (La Garrotxa, Catalonia)

pauluiza — Sat, 15 Apr 2023 05:02:00 GMT

Girona, Besalú & Castellfollit de la Roca (La Garrotxa, Catalonia) - Spain - A short detour through some gorgeous places in Catalonia on our way to Andorra, country number 73

In Girona, we park the car in an underground car park and I go to the tourism Office and ask about the highlights as we only have a couple of hours to see this city. It's a Saturday and the city is pumping with people walking, running and cycling and of course, bloody tourists. We walk around and visit the basilica and the cathedral, the Jewish barrio, walk along the river and see the colourful houses, see the muñeco (a figurine/doll which is the symbol of the city) and after a lovely couple of hours, walk back to our car as we have a long way to go today, all the way to Andorra, our 73rd country. We leave Girona and drive towards Besalù (40 minutes). The village of Besalú has been voted one of the most beautiful villages in Spain, don't remember what year and it's amazing. It's also one of the oldest medieval villages in Spain, set on a beautiful river and with quite a manageable number of tourists for off season. From Besalú we drive to Castellfollit de la Roca (30 minutes) which is definitely a village to be seen from a distance. The views are breathtaking but the town itself, not so much. Afterwards, we start making our way to Andorra, it's around a 3.5 hour drive. We drive mostly through gorgeous mountains, valleys and tortuous roads but the views are just incredible. At the end, when the GPS says we have another hour´s drive through another national park just to go 5 kms on very hairy mountain roads, we just decide to ignore our GPS's sexy voice and find our hotel is just five minutes up the road, incredible.

Avila, Cuenca & Albarracín, Teruel, Mora de Rubielo, Cantavieja, Mirambel, Valderrobres & Calaceite

pauluiza — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 04:58:00 GMT

Ávila (Avila), Cuenca (Cuenca), Albarracín, Teruel, Mora de Rubielo, Cantavieja, Mirambel, Valderrobres & Calaceite (Teruel) - Spain - Absolutely incredibly beautiful medieval villages & hanging cities

We leave Villablino early in the morning and make our way to Ávila. It's a very long drive of 3.5 hours till we get to the beautiful walled city of Ávila. The weather is not great but we get enough time to go sightseeing and check out the famous walls surrounding the city, they are among the best-preserved and most complete in Europe. We walk around for a while then jump back in the car and drive for another 3.5 hours until we reach the city of Cuenca. We are both tired and cranky but glad we've made it. We check out an ugly and depressing hostal in town then go back to the drawing board and find a very nice place 8kms away from the town, Hotel Resort Cueva del Fraile, 55 euros. The hotel is in an old monastery and it's very beautiful and comfortable, great value for money, but of course we're still off season. We leave early in the morning to see the hanging city of Cuenca, absolutely incredible. The hanging houses that are suspended over the gorge of the river Huecar are sure to grab your attention together with beautiful cobbled streets and ancient buildings and churches.

After Cuenca we make our way to the Province of Teruel. Teruel is an entire new tourism destination in Spain and we were drawn to this region after reading about a village called Albarracin, voted the most beautiful village in Spain in 2023. Our first stop is Albarracin and it really doesn't disappoint as it's one of the best preserved, dramatic, medieval places we've ever seen, and we’ve seen quite a few. From Albarracin we make our way to the beautiful and very pleasant city of Teruel for a decent Menu. After sightseeing in Teruel we make our way to Puerta de Javalambre, 44 euros, a basic but clean and comfortable hostal on the highway just outside the city and fold for the day. Once again we leave very early next morning as we want to see some of the most beautiful villages in the Teruel Province. We make our way to the incredible and very authentic medieval villages of Mora de Rubielo, Cantavieja, Mirambel, Valderrobres and Calaceite, a day not to be forgotten, just check out our photos and you'll be booking your next road trip in 5,4,3,2,1. Once again, tired but ecstatic, what a feast for the eyes, we make our way to Habitaciones Constantin, 40 euros, in Girona and crash, after a glass or two on the terrace, for the night.

