Category: Europe

We visited Howth in August 2021.

Howth is in the outer suburb of Dublin, Ireland. The district as a whole occupies the greater part of the peninsula of Howth Head, which forms the northern boundary of Dublin Bay, and includes the island of Ireland’s Eye.

Its stunning location surrounded on three sides by the Irish Sea makes it a favourite with tourists.

One of Dublin’s oldest working harbours, Howth has been a fishing village and port since at least the 14th century.

We took the Public transport (Luas) from Saggart to Connolly (Last stop of the red line)

Other Travel Options:

1. You can get the 31 number bus that will take you to the Howth Harbour. Or you can take the 31A number bus which goes through Howth Village to Howth Summit. Both buses leave from the same location, Eden Quay (just off O’Connell Street).
2. If you are coming from downtown Dublin, follow the R807 road along the coastline. This road will turn into R105 and this will lead you to downtown Howth. It is about 18km and might take about 30 minutes depending on traffic.

Connolly luas (Tram) and the dart (train) stations are quite near to each other.

The Dart station is in the first floor and you can take lift/escalator from the Luas Platform to reach there.

If you are interested, you can use Leap Travel Card. More detail about Leap Visitor card can be found here:

https://about.leapcard.ie/leap-visitor-card

If atall you don’t have leap cards, you can buy it from the shops within or nearby the Luas/Dart stations.

You can touch off your leap card in the machine provided at the entry. Don’t forget to do that at the exit aswell.

Connolly station:

There are around 7 platforms in Connolly (+ 2 Platform for Luas).

The train timing and Platforms are clearly marked in the boards. So you don’t have to panic and there are even sign boards clearly indicating the platform number.

The dart train from Connolly to Howth would take around 30 minutes. Trains are available at regular intervals.

If you are visiting Howth using you own car, there ae plenty of parking space available near to the dart station.

There are multiple trails available in Howth. It’s worth to note that many of these trails get busy over the Weekends / Public holidays.

In the beginning of the cliff paths, there are clear indications of the various paths like Green, Blue, Red, Purple and so on. But there are high chances that you miss the actual path (as colour codes are missing at many places, enroute)

All Trails website will give you a rough idea about the various options.

https://www.alltrails.com/ireland/county-dublin/howth

We had gone with the Cliff walk from the dart Station towards the Howth Summit (Howth head Cliff Walk-lower cliff walk). The distance is around 6 Kms (walking time of 1.5-2 Hours approx)

NOTE: If you have more time, you can try Black Linn Loop Walk that goes through Ben of Howth (highest peak of the peninsula). From the summit, you might get a full 360 degree view overlooking the entire peninsula, Howth Castle, Howth village and so on.

Another option is the Bog of Frogs Loop Walk, which follows the coastline for 12km.

If you are taking the Howth Summit route, the best way is to take Google search option to look for Howth summit (as the destination) . The good thing with that destination is that you can take a Return Bus either to Dublin city centre or back to the ‘Howth’ Dart station.

 The beginning of the cliff walk is relatively very steep.

But you have some parking space available at the end of the steep.

Enroute the way to  the cliff parking, you can also visit Balscadden Bay Beach.

NOTE: When you walk past the village towards Howth Head, walk up the hill until you reach a little gate, behind which there is a set of quite steep steps, that lead you down to this beach.

Please note that the path is quite narrow there is no fence available throughout the cliff walk. So please be careful if there are small children in your group.

The view throughout the cliff walk is excellent. There are tonnes of photography options throughout the walk.

Near to the Summit, you can also see a path going down to the Baily Lighthouse (the last lighthouse in Ireland to be automated). This cottage-style, 13-metre tall lighthouse sits out on the cliffs with a stunning view over the Irish Sea. Baily (built in 1917) is one of Ireland’s most photographed lighthouses on the eastern coastline.

In this trip, we did not go to the Lighthouse.

NOTE: If you really dont have the energy / time for a 6Km walk, you can drive till the Howth Summit and walk down the Baily lighthouse.

Just check out for sign bus board (near the summit) from where you can get the return bus (H3) back to Howth beach or the Dublin City Centre.

There is also enough Car parking space available near the summit.

Compared to the Main Howth City centre, the summit has relatively less number of restaurants/shops.

After the cliff walk, we took the bus back to the Howth beach (Bus H3, which goes to city center via Howth Beach), got down the bus at Howth beach stop and went to the Ferry / Bay area to take a boat service to Ireland’s Eye.

Currently uninhabited, Ireland’s Eye was once home to a monastery, established around 700 AD.

Ireland’s Eye can be visited every day during the summer months and on weekends / bank holidays only during the rest of the year.

There are different companies that are operating ferries here.

A 45 minutes TO and FRO trip to the Ireland’s eye will cost around 25 Euros/person.

We had taken the service of a company named ‘Howth Cliff Cruises’. (http://howthcliffcruises.ie/)

NOTE: I have read in many places that we can get down at the Ireland’s eye and walk around. You can visit the Martello Tower aswell. Landing on the island is at the discretion of the captain depending on weather conditions. Since we had take a evening ferry, such an option was not available for us.

This is a great boat trip, something that should not missed during your journey to Howth. You will see a lot of birds and probably seals, during this journey.

During the return journey in boat, you would also get a chance to see the Howth Harbour Lighthouse from different angles.

NOTE: There are options available to walk down the Howth Pier to see the Lighthouse at a closer distance.

After the boat trip, we returned back to the Howth Dart station and further to the Dublin city centre.

Howth is a very safe destination. Coast guard security is also present at important points.

If you are looking for some food options, there are multiple options available.

We had tried ‘The Bloody Stream’ and the service/food quality/menu items were really good.

Also there are a few Indian restaurants like ‘Okra Green’ in Howth. Due to a tight schedule with a limited time, Personally I did not try any items from Okra.

You need to spend around 6-7 hours to complete the itinerary/places , that I mentioned here.

NOTES:

1.Please note that there are many other places to see like Howth Castle, St. Mary’s Abbey, Howth Market, Howth Village, National Transport Museum, Hurdy Gurdy Vintage Radio Museum and so on.

2.There are some limited accomodation options available like ‘King Sitric’.

We had travelled to Toledo, Madrid (Spain) in April 2019.

Toledo is one of the oldest and most unique cities in Spain. This city has made an important contribution to Spain’s history and heritage.