Photos: Pola de Somiedo National Park

pauluiza — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 05:54:00 GMT

4 Lakes hike and Pola de Somiedo

Pola de Somiedo - Asturias - Spain

pauluiza — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 05:44:00 GMT

Pola de Somiedo, Villablino & The 4 Lakes Hike, Somiedo Natural Park (The Asturias), Spain - Spectacular scenery & the first of 3 epic hikes on this trip

We were supposed to be going on this trip in May to celebrate being together for 30 years but when we started researching accommodation, we realised that May is the high season for the nice hiking spots we were planning to visit, so it's time for plan B yet again. After a quick team meeting we decide to leave on the 10th of April instead as, thanks again to climate change, the early spring weather has been absolutely great. We get up at 4am and leave at 5am and drive straight (6.5 hours) to Pola de Somiedo in the Asturias to meet up with our friends Ligia and Inacio for a beautiful lunch at the Sidreria Carion (a menu of pote Asturiano followed by crumbed scalopini, including wine and bread, 12 euros per person). A “Menu” in Spain, a set menu lunch which usually includes bread, wine, entree, main and coffee and/or dessert, usually costs between 12 to 18 euros depending on where you are, is usually great value for money (especially in the Asturias). Traditionally, the menu del dia was for workers who couldn't make it back home in time for lunch. Curiously, Franco, the Spanish fascist dictator, is credited with its creation. He had designed a set-price tourist menu back in 1964 and replaced it with the 'menu del dia' in 1970 to showcase Spanish regional cuisine.

After lunch we go for a couple of short hikes just to warm up for our big hike the next day. We stay at the Aldeia de la Montaña Hostal in Villablino, 50 euros with a very decent buffet breakfast taken at their big partner hotel. After breakfast we make our way back to Pola and then to Alto de La Farrapona to do the 4 lake hike. The 4 Lake Hike, one of the most famous in Somiedo, is absolutely amazing but far from easy and not very well signposted, many times we wondered if we were lost til we found another very faint trail to continue on. Always up and down with amazing sceneries, the 8kms hike is really an unforgettable experience, it's easy to intermediate and it requires some degree of fitness. After the hike we want to try another restaurant but they're all closed after the Monday holiday, so we go back to the Sidreria and have some Pote Asturiano and Cachopo de Ternera (crumbed veal with goats cheese and jamon) and a bottle of sidra and another of red, 48 euros for 4 people. From here we were supposed to go up to the Pyrenees for another hike but we checked the weather and rain is forecast for the next few days. Paul has been dreaming about this hike, so after yet another quick team meeting, we change directions and decide to go to the south first and then back up to the north, yes, I know, but that's how we travel and that's what makes it so complicated for us to travel with other people.

7 week trip with a 30 Litre daypack

pauluiza — Fri, 2 Dec 2022 19:20:00 GMT

How we packed for a 7 week trip with only hand luggage

We are good at minimalist travel. If you have been following us for a while, you know from 2010 to 2012, we backpacked through 35 countries for 2 years, seven months and 4 days. We also travelled for 10 weeks through 19 countries in Europe with just a 50 litre backpack. Also, earlier this year, we did a week of the Camino de Santiago Português with just a daypack, so, by now we are turning travel minimalism into an art-form. Since the advent of the washing machine as well as laundries and laundromats, travelling with small bags is not really rocket science, you just have to be organised, brave and detached. However, to be honest, we have to say we kind of struggled a little with this one because of both the change of seasons and the moving between beaches to cities. So, we decided to write a little chapter about how we packed for 7 weeks on the road with a 35 (me) and a 30 (Paul) litre backpacks.

To begin with, all the toiletries were placed in 100ml plastic bottles, placed in clear ziploc bags and shared between the two of us. We also never leave home without 2 small hard plastic cups (for wine or coffee), 2 bag clips for anything opened but not finished, a triple adaptor (so you can charge your devices even if all the plugs are being used) and a small bottle/wine opener (we’ve lost one too many Swiss Army Knives to airport security over the years). We also packed a small nail kit, a very basic medicine bag (paracetamol, cortisone cream and band-aids) and a pair of wash bags (we use them to store dirty clothes but also to protect our delicates in the washing machine).

I packed a pair of runners and a pair of Birkenstock black EVA (rubber) sandals (they go from beach to restaurant), a pair of jeans, two pairs of shorts, a very light cardigan, a rain proof jacket (the kind that becomes a little wallet), 1 bikini set, a very light beach dress, a cap, one singlet (vest), a very light thermal but warm underwear top, 5 T-shirts, 2 scarfs, 2 sets of running clothes (shorts, t-shirts and tops), 3 bras, underwear, socks and 2 pairs of PJs. I also carried my tablet and charger.

Paul packed my small, light laptop (our TV set on the road) and cellphone with both chargers, a pair of runners and a pair of Havaianas. A pair of jeans and a pair of bermuda shorts, five T-shirts and two singlets. A pair of beach shorts, a cap and 2 sets of running clothes. One very light jacket and a thermal long sleeved top, socks and underwear. I honestly feel that we took more things than we needed and the trick to make it all work was that we washed all the light, synthetic pieces in the bathroom and every so often booked an apartment with a washing machine and washed everything before leaving, so yes, it’s absolutely possible.

Self-catering guide

pauluiza — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 19:17:00 GMT

The joys of self-catering in Greece and Italy

We know travelling long term around these regions can get very expensive, so people came up with a great idea, allow tourists to self-cater. Many apartments, studios and even hotel rooms will allow you to self-cater as much or as little as you want. Obviously facilities and equipment will vary from place to place, from providing an electric kettle to a full on stove with pots and pans, to a microwave, a mini bar or a full fridge. There’s a range of options to make your holiday cheaper (and healthier) so you can stay for longer or have a cheaper holiday. Shopping in supermarkets, butchers and local bakeries gives you the opportunity to not only save money but also sample the local produce and try local wines at a much more affordable price.

For example, in Greece, both on the islands and the mainland, a lot of places will provide an electric kettle or some sort of coffee making facilities also a mini stove with pots and pans, detergent, sponge, plates, cutlery, crockery, etc. Some places will also provide olive oil, vinegar, oregano, etc so it’s a good idea to check the place out before you go grocery shopping.

In Italy the focus is more on coffee making facilities, always a good coffee machine and most of the time good quality coffee is also provided. Some places will also offer a range of sugary treats for breakfast. Some places have a very well equipped communal kitchen, sometimes a private one and other times just coffee making facilities, so its a good idea to do a bit of research to find out what will suit your personal needs. These details should be included on the website you’re using eg. booking.com. You can save a lot and sometimes eat just as well or even better just by making your own breakfast, lunch or dinner, or just by having some wine and cheese on your apartment’s balcony instead of going out for drinks. We choose to self cater part time as we like to travel for longer but the choice is really yours.

Photos: Italy - Basilicata and Apulia

pauluiza — Thu, 27 Oct 2022 01:45:00 GMT

Matera, Bari, Molfetta and Alberobello

Italy - Basilicata and Apulia

pauluiza — Tue, 25 Oct 2022 00:24:00 GMT

Matera, Molfetta, Bari & Alberobello (Basilicata & Apulia, Italy): 5 trains and 12 hours, it better be worth it