Toledo is a cute Medieval Spanish city. Before Madrid became the capital of Spain in 1561, the Spanish kings and queens ruled from Toledo. It is surrounded on three sides by water(Tagus River) and the fourth side by walls. Due to its position, it was very easy to defend and hence was the capital of Spain for a long time.

Coaches travelling from Madrid to Toledo (approx. 70 Kms) depart from the Plaza Elíptica transport hub (level -1).

We had bought the ticket from the point of sale in the Eliptica terminal Ground Floor. The travel duration was 1.5 hours (Check for Direct Bus availability). The price of the ticket was around 6 Euros/adult (1 way).

You can also book the return trip from the same ticket counter. You can book the coach in the ALSA website –> https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/coach/madrid-toledo

There are trains also running from Madrid (Puerto de Atocha station) to Toledo, which takes only 33 minutes in a high speed train. I think there are trains running every hour. The price is around 12 Euros/adult (one side)

More Details Here –> http://www.renfe.com/

The bus station in Toledo is on the bottom of the city. Once you reach the bus stand, you must come outside the station and walk in the right direction. At the extreme end, you will find an escalator. This is infact a series of elevators which will take you till the top of the hills. This is very convenient for the travellers.

Toledo is known as “the city of three cultures” (Christians, Arabs and Jews lived there together for many years) and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was declared so in 1986 for its extensive monumental and cultural heritage. It boasts 2,000 years of history, and is filled with small hidden squares, winding side streets and historic buildings and monuments at every turn.

Toledo is famous for traditional metal work and the production of blade weapon. That’s still a big industry today and they supply many film sets, including Lord of the Rings with stage weaponry and sell replicas as souvenirs. Toledo is famous for making the best swords in Europe.

You can easily cover the entire place in a single day. However, if you still want to stay and relax in Toledo, hotels are available.

In the interest of time, we decided to take an ‘Hop on Hop off’ bus. The price of the ticket was around 15 Euros/adult. The duration is around 50 minutes and the frequency is around 30 min.

Best time to visit:

Toledo is centrally positioned in a plateau on the Iberian Peninsula and it sits about 500 meters above sea level. It enjoys a continental climate which is mostly dry and sunny throughout the year. With the crazy network of old streets aside, the city is compact enough to be explored on foot. 

Some places of interest:

1) Cathedral

One of Toledo’s standout historical landmarks is The Primate Cathedral of Saint Mary of Toledo (or simply, Toledo Cathedral)

2) Alcazar

3) Synagogue

4) Museums

5) Walls

6) Plaza Zocodover

7) Jewish Quarter

8) Cristo de la Luz Mosque

9) Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes

10) San Martin’s Bridge

The only challenge is that people are less likely to be able to speak English.

Note: Apart from Toledo, Segovia is another popular day trip from Madrid

Dunluce Castle is a medieval Irish Castle located on a clifftop along the Causeway Coast in County Antrim and is quite near to the Giant’s Causeway UNESCO site. It is about 1 hour drive from Belfast.

Address: 87 Dunluce Road, Bushmills, Co. Antrim, BT57 8UY, Ireland

The scenery in this part of County Antrim is simply spectacular, and Dunluce may be ONE of the most photographed castles on the island of Ireland.

We happened to visit Dunluce castle as a part of the day drip from Dublin to Northern Ireland. The Tour was organised by Wild Rover Tours, which is a Dublin-based family business who arrange tours throughout Ireland.
The normal itinerary for this tour includes Giants causeway, Belfast City and Carrick A Rede Rope Bridge. Carrick A Rede Rope Bridge was closed for maintenance and wildrover group arranged Dunluce castle as an alternative. Entry tickets to Dunluce castle was also included in the package.
We highly recommend this day trip with Wild Rover Tours. They tried everything possible to make this trip a memorable one. The guide and the pilot were very friendly and supportive.

Details : https://wildrovertours.com/activity/giants-causeway-belfast-city-carrick-a-rede-rope-bridge/

Ideally, there are multiple ways to reach this place:

• Train:

You can get trains (Derry Direction) from Belfast Lanyon or Great Victoria Street Train station. You will reach a station (around 1.45 hours) named Coleraine. From there you can hire a taxi (around 15 min)

• Bus:

You can get bus 218a from Great Victoria Bus station to Coleraine Bus Stand. From there you can hire a taxi (around 15 min)

• Car:

This might be the most preferred means of travel as the route is very scenic. (around 1.25 Hours)

Take the M2 motorway / A26 Combination from Belfast.

The route towards Dunluce Castle from Belfast city is quite scenic.

Please note that there are very less parking (means really less 😊) options available near Dunluce castle.

The castle stands mostly in ruins today, but the walls and remains of some of the buildings can still be seen. This castle was mainly built out of local basalt stone, known for its strength and durability.

There is a path beside the castle which takes you down towards the sea. As the title says there are 109 steps which was fine going down a little challenging on the way back.

Dunluce Castle has been a location for many movies like Game of Thrones.

Its also said that the castle was once owned by Winston Churchill.

This castle is a great place to enjoy the history of Ireland and to take in the beautiful scenery of the land.

There is a huge history behind this place. So its worth spending some time in google (Key word 😊 : MacQuillan family ) , if you are really interested to know that.

Points worth to note:

• Opening hours:
  • February to November : Daily 9.30am to 5pm.
  • December/January : Daily 9.30am to 4pm.
  • Last admission 30 minutes before closing.
  • Adult 18+ Years – £6 per ticket
  • Child 5-17 Years – £4 per ticket
  • Child Under 5 – Free

• It is excellent for visitors of all ages.
• Restrooms are available.
• There is a little gift shop available.

The closest town is Bushmills, home to the world-famous Old Bushmills Distillery.

The tour company had guided us for lunch to a restaurant named ‘The Giants Barn’, which was just 8 minutes drive from the Dunluce Castle.  

This restaurant is also located in a very scenic location.

Some places nearby:

• Bushmills Distillery (around 10 minutes’ drive)

This is the oldest whiskey distillery in the world.

• Few of the Antrim coast attractions like Giants Causeway, Carrick-a-rede, Ballintoy Harbour and so on

• Portrush Beach

SUMMARY : Dunluce castle is a great tourist destination and you should never miss this place if you are preparing a Northern Ireland or County Antrim itinerary.