We wake up very early (thanks Giovanni for the great coffee and coffee machine) and make our way to the train station. We are not sure if we need to buy tickets as it's just one stop to Central station so I suggest we ask the security guys. They say no need for tickets, gotta love this country. We catch a (free) train to Reggio Centrale, another from Reggio to Taranto (6.5 hours), another one from Taranto to Bari (1.40 hours) and finally another one from Bari to Matera (1.40 hours). After 5 trains and 12 hours, we arrive in Matera, Basilicata, the place we picked to spend our 29th wedding anniversary. We check in at a small, grubby place, (Short Stay Matera, 40 euros) just to sleep as our main apartment is fully booked for the first night. Next morning, we get up and our check-in is only at 2pm. We go for a wander, have a lovely cappuccino with a little glass of cold water and ring the owner of the apartment who says we can come and check in at 11. The place (Testa O Croce Casa Vacanza) is very nice, well located, bright and well maintained. The owner is very friendly, there are 4 apartments on the same floor, with a well equipped communal kitchen. Breakfast is provided but everything is so seriously sweet, you can get high sugar levels just by looking at it. The coffee machine is wonderful though. Then we go out to celebrate our anniversary. We start by having a big lunch at a very local restaurant Alimenti DOC, recommended by our host. It’s a simple place but the food is good and generous, and no other tourist in sight. Then we go to explore Matera, allegedly one of the 3 oldest cities in the world, together with Aleppo (which we also loved) and Jericho (still on the list). We walk around and take in the sights and the history of this majestic city. Then we make our way back to our apartment and to a very nice bottle of Italian red. Next morning we make our way back to the amazing old city, visit the caves and churches, have panzerotto for lunch, just a quick grab and go, so we can continue marvelling at this amazing city. Just a tip if you’re planning to visit Matera, avoid weekends as the price of accommodation jumps sharply and you won’t be able to enjoy the peace and quiet or take a photo without someone photobombing it. Also, try to explore it in the morning for better photo opportunities as the sunlight is perfect. We really have to say that the weather has been absolutely incredible for this time of the year. 2 months away from Xmas and we’ve been walking around in shorts and t-shirts with temperatures around 27 to 22 degrees. We pick up a take away pizza and a nice Italian red and make our way back to the apartment.

Our obvious itinerary would be going back to Bari, from where our flight back to Portugal leaves in a couple of days. But we’ve been to Bari before and if you follow us, you know there’s nothing obvious in the way we travel. So we start researching places of interest around Bari and on the train line and we have a winner, Molfetta. We were looking for a small, pretty, affordable, non touristy seaside town, where we can just walk around and soak up the vibe. Molfetta, it sounds like it ticks all the boxes. Yes, apparently you can still find non touristy seaside places in Italy. We catch a 1.5 hour train back to Bari and another train to Molfetta. We get there and check in at the Lilla B&B. The room is very nice and (very) cosy, like a small stone cave. It has all the mod cons and it’s very pleasant. Breakfast (included) is a cappuccino and a cornetto (croissant in Italian, filled with Nutella, cream or custard) at the neighbourhood cafe, how much more Italian can this place get? We walk around the small but historic seaside town, very quaint and chilled, exactly what we needed to end (or almost end) our Italian journey. We pick up yet another take out pizza, a bottle of red and chill, more to explore tomorrow. We get up early and go for a lovely walk around the town. We check out the observation tower, the many churches and chapels (mostly from the 1500’s and all open as today is Sunday), walk along the port and the waterfront and go back to the room as we want to relax before yet another very long day ahead tomorrow.

OK, not kidding here, it’s a seriously long day. We wake up early, catch a train back to Bari (30 minutes), store our bags (Stow your bags, self check in 10 Euros for 2 bags, near the train station) and catch a 1 hour bus to Alberobello, Apulia. Alberobelo is famous for it’s unique trullo buildings. The trulli of Alberobello have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996. This village has been on our list for ages and it doesn’t disappoint. It’s so pretty and authentic and much bigger than we anticipated. We’ve read horror stories about hordes of tourists in the summer but as it’s almost November, despite the sunny and warm weather, it’s nice and lively, mostly with Italian tourists. What a great enchanting place to end our Italian journey. We walk around and take loads of pics of this very peculiar settlement. Then we catch the bus back to Bari, the metro to the airport and a 3 hour flight to Porto. It’s absolutely freezing, wet and very hazy and we need all the warm clothes we’ve been carrying and not wearing for the last 7 weeks. Welcome back to Portugal. From Porto airport we catch a metro to town and then at 1am, a train from Porto to Alfarelos, where our local taxi driver picks us up at 3am. So, we get home at 4 am. See, I told you it was going to be a freaking long day. Anyway, it was an absolutely perfect trip, so grateful to my personal GPS (Great Paul System), many thanks for following us and till the next one.

Photos: Italy - Calabria

pauluiza — Sat, 22 Oct 2022 01:05:00 GMT

Reggio di Calabria, Tropea and Scilla

Italy - Calabria - Reggio, Tropea and Scilla

pauluiza — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 00:19:00 GMT

Reggio di Calabria, Tropea, & Scilla (including the fishing village of Chianalea) - (Calabria, Italy): Jaw dropping beaches & dramatic hanging villages

Next morning, we wake up early again and after a 2.5 hour train ride, we catch our 30 minute ferry from Sicily to Calabria. We walk from the port to our very well located, nice and bright, fully renovated apartment (36 euros), leave our backpacks and check out the town. Reggio is the capital of Calabria and it’s a pleasant seaside place, with a nice coastline, a lot of history (it used to be know as The Magna Grécia) and it has a feel of a much smaller city. Two major earthquakes, in 1783 and 1908, are responsible for the fact that Reggio’s architecture appears rather modern with respect to it's long history. Reggio is definitely a great and chilled base to explore this region. Next morning we catch a train (around 90 minutes) to Tropea.

What can we say about Tropea???... it’s the freaking most beautiful seaside town we’ve ever seen and yes, I know, we’ve been to heaps of them. When we get to the many strategically placed lookouts, all we hear is OMG or WTF, yes, it’s that gorgeous, absolutely stunning, running out of adjectives here. There’s (always) a beautiful cathedral, a majestic city hanging from the rocks, and the amazing Benedictine Sanctuary of Santa Maria dell’Isola. To say that the sanctuary is magnificent would be sheer understatement, and it’s not hard to understand why it’s one of Tropea’s most photographed attractions. The sanctuary rises up on a high, rocky outcrop surrounded by the beach and the sparkling Tropea sea. No doubt that the crystalline waters and white sand are Tropea’s calling card, we are absolutely enchanted by this place we walk around for hours, grabbing a sandwich in order not to stop the sightseeing. Eventually we make our way back to the train station to catch a train to yet another gorgeous seaside village, this time, Scilla (pronounced sheella).

It’s a stunningly-located fishing village and is a town of three parts: the beach resort of Marina Grande, the castle and centre of the town San Giorgio and finally the fishermen's district, Chianalea. Marina Grande is a gorgeous seaside town beautifully framed by the castle and the town built on a big rock overlooking the sea, the views from the beach are also absolutely amazing. Chianalea is an ancient fishermen's settlement with an atmosphere all of it’s own. The cramped houses here are built right against the sea, with waves washing up to their walls and little fishing boats dotting the small quaint bay. Chianalea is listed as one of the 'Borghi più belli d'Italia' - 'most beautiful villages in Italy' and you can explore it by just wandering around the cobbled lanes or by strolling out to see the boats in the harbour below the castle, highly recommended. We take the train back to Reggio, have a couple of slices of the local square pizza, one of them with Nduja in order to try the local spicy sausage, and crash for the day as we are having a very long day tomorrow.

Photos: Italy - Sicily

pauluiza — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 00:15:00 GMT

Catania, Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo and Cefalú

Italy - Sicily - Catania, Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo and Cefalú

pauluiza — Tue, 18 Oct 2022 22:36:00 GMT

Catania, Taormina, Siracusa, Palermo & Cefalú (Sicily, Italy): A foodie paradise and the Sicilian breathtaking coastline