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

Anonymous

We visited Lisbon in April 2019.

Lisbon is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe and there is plenty to do and see here in this beautiful city.

If you’ve never visited Lisbon, or Portugal for that matter, you’re in for a treat.

Budget airlines fly there from all over Europe, and you can even find very affordable flights from the US. We traveled via TAP Air Portugal.

Some Facts about Lisbon:

Lisbon is home to more than 500,000 (as of 2016) people and is the capital of Portugal.

Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in Western Europe.

Lisbon was built on seven hills ,so be prepared for lots of uphill walking!

Lisbon sits at the mouth of the Tagus River.

The city is one of the sunniest in all of Europe.

Day 1—Sintra

Day 1, we went for a day trip to Sintra from Lisbon.

This place is gorgeous. Around 30 minutes from the city, it’s an incredible area to see the historic palaces and castles that sit elegantly on the hills.

If you take the rail from Rossio Railway Station, you can easily reach to Sintra.

Day 2 – Hop on Hop Off

Day 2, we took a Hop on Hop Off city tour to cover the places.

https://www.hop-on-hop-off-bus.com/lisbon-bus-tours

Following places were covered in that trip

1) Torre de Belem / Belem Tower

This tower was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.

The Belém Tower is situated on the northern bank of the Tagus River.

It was built to protect the port and was the point where lots of explorers started their journey to the new world. It would have been the last part of Portugal which many sailors and navigators saw, as they set out on their voyages of discovery.

NOTE: You will always see a lot of queue in from of the Belem tower, waiting for their entry to the tower. There is nothing much to see inside the tower. Personal recommendation would be to see it from outside.

2) Monument to the Discoveries, with Henry the Navigator at the front

Make sure to plan your trip early (and if you’re not keen on crowds, maybe avoid weekends), it’s a very popular site and can be a good place to visit first thing in the morning (just to avoid crowds)

The Portuguese were excellent navigators and ship builders (Christopher Columbus came to study navigation here in Lisbon), and reached many parts of the world first.

This stunning monument was designed to commemorate the Age of Discoveries in Portugal and was inaugurated in 1960.

Monument to the Discoveries and Belem tower are very close to each other.

3) Hieronymites Monastery

Its also known as Jeronimos Monastery.

It’s a symbol of wealth and power during the Age of Discovery.

This is near to the Monument to the Discoveries and the Belem tower.

This tower was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983 (along with Belem tower)

4) Santa Justa Elevator

This is one of my favourite places to see in Lisbon. Although not iconic as, say, the Eiffel Tower in Paris, it really is integral to the identity of Lisbon and a truly beautiful lift.

We normally attribute the word ‘Beautiful’ to passenger lifts, but this can be an exception.

It was inaugurated as one of the city’s public transport systems on 10 July 1902 and was called Elevador do Carmo (Carmo Lift). Lisbon’s inhabitants were so excited to try this novelty that on the first day, 3,000 tickets were sold.

The Lift has a stunning observation deck at the top and offers magnificent views over Baixa. This is one of the popular spots and entry queues starts to pile up very early in the morning and will continue almost throughout the day.

There is an access bridge, behind the elevator, that you can use to skip the line completely. Just buy a ticket for €1.50(Don’t recollect fully) so that you can climb to the top, and snag a spectacular panoramic view without waiting in line for more than two minutes.

Ticket Pricing and operation hours here : https://www.lisbon.net/santa-justa-lift

5) Local Street Art:

You will see the local street arts in almost all places in this city. If you want to explore more art works, it will be better to do a walking tour so that you can quickly and easily see as much Lisbon street art as possible.

Details here : https://www.getyourguide.com/lisbon-l42/private-lisbon-street-art-tour-t79244/

6) Rossio Square and Praça do Comércio, or Commerce Square.

This square is always lively and you can see various street performers, shop from local vendors, or grab a bite from a local restaurant.

7) Elevador do Gloria (Funicular)

Lisbon is known for its hills and steep streets – meaning that its historic funiculars are not only highly-photographed, but also regularly used for getting from Point A to Point B. You can easily visit two of the most famous funiculars in the city this afternoon.

Head back up past Rossio Square (either walk, or hop on the metro to Restauradores station), where you’ll find the lower station of the Ascensor da Glória at the corner of the Avenida da Liberdade and Calçada da Glória.

This funicular (also sometimes called Elevador do Gloria) connects Restauradores Square with the Bairro Alto, another of Lisbon’s oldest neighborhoods. It dates back to 1885 and is used by both tourists and locals.

8) Jardin Botanico:

This is one of the best public gardens in Lisbon. In the heart of the city (but hidden away from the surrounding streets) this 10-acre garden is a heaven from the hustle and bustle. Do a picnic or simply wander through and enjoy the exotic plants. It’s open everyday from 9am until 6pm (in the winter) or 8pm (in the summer).

The starting point of Hop on Hop off bus is near to this garden/park.

9) Pink Street:

Pink Street is mostly a regular nightlife area. Many bars and clubs along Pink Street stay open until early morning.

I have seen many people talking about pink street in their vlogs /blogs and we were expecting some thing more than what we saw there, it was just a very small area on road painted in pink and is said to have a great nightlife 

10) Park of Nations (Area created for the Lisbon World Expo 1998):

Constructed for the 1998 Lisbon World Exposition (Expo), this is a space dedicated to leisure, and located in the northeastern part of the city. This modern part of Lisbon has numerous restaurants, bars, theatres, parks, pedestrian areas and a large shopping mall.

One of the most surprising sights in this district is the Oriente train station, designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. This modernist station has a bright glass and steel structure in the form of a tree. This ambitious project includes a metro station, a national and international bus terminal and a high-speed and regional train hub.

You can also take a cable car that travels past the Water Gardens, above the river..

11) National Pantheon

Originally a church, in the 20th century it was converted into the National Pantheon, in which important Portuguese personalities are buried.

If you have time, It would be good to have 3 days (including Sintra) for the Lisbon Itinerary.

Please find below some of the places that you can include in your list:

1) Alfama district

This is the oldest part of Lisbon, where tiled buildings are perched along steep cobbled streets that stretch from the Sao Jorge castle to the Tagus River.