We take a flight to Catania in Sicily our base to explore this region. We then take a bus just outside the airport to go to Catania central train station, which is very close to our accommodation. We arrive late and there’s a bit of confusion with the self check-in as we don’t have the key to enter the building. A neighbour lets us in as she’s taking the rubbish out and a Canadian tourist, yeah we know they are nice, lets us in to the place. We are tired and bothered after travelling all day but as we go down to get some water and a bottle of wine, we start picking up on the vibe of this amazing city. Little did we know that Catania would be our favourite place so far in this region. The room is nice and comfortable (Casa di Carlo e Vale, 41 euros) and the apartment is in a very run down, authentic building, reminiscent of an episode of the excellent series L'amica Geniale. The apartment has been very nicely renovated and decorated. The location couldn’t be better. Very close to the central train station, walking distance to the historic centre and surrounded by nice, cool places to eat. Private bath and a communal well stocked kitchen. Next morning we catch the train (TrenItalia is amazing btw) to go to the pretty town of Taormina. We decide to walk all the way up from the train station and it almost ends in divorce. It’s very hot and an extremely steep and tortuous path up to the town centre. Finally we get there, cool down in a park and start exploring together with hordes of other tourists and a couple of very large cruise ship tour groups. Sorry, no patience for over-tourism, hence our prefernce for travelling off season. The town is very nice but the crowds spoil the experience. We walk around Taormina’s pretty streets, lovely piazzas and check out the imposing palaces and churches. We wander around for a while then walk back down like goats to take the train back to Catania. There’s a restaurant (A Putia do Calabrisi) we want to try and which is rated number one in this city. We walk through very non touristy suburbs and we have the most fantastic time in town. Communal tables and a four course meal for 10 euros, with 1.5 litres of wine for 2.5 euros a litre and no tourists in sight. After waiting for almost 2 hours we finally get seated and enjoy our meal chatting with 3 nice Italian guys we shared a table with. What a great experience and we amazingly enough find our way back home and fold for the evening. Next morning we are back on the train, this time the destination is Siracusa. Another crowded place, pretty but very sanitised for tourists. We walk around till we reach Ortigia, the old historical town and there are nice, small beach coves, where people are still sunbathing (did I mention the weather has been absolutely perfect?), the Greek Theatre, the very impressive food market and some lovely, quaint streets. We wander around for a while but can’t wait to go back to Catania. We feel like Catania is the real thing, very authentic, old world charm, run down, lived in Italy. Cosmopolitan, exuberant, eclectic, the architecture of the palaces and churches is impressive. Behind the cathedral, a tunnel created in the city walls built by Charles V, houses the fish market. The market is partly covered and partly in the open air. A place where every day, under the big red tents and on the white marble stalls, the ritual of selling fish, meat and fruit has continued since ancient times. The shouts of the vendors and the colourful stalls make it one of the city’s most emblematic landmarks, the ideal place in which to immerse yourself in Sicilian street food. We go for pizza and beer, wander around the old town for a long time and then go back to the room as once again, were leaving early tomorrow.

We get up early and catch a 3.5 hour train ride to Palermo. We arrive at lunch time and check in at the (Normanni Central House, 57 euros). The apartment is big and the hosts are very friendly. The bathroom could use a bit of TLC but the location is absolutely perfect. 50 metres to one of the best pizza places in town and a 5 minute walk to the start of the historical centre. Here we are in Sicily’s capital city, and we can already feel the authentic atmosphere that wins the hearts of everyone who visits. The Cathedral is second to none and the "Four Corners" (Quattro Canti) are not to be missed but the best way to explore this city is really just to walk around and enjoy the vibe. For dinner we go to the pizza place nearby and order a family size pizza as we think the piccola won’t be enough after walking around all day. The pizza is massive and we can’t stop laughing. We make our way through half of it and put the rest in the fridge for dinner tomorrow. We wake up the next morning and get ready to wander around this gorgeous town again. We are not really into sweets but we had to try the -best ever- gelato, which of course was invented here, my choice was dark chocolate and it was just perfect. We walk around for hours, ticking off what needs to be seen and checking out the amazing side streets. We visit the crazy and chaotic Mercato Ballaro food market and see some of the best food produce available in Europe, you really can’t miss this market if you visit this city, it’s an assault on your senses, literally. This market is one of the biggest and best we’ve ever seen and we’ve seen quite a few. Please keep in mind that the market is only open in the mornings. We have pasta for lunch at a very local restaurant, off the touristy route in the new side of town. Pasta at 4 euros each and half a litre of wine for 3, gotta love this city. Palermo is so majestic, it's hard to capture in pics. Vibrant, it feels like a university town. Cool as it has a good mix of tourists and locals and it’s a serious foodie paradise. We eat awesome hot chips at Solo Patate and the most perfect portion of potato croquettes ever (a city that treats potatoes with so much love has all my respect). We also try the delicious arancini balls, another must try if you are in this region. Everything is being cooked on the spot as you wait. We head back to our simple but nice apartment and chill for the day, having the other half of last night’s pizza for dinner.