2) Ride Tram 28:

The most famous of all Lisbon Portugal trams is number 28. People will wait hours just to board this tram. I suggest riding the tram either early in the morning or late at night when most people are asleep. This way, you’ll avoid the long wait that is associated with huge crowds.

You can also try to board the tram at a less popular stop (like the one near Lisbon Cathedral).

(Note: Be careful of pickpockets on this tram!)

Try purchasing your tickets before boarding the tram since tickets are much more expensive on board.

There are other Tram tour options available in Lisbon aswell.

3) Explore the Monastery of St Jerome

4) Cascais:

Cascais is about 30 minutes by train (or you can drive over) from the city itself and is a great place to chill out and relax in the town or on the sandy beaches.

A fishing town turned beautiful resort in the summer, Cascais is a dream destination for families and young people.

5) Peniche:

Another coastal town, Peniche is a known destination for Wave Surfing.

6) Pasteis de Belem:

Pastéis de Belém is a bakery that is another beloved staple of Lisbon. Famed for their pastel de nata, this bakery’s delicious custard tarts topped with cinnamon powder have captured the hearts of thousands of tourists.

7) Porto:

If you’re a wine lover, you’d be doing yourself a serious disservice if you skip out on a trip to Porto and the Douro Valley – the most important wine region in Portugal

8) Time Out Market:

Time Out Market is one of the most famous places to go to eat in Lisbon and for good reason. There are tons of different options, so if you’re looking for famous Portuguese bacalhau (cod fish), nuts, or a pizza.

This food hall is packed with a variety of restaurants serving fresh local cuisine. Try taking your friends as well, so that you can try a few different dishes. Also, don’t forget to grab some freshly baked Pastel de Nata pastries on your way out!

9) Lisbon Oceanarium:

It is worth visiting the Oceanarium, one of the largest in Europe, where you can appreciate the flora and fauna of the various oceans of our planet.

10) National Coach museum / Tile Museum:

These two museums are unequalled anywhere in the world. One tells the story of the tile in Portugal from its first uses on 16th century walls to the present day; the other has an unrivalled collection of carriages, with fine examples from the 18th century, exuberantly decorated with paintings and gild work.

11) Beaches:

There are some beaches around. I have not personally visited any of them and hence don’t have much clue about these beaches. If you have time, certainly try exploring them.

Portinho Da Arrabida

Praia da Adgara

Praia da mata

Praia do Meco

Praia da comporta

Best time to visit:

Lisbon is a popular tourist destination between Easter holidays (March/April) and late September. Fall and winter (from October to mid-March) are not very cold, so it’s the perfect season for tourists who don’t mind a little rain and the temperature drop (hardly ever below 10°C/50°F).

June is the most crowded month, especially around the St. Anthony festivities (June 12 and 13). January is the quieter month with far fewer special events than any other time of year.

Other Travel Options:

1) Take a Cruise in the Tagus River

The Tagus River is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula, and a cruise is the best way to see Lisbon from a different perspective.

Details here: https://www.getyourguide.com/lisbon-l42/sailing-boat-sunset-tour-in-lisbon-for-2-hours-t45788/?

2) Tuk Tuk’s:

The best way to see Lisbon is to walk.

You will see a lot of Tuk Tuk’s around. Mostly targeting the tourists and are expensive.

3) Taxi Bus/Trains/Metro:

Most of our travel were in Buses, but trains/metros are some other available options

Ensure that you always have a valid travel ticket while travelling in public transport. In most of my trips, I have seen officials checking tickets either in the platform or within the bus or train.

Summary:

If you want to include Sintra or Alfama in your Lisbon trip, my personal recommendation will be to keep a minimum of 3 days in the itinerary.

Also don’t forget to taste the Portuguese Egg Tarts. its crisp, flaky crust holding a creamy custard center, blistered on top from the high heat of an oven.

We visited Malta in March 2019. Malta International Airport (MIA) is the official airport of the Maltese Islands. It’s the only airport in Malta and is indeed a small and clean airport constructed with proper planning. There is only one terminal in this airport.

You can also find the Bus routes and the time schedule in the display board kept inside the office.

There are options to buy some tourist friendly cards like Valletta card here.

When in Airport, Following are the main Five Bus routes that you should be aware of:

1) X1 (Cirkewwa, from where you get Ferry to Gozo and boats to Comino)

2) X2 (San Giljan)

3) X3 (Bugibba)

4) X4 (Birzebbugia)

5) TD3 (Bugibba, This is a limited stop bus and the ticket price is high)

You will find all the above bus near the exit gate (take right from the arrival gate and walk straight).

Bus Number plate starts with ‘BUS’, here in Malta.

Bus Ticket Price:

Winter –> 1.5 Euros

Summer –> 2 Euros

Night –> 3 Euros

Tickets can be purchased from the Bus Driver on all the Buses. These Cash Tickets are Single Journey tickets that can be used to get to any destination within two hours, including interchanging. Rates vary between Summer and Winter months. Summer rates apply between mid-June and mid-October.

More details here –> https://www.publictransport.com.mt/

Malta Transfer:

Malta Transfer is MIA’s official hotel shuttle service. It offers convenient trips to and from your hotel in Malta or Gozo.

You can manage your transfers with fixed prices through the booking options provided in their website. Alternatively, you can also visit their booking desk in the baggage reclaim area and make your transfer arrangements upon your arrival in Malta.

Most of the hotels are listed in their booking website.

More details here –> https://www.maltatransfer.com/

Taxi Service:

Taxi services between MIA and any destination in Malta are available 24 hours a day.

Pre-paid tickets can be purchased in the airport near the arrival gate.

More details about the rate can be found here –> https://www.maltairport.com/passenger/getting-here/taxi-service/

Taxi Number plate starts with ‘TAXI’, here in Malta.

You also have an information centre (take right from the arrival gate and walk straight) in the airport, where the staff would help you on the queries. There is a luggage Deposit room where you can store your baggage. They charge around 5 Euros/Bag/day. The receipt can be taken from the information centre. Please note that your baggage will undergo a security scanning, before being stored in the luggage deposit room.

There is a nice food court inside the airport (take right from the arrival gate and walk straight). Many chains like KFC are available in the food court (located in the -1 Floor)

3) Pastizzeria:

This is one amazing thing in Malta. You will find similar shops across Malta. You can find a lot of snacks (decent price) in such stores. Good Enough that you can have a low budget lunch or dinner from such stores.