We wake up the next morning, walk to the train station (grazie again TrainItalia) and head to the lovely seaside town of Cefalú. After a 50 minute ride we arrive and check in at our apartment (Dolce Vacanza, 46 euros) highly recommended. Very well equipped, excellent location, if a bit noisy but it’s very clean. We drop off our bags and go for a walk around the town. It's small and gorgeous, dramatically situated against the background of a rocky mountain, the architecture is fantastic and the beach is one of the best we’ve seen in this trip. It’s a Sunday and we notice that 90% of the tourists seem to be Italian, another win for this place. We walk around for hours till our feet hurt, grab a slice of sfincione, a local open pizza, then walk some more along the cobble-stoned streets to check out the harbour and the historical, beautifully located cathedral. We go to the supermarket and buy some stuff to make a mixed grill and an insalata caprese and go back to chill as it's almost time to say ciao Sicily. What an amazing time we’ve had in this region.

Photos: Peloponnese Road Trip Part 4

pauluiza — Sun, 16 Oct 2022 20:42:00 GMT

Stoupa, Kardamyli, Mystras, Epidavros and Athens

Greece - Peloponnese Road Trip - Part 4

pauluiza — Sat, 15 Oct 2022 19:21:00 GMT

Peloponnese Road Trip Part 4 - Stoupa, Kardamyli, Mystras, Epidravos & Athens

We leave Methoni very early and it’s raining so hard we can barely see and get drenched just packing the car. There are storm warnings for the entire country and there’s a lot of lightning and thunder all around us. The lady cleaning the apartment seemed very concerned that we are leaving in this weather but we decide to brave it anyway. We find out later that there were severe floods in several places in Greece. We drive slowly along the coast on this beautiful small road through gorgeous little villages and amazing cliffs. But the road is also very mountainous and narrow, so, slowly we make our way to our apartment (Efigenia’s Rooms, 37 euros, needs a bit of tlc but the views are breathtaking) in yet another lovely seaside town, this time, Stoupa. We wait for the rain to calm down a bit, go for a walk and have a lovely lunch at Ammos Grill (mixed grill for 1 but more than enough for two people, 11 euros and of course, some Greek wine). Next morning we wake up early and go for a hike up to Old Kardamyli and Agia (Saint in Greek) Sofia. The trail is quite wet and the hike is a bit overrated but we enjoy the views, the fresh air and the exercise. The loose, wet stones (from the storm on the previous day), not so much. So we decided to walk back down on the main road. It's a 5kms walk down and you have the most amazing views of the ocean all along the way. We then make our way to the also a little overrated village of Kardamyli. We can’t really see the point, seen so many other places more charming and enchanting in this region. We reckon it just got famous because of the jazz festival that happens here in the summer. We wander around for a few hours trying to see what the fuss is all about, then make our way back to Stoupa which was definitely an unexpected lovely surprise as we thought it would be just a pleasant base. Stoupa has been discovered by summer tourists but it remains unspoiled by high-rise hotels or noisy bars, with a lovely sandy beach and crystal clear ocean. We go back to Ammos Grill for lunch, yeah, another mixed grill, and retire to pack as we will be leaving very early again tomorrow.