Don’t forget to taste Pastizz (traditional savoury pastry from Malta- Its like a National snack). It costs around 50 Cents.

Heard that Rabbit Stew (Or garlic fried Rabbit) is another tasty item that you get in many restaurants in Malta (not in Pastizzeria though).

4) Another interesting thing that I noticed is the old classic cars that are running in the Maltese roads. Citizens here have an amazing collection of such cars and you will be really surprised to see some very old classic models still on the road.

5) In some major tourist attractions, you will also find some small shops which sell traditional snacks. I personally did not like the taste, but you can try your luck.

6) Old traditional telephone booth:

You will also find such traditional telephone booth in many places in Malta. May be some remains of the old British rule in this island. Not sure if all of these are still functional.

7) Additional tax in hotel:

All the Hotels take an additional 1-2 Euros as some Government tax from you.

So don’t get surprised if the person in the reception demands for this money. Anyway, they will give you a proper receipt for the same.

I had spend around 6 days along with my family in this beautiful country and have covered a lot of places. In my perspective, Malta is a very safe country. The Public transport is also nice (but the waiting time might be more). People are very friendly and welcoming.

You can very well include this small county in one of your future trips.

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

– Anonymous.

The country of Malta is an archipelago of three islands in Europe, located in the Mediterranean Sea south of Sicily – Italy, and north of the African countries of Libya and Tunisia.

This nation of islands is one gorgeous place you should visit, especially for its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Stunning fishing villages and natural beauty.

The best part of Malta is the diversity of things that you get to see here.

Malta is one of the smallest countries in the European Union. Currency used is Euro. You can visit Malta with your Schengen visa. Good to see that a large majority of people in Malta speak English, which is very helpful for the tourists.

Malta is made up of 3 main islands; Malta, Gozo and Comino. Gozo, a smaller version of the mainland Malta can be reached in 20 minutes by ferry and Comino which is largely visited for its famous Blue Lagoon, is virtually uninhabited with only one hotel.

Before we proceed, let me inform you that this is a full packed itinerary with limited time to relax.

If you are looking for something like a relaxed vacation in Malta, this itinerary might not be the right fit for you.

Day 1: Take a Hop on Hop Off City Tour (I personally would suggest Blue Line)

Day 2: Plan a day trip to Gozo and Comino

Day 3: Harbour Cruise (3 Cities) in the Morning and Plan a Walking tour in Valletta old Town (Post Lunch)

Day 4: A full day tip to Sicily Islands, Italy

Day 5: Popeye Village in the First Half of the day and Marsaxlokk Village and Blue Grotto during the next half.

Day 1:

On Day 1, we took the Hop on Hop Off Blue Line (North Route). The ticket price was 20 Euros / Adult (for one day trip)

Basically, there are 2 Hop on Hop Off Sightseeing routes in Malta:

Blue Line

Red Line

The 2 routes together have around 37 Stops. You can travel in both the routes with the same ticket.

You can also choose between two options – 1day ticket (which is valid only for that day) and a 2 day ticket (valid for 2 days)

More details can be found here –> https://www.hop-on-hop-off-bus.com/malta/malta-hop-on-hop-off-tour_23364

North Route

8:00am to 2:30pm, every 30 minutes

South Route

9:45am to 3:45pm, every 45 minutes

I have seen a lot of people booking ‘Topaz Hotel’ as the preferred hotel as the North Route Starts in front of this hotel. I also booked this hotel because of the very same reason.

After experiencing the stay, I personally suggest you take some other accommodation option. This hotel is highly overrated in many of the travel websites. I was completely disappointed with my stay over there. Please look for some better options nearby (if you really want to stay in Bugibba) or else look for some other places.

In the North Route Blue Line tour, we only got down at the ‘National Aquarium’. We had taken a Family ticket (2 Adults and 1 child) worth 32 Euros. There is a discount of 10% if you book online, which would make the ticket price as 28.80 Euros.

More Details Here –> https://www.aquarium.com.mt/buy-tickets/

If you don’t have any kids in your trip, I would personally suggest you skip this destination.

Day 2: Gozo and Comino needs a special mention. So I will try to add those details in a separate blog.

Day 3: In the Morning, we booked the Captain Morgan Harbour cruise. It’s a 1.5 hours cruise journey which provides you a fantastic view of Malta from the sea (especially the 3 cities).

You can get the ticket for Captain Morgan cruise from Sliema Terminal. There are many 3^rd party counters that sells the tickets. There is a high level of bargaining possible in these counters.

The online price for adults was 16 Euros / Person and I managed to get the ticket for 10 Euros/Person. So, don’t miss a chance here. You could save some bucks here.

This is the trip that you should never miss when you are in Malta. Its worth the money that is paid for.

After coming back from the Harbour cruise, we took the Sliema – Valletta ferry service to reach Valletta. The adult ticket price is around 1.5 Euros /person (One side)

Valletta:

Such a beautiful city, I’d certainly love to go back one day!

Valletta is the Limestone capital of Malta and was built by the Knights of St. John in the 16th century. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is an interesting place to walk around with countless architectural sight seeing’s. To see and experience the Maltese Charm, this is the place that you need to visit. Valletta was selected as “European Capital of Culture” in 2018.

Some Important Places here:

1) John’s Co-Cathedral:

I was told that there are around 365 churches in Malta, which means that you can easily visit different churches each day throughout the year.

More than a church, this is a Magnificent piece of art and is without a doubt, one of the most ornate churches in the world. Built in the 16th century for the Knights of St. John, every inch of St. John’s Co-Cathedral is covered in marble, gold, paint, or relief. Even the multi-coloured floors take the attention.

a) Multi coloured balconies of Malta:

There are so many stories about the colours and landscape of Malta and one such things is the coloured Balconies. The enclosed balconies are painted in different colours.

I was told that Government doesn’t allow the house owners to change the external structures especially the Balconies and Government even pays some fixed amount every year for the maintenance of the same.

There is a Tuk-Tuk service that is available to see the sightseeing in Valletta. The asking price was 8 Euros/person. I managed to get a discounted rate of 5 euros/person. If there is someone in your group who is having difficulties in walking, then this Tuk-Tuk service will be a good option.

Else, I would strongly suggest doing a walking tour of Valletta. There is a bus stand within Valletta old town, from where you can take a bus back to your hotel after exploring the beautiful historical capital city.

Day 4:

We had booked a day trip package to Sicily islands (Italy) on Day 4. We were picked up from the hotel in a Cab at around 5:30AM in the morning and dropped at the Malta Terminal. The departure time of Virtu ferries was at 6:30 AM, which took around 1.5 Hours one side to reach Sicily (Pozzallo Terminal).

Further, the plan was to do a bus trip to Mt Etna & Modica and return back to Pozzallo and further back to Hotel in Malta by night.

For Booking the Virtu express ferry and to know more details –> http://www.virtuferries.com/

(Note: Please note that this a fully packed day trip starting at 5:30 AM in the Morning from the hotel and return back to hotel by around 11PM. I have read a lot of reviews mentioning that the trip is too tiring)

Just before reaching Pozzallo terminal, we got the unfortunate information that the excursion was cancelled due to extreme bad weather that was predicted for the rest of the day.

In the interest of the tourist’s security, Virtu ferry management decided to return to Malta after offloading the trucks and so on. This was quite unfortunate, as we missed a golden opportunity to view the Sicily islands (slip between cup and the lip).

After reaching Malta, Virtu management had arranged a luxury sedan to take us back to the hotel.

I would certainly take this opportunity to thank Virtu ferries for their professional service commitment. The entire amount of 300 + euros was transferred to my bank account within 3-4 days. They did not charge anything, even for the cabs or the cruise.

Hopefully we would be able to visit Sicily islands sometime in future.

Day 5:

Morning Half to Popeye Village:

The area itself is picturesque and the water colour of the sea is beautiful!

Now, you’ll need to pay an entry fee to gain access to the town (film set) but if that’s not your thing, just drive up to the top of the bay and take in the gorgeous view of Popeye Village itself (free of cost)

Afternoon session, I had booked a tour package.

I had booked a half day tour to Blue Grotto and Marsaxlokk through Trip advisor. For 2 Adults and 1 child, it costs me around 71 Euros. (Tour Operator: S Mifsud & Sons Ltd.).

Even though the service was good, I personally would suggest you not to take this tour package as it is not worth the money.

They simply take you from the hotel to the destination which you could anyway do using a Public Transport (with little more research and effort)

Marsaxklokk (pronounced marsa-schlock) is a fishing village with lots of charm. The blue waters of this cute fishing village are filled with traditional Maltese boats called luzzus.

This is a place for the Photographers. You won’t be disappointed for sure.

On Sundays (9:00am – 2:00pm), Marsaxlokk is one of the best places to visit in Malta. Check out the open-air fish market selling the morning’s catch, including swordfish, tuna and so on. To get there, take bus #83 or #82 from Valletta.

Blue Grotto:

The Blue lagoon in Comino and Blue Grotto in Malta are 2 different destinations. So please don’t get confused between these names.

Blue Grotto is a stunning mix of sea caves that have naturally formed in this part of Malta.

This complex comprises of a massive (and very impressive) main arch, which is approximately 30m in height, as well as a system of 6 other caves, in which you will find the Honeymoon Cave, the Cat’s Cave and the beautiful Reflection Cave.

If you are going to visit the Blue Grotto, a boat trip to the caves is the best way to experience the true beauty of the area. Boat trips are usually available daily (weather permitting) with the duration of each trip being around 20 minutes.

During our visit, the Boat service was not operational due to bad weather.

We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”

– Anonymous.

We visited Gozo and Comino islands in March 2019.

We were on a 5 days trip to the beautiful county of Malta and managed to cover these 2 islands on the 2^nd day.

Following is a 5 days itinerary that we had followed:

Day 1: Red line Hop on Hop off.

Day 2: Gozo and Comino (My recommendation would be to cover both these places in a single day)

Day 3: Harbour cruise in the Morning half and explore the Historic city of Valetta in the second half of the day,

Day 4: Full day trip to Sicily islands, Italy

Day 5: Morning half day trip to Blue Grotto and Marsaxslokk market

The entire trip details are covered in another blog. Here I would like to discuss exclusively about my experience with Gozo and Comino (Day 2 in my itinerary)

Gozo:

Gozo is really like a sister of Malta, infact a less developed version of Malta.

Since this was our first trip to Malta, we thought to prebook a day tour package.

I had taken the tour package from ‘Get your Guide’

Link Below –> https://www.getyourguide.com/malta-l90/discovering-gozo-malta-s-sister-island-t26106/ (English Commentary was available)

For adult (16+), ticket price was around 55 Euros and for Children (5-15 years), it was around 35 Euros.

The package included:

1) Pickup and drop from Hotel

2) To and Fro ferry Charges from Cirkewwa to Gozo (in Gozo Channel ferry).

Note: You can expect a big Queue, to enter the Ferry.

There is also a small shop available within the Ferry, where you can buy snacks and other items.

3) Bus to visit the attractions in Gozo.

4) First visit was to Ta Pinu Basilica:

The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’ Pinu is a Roman Catholic minor basilica and national shrine located some 700 metres (2,300 ft) from the village of Għarb on the island of Gozo.

This is one of the most visited places on the island of Gozo – Malta, not only by Maltese people but also by many tourist.

The entry is free. Seems like the visitors are not supposed to wear Shorts inside the church.

5) Next visit was to Dwejra.

Dwejra Boat ride is something you should never miss, in case if you are in this part of the world (Ticket price for Adults and Kids were around 4 Euros/person. This Ticket price was not included in the tour package) .

Dwejra Bay is truly a gem in Gozo. If you don’t have much time to explore Gozo, this boat ride should be your first priority.

Please note that ‘Azure Window’ formation is no more as it has collapsed into the sea in 2017.

6) Then they took us to an Art gallery (I personally did not like this place).

7) After Art gallery, they took us for a Non-vegetarian Buffet @ Down Town Restaurant, Rabat (Included in the package)

This was a very decent buffet. Seems the tour operators have a good rapport with the restaurant management. 15-20 chairs were already reserved for us, when we reached there.

8) Further they took us for a Train Ride to Cittadela.

This is an interesting Train trip which takes you through the city centre before reaching the entrance of Citadel.