We get up very early and drive for two hours until we reach Sparta where we are going to visit the Ancient City of Mystras. This castle town was the second most important town after Constantinople in the final years of the Byzantine Empire. On top of the castle hill, there is the Palace of the Despots as well as several Byzantine churches with an interesting architecture and very well preserved frescoes. The city is absolutely amazing and we walk around the archaeological site, up and down, for hours. Then we make our way back to Tolo, just to have lunch at Mammans Grill again, and yes they do the best chips in the Peloponnese hands down, highly recommended. After another 30 minutes drive, we arrive in Epidravos and check in at our fantastic apartment Epidavros Seascape (47 euros and could not recommend it more highly). Though a bit hard to reach, the apartment is just incredible and it has everything you need, even fresh oranges for your juice. It has a very well equipped kitchen plus a huge swimming pool and endless, breathtaking ocean views. Next morning we make our way to the iconic Epidravos archaeological site. Epidavros is one of the most popular archaeological sites in Greece and it's mostly known for it’s Ancient Theatre, famous for it's symmetry and incredible acoustics. The theatre was constructed in the late 4th century BC to host religious ceremonial events in honour of the god Asclepius, whose healing centre was located a few steps away. Afterwards we check out the pretty and pleasant seaside town of Epidavros, and no, you can’t see the sunken city, believe me, we tried. Next morning, we drive 2 hours back to Athens to return the car, our lovely and reliable travel companion for the past 2 wonderful, fun filled, perfect weeks. The car hire guys then give us a ride back to the airport to catch our Ryanair flight to Italy, so sadly it’s time to say Yassas Greece, Ciao Italia ...

Photos: Peloponnese Road Trip Part 3

pauluiza — Tue, 11 Oct 2022 20:12:00 GMT

Koroni, Methoni and Pylos

Greece - Peloponnese Road Trip - Part 3

pauluiza — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 19:17:00 GMT

Peloponnese Road Trip Part 3 - Koroni, Finikounda, Methoni & Pylos

We leave Petalidi and as our next check-in is only at 4 pm, we decide to go for a bit of sightseeing along the way. First stop is the gorgeous town of Koroni. We drive up to the beautiful, inhabited castle and monastery with breathtaking views of the ocean. Koroni, built around the slopes of a small peninsula in the Peloponnese, looks and feels like an island. Down below at the port, the esplanade, lined with fishing boats, tavernas and cafes, creates a lively setting for this small town. The cobbled alleys and the colourful houses, dotted with flower pots add to the atmosphere of this pretty and very pleasant town so we wander around until we feel hungry. We have a pit stop to check out Finikounda beach, have another feta pie and make our way to Methoni where we are going to stay for 2 nights. We stay at Mythos Suites (30 euros), very nice and comfortable, really close to the beach, well equipped kitchen and lovely views of the castle. We have a nice meal at Thalassa Taverna and at the end of the meal, the waitress brings us a couple of chocolate ice creams, I say thank you but we don’t eat sugar, so another half litre of wine on the house it is. We go for early morning runs and long walks along the beach, also exploring the stunning and very unique castle from many different angles, believe me, there are many ways to see this castle. The castle of Methoni, actually a fortified city, is one of the most important and the most beautiful castles in Greece. It was built by the Venetians after 1209 and it's separated from the land by an artificial moat. This town is absolutely gorgeous and laid back, highly recommended if you need to pick a base to explore this region. We then make our way back to the really pretty and cool town of Pylos. We’ve been here before and really enjoyed it. We walk around the lovely beaches and coves till we get hungry. Well, tbh, we are back here again just to try this famous mixed grill at the The Corner of Taste (Η Γωνιά της Γεύσης) taverna As I said before, "we will travel for food". We have a massive and delicious mixed grill for 2 and 1/2 litre of rose wine for 15 euros, really worth the trip. After the protein overload, we make our way back to Methoni to digest, chill and pack as we’e leaving next morning.

Photos: Peloponnese Road Trip Part 2

pauluiza — Sat, 8 Oct 2022 19:00:00 GMT

Kalamata, Voidokilia beach, Polylimnio falls