The Historic fortified city of The Citadella is in the heart of Victoria (Entry Ticket price was not covered in the package)

This was the last part of the tour, where you will be left in front of the Citadella and you can spend more than an hour or more at your own pace.

After the specified time, they will take us back to the Gozo ferry terminal in the bus and from there to Cirkewwa in the Ferry and further to the hotels in bus.

If you are a person who doesn’t want to book your travel plans all by yourself, this tour will be a good option.

But the problem is if you are taking this tour package, you will not be able to cover Comino on the same day.

We wanted to cover Comino on the same day. So, we cut short our time in the Citadella in Victoria (last portion of the above mentioned guided tour) and took a Malta Transport Bus to the Cirkewwa port. From the port, we took a small boat to Comino and spend an hour there. The boat charge included the journey from Gozo to Comino and further Comino to Cirkewwa port and it was around 10 Euros/ person (15 euros if you wish to see the caves). We didn’t have any snorkelling or Swimming plans in Comino. So around 1 hour was fine enough for us, to explore the place and take some beautiful snaps.

My Suggestion:

Getting from Malta to Gozo is very easy. The ferry terminal located on Malta can be found at the most northern tip of Malta in Cirkewwa and in the southern part of Gozo in Mgarr. The ferries run back and forth every 45 minutes and you can find the timetable here. You can buy the ferry/ boat tickets in the port.

https://www.gozochannel.com/

Take the Gozo channel ferry to reach Gozo from Cirkewwa. Don’t buy a Round Trip. Get down at the Gozo port and take a Hop on Hop off bus or else rent a bike or car. This is a small island and you can reach from one end to another in around 30 minutes. The public transport is also efficient, but the waiting time is more.

Comino:

This is indeed a heaven for people, who love diving and snorkeling.

The most beautiful part of this place is the world-famous Blue Lagoon.

Gozo, Comino and Cirkewwa ports are around 30 minutes far from each other.

Comino is between Malta and Gozo and is the smallest of the 3 islands.

The best time to visit Comino is during the months of July and August.

Don’t stop at the place where you boat drops you. Take a walk and explore the beautiful scenery from all sides.

I believe this is a car free island and the only option for you to reach here is a boat. There is only one hotel (Comino Hotel) in Comino. There are no restaurants here, but you will find 5-6 Food Trucks selling some basic stuffs like juice, Burgers and so on. There is a public toilet available.

Keep your camera handy with you as this is quite a picturesque place.

In case if you are a person who wants to spend a lot of time here for diving and snorkelling, I would suggest you to spend atleast half day here and try reaching here a little early around 9-10 AM, as the rush increases as the day progress. In such a case, the above plan of covering Gozo and Comino on a single day won’t be practical.

Take your towel, sunscreen and sunglasses. Like most touristy spots, it is pricey to buy the basics there.

You also have the option to take a short boat trip to explore some caves in this region.

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.”– Andre Gide.

Luxembourg also known as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is a country in the western part of Europe. Its bordered by Belgium, France and Germany. Languages like French and German are spoken in addition to its native language Luxembourgish.

The capital city named as Luxembourg City is one of three official capital cities of the European Union (along with Brussels and Strasbourg).

Some Facts about Luxembourg:

1) Second richest country in the world (After Qatar).

2) One of the safest nations in the world.

3) Many of the restaurants here have the largest variety of wine in their menu.

4) Half of the residents of Luxembourg are foreigners.

5) UNESCO certified the city of Luxembourg, a world heritage site.

6) June 23 is one of the most important days in the Luxembourgish Calendar (Grand Duke of Luxembourg’s birthday).

7) It’s one of the founding members of the European Union.

We visited Luxembourg in August 2019 from Dublin (in Ryanair) and it was a short trip of 2 days.

You can also check some popular websites like ‘TRAINLINE’ for your travel needs. Its one of the top destination for Train and Bus tickets. Check the link here, for more details: https://www.thetrainline.com/en-us/trains/europe

I would certainly recommend you to take a 1 day ‘Luxembourg Card’ (2/3 days card is also available). I had taken a Family card which is valid for around 2-5 Persons and costs around 28 Euros. I managed to buy this card from the Hotel that I stayed. Many of the museums and other places are free with this card. You get access to around 60 places free of cost with this card. You are also entitled to get a free booklet along with this card which provides all the details about the attractions. Another advantage of this card is that you can travel in the public transport (inside city and outskirts).

I would also recommend the hotel ‘Park inn by Radisson’.

It is conveniently located in the city centre (near to Main Bus terminal/Railway station).

The public transportation is excellent. Bus ticket costs around 2euros /Hour.

Bus 16 would take you from Airport (Findel Airport) to the city center (Gare de Luxembourg). You can take the bus directly from the main entrance of the airport. Normally you will have to take the bus ticket from the ticket vending machine which is available in all the main stops. Seems you can’t get the ticket directly from the bus driver.

I would like to provide you a one-day full itinerary that would help you to cover most of the important places here. We covered this place on the second day which was mostly a walking tour and the Starting point was ‘Parkin inn By Radisson’ hotel (around 9:30-9:45 AM).

1) La Passerellee Bridge:

This bridge is a great spot to get your first view of Luxembourg City. The city is really two levels. The upper level is the old town, a maze of pretty streets, restaurants, museums, and great places to go shopping. In the lower part of the city you will find more restaurants and bars, houses, plus gardens and canals that are very picturesque.

2) Luxembourg National Museum of National History: (Free entry with Luxembourg card) (Opens @10AM)

If you are interested in Natural history and so on, this would be a good place for you.

This Museum covers all traditional subjects through its collections from the fields of botany, zoology, Biology and so on.

More details here  → https://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/place/museum/national-museum-of-natural-history-natur-musee-luxembourg

3) Neumünster Abbey:

This is a public meeting place and cultural centre and is very near to the Natural History museum. This wonderful historic Abbey has been beautifully renovated and is now used as a cultural center, hosting musical events, a charming cafe, and a gallery that has excellent art exhibitions of local and international artists.

4) Grund:

This is a must-see place /surrounding in Luxembourg. The Grund is in the valley below the centre of Luxembourg City on the banks of the Alzette River.

This place really is a photographer’s dream as it can be photographed from above as well as from below once you get to explore its beautiful streets.

The Grund is one of the oldest parts of the city, and arguably one of the prettiest.

5) Bock Casemates: (Entry free with Luxembourg Card)

The Bock Casemates is a fortification that protected the city for many centuries. Its rocky cliffs stand on the bank of the river Alzette. There are complex underground tunnels in the Bock called Casemates. With the total length of 23km, they were used for protection and housed military personnel and supplies during the war. It’s a UNESCO’s world heritage site since 1994. The Casemates are open to the public from March to October.

There is also a city Train ride available in this place. Personally, I have not explored this, so not sure about it.

6) Chemin de la Corniche:

Also known as the “most beautiful balcony of Europe”. From here you can see the image found in most postcards of the city. The view is simply spectacular!

7) Musée national d’histoire et d’art Luxembourg: (Free entry for all)

The National Museum of History and Art, abbreviated to MNHA, is a museum located in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. It is dedicated to displaying artworks and artefacts from all epochs of Luxembourg history.

The museum has a large archaeological collection, particularly of objects discovered during the various excavations.

More details here –> https://www.mnha.lu/

8) Lëtzebuerg City Museum: (Free entry with Luxembourg Card)

This place can be skipped if you are running short of time.

The Luxembourg City History Museum illustrates the thousand-year history of the City of Luxembourg with both permanent and temporary exhibits.

The museum consists of two parts: the floors below the entrance level illustrate the city’s evolution from an economic, social, political, architectural and town planning point of view, whereas the upper levels are reserved for temporary exhibitions.

9) Grand Ducal Palace:

This is the official residence of Grand Duke of Luxembourg and where he performs most of his duties as head of state.

More details here –> https://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/place/castle/palace-of-the-grand-dukes

There is also a Chocolate house just opposite to Grand Ducal Place.

10) Cathédrale Notre-Dame:

The cathedral’s one-of-a-kind ceiling is one of the most characteristic images of the capital. The bells have a special sound that is played as a song. It’s worth being close to the cathedral to listen to the bells/song

11) Place de la Constitution:

This is a memorial to the Luxembourgers who died during world war 1. Now it symbolizes freedom for the Luxembourg people.

More details here –> https://www.luxembourg-city.com/en/place/monuments/place-de-la-constitution

12) Adolphe Bridge:

The Adolphe Bridge is a double-decked arch bridge in Luxembourg City, in southern Luxembourg. The bridge provides a one-way route for road traffis. Its upper deck carries two lanes of road traffic, and two pedestrian footpaths. Its lower deck, opened in 2018, suspended beneath the upper deck carries a dedicated bidirectional bicycle path, with access provided for pedestrian use.

13) Place d’Armes:

The Place d’Armes is a square in the center of town. The square is lined by restaurants, hotels, and small shops. You will also find common chains like ‘Mc Donald’s’ in this square.

By now you would have covered 5+ Kms by walk. Obviously, you will be tired as well.

From here, you have a couple of options.

1) If you are ready for a shorter walk again, you can proceed to Pfaffenthal Lift

Pfaffenthal Lift:

The new glass elevator connects the “Pescatore” park located in the city centre to the Pfaffenthal area at the bottom of the Alzette valley. The ride in the glass elevator features sweeping views (71m high) for pedestrians and cyclists alike. Using the elevator is free of charge.

The elevator is running every day from 6 in the morning until 1 o’ clock at night.

More details here: https://www.luxembourg-city.com/en/place/monuments/panoramic-elevator-of-the-pfaffenthal

Some nearby places that you can check are:

Villa Vauban – Museum of Art of the City of Luxemburg,

Grand Theatre of the City of Luxembourg

Casino Luxembourg

Or else, you can also explore the other attractions which are slightly away from the city center and can easily be accessed using Public Transport (free of cost with the Luxembourg card)

One suggestion here will be the Luxembourg American Cemetery Memorial:

The cemetery consists of 17 acres of manicured lawn surrounded by 33.5 acres of woods.

Or probably you can try visiting Place de l’Europe /European Convention Center Luxembourg (ECCL).

Ideally you should plan for a 2-3 days itinerary for Luxembourg (one day can be planned for a trip to Trier, Germany)

Another day, you can plan some trip outside the city like:

Mullerthal:

This is also called as Luxembourg’s ‘Little Switzerland’, which hides some of the best places to visit in Luxembourg. First stop should be charming Echternach, the oldest city in Luxembourg.

Mullerthal is more of a walking trail. Be prepared to walk a lot.

More details here –> https://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/what-to-do/nature-tours/hiking-luxembourg/mullerthal-trail

Please note that there is no direct bus from Luxembourg city center to Mullerthal and one side journey will be around 1 hour by bus.

Nature and Castle Line (Hop on Hop off):

During the trip you will discover the beautiful nature of Luxembourg with its impressive rocks and castles.

The ticket price is around 24Euors/Adult

More details –> https://www.viator.com/tours/Luxembourg-City/Sightseeing-Hop-on-Hop-off-Nature-and-Castle-Line/d36689-174227P1

PARC Merveilleux:

This is around 40 Minutes in Bus from the main city centre.

It is an amusement park just east of Bettembourg in the south of Luxembourg. Designed above all for children, the park has a wide range of attractions including exotic birds, animals in their natural habitats, a pony ranch, a miniature railway, children’s self-drive cars, adventure playgrounds, scenes from fairy tales, a restaurant and a cafeteria. The park is open every day from Easter to early October.

Schueberfouer:

We also got a chance to see the Luxembourg Carnival.

The big traditional fair in Luxembourg, called ‘Schueberfouer’ in Luxembourgish, attracts around two million visitors every year, making it one of the largest events in the region and a much-anticipated occasion to meet with friends and family

In 2019, it was the 679^th edition of this event. (23^rd Aug – 11^th Sep)

Details Here –> https://www.visitluxembourg.com/en/facts-about-the-schueberfouer

Additional Tips:

1) The souvenir shops are little less in Luxembourg city, so grab the one which you like and don’t wait till the last day expecting that you might find better shops with cheaper rates.

2) Some bus stops won’t show long distance bus details/timings in the display board, but these long-distance bus numbers will be marked clearly somewhere inside the Bus stop itself.

3) People are very friendly, and you can always take their help if you need some directions. Most of the people also speak English.

4) There are some tourist office available near few main attractions, from where you can get all the required information.

5)There are chains like Burger King available in the city centre. There are also some other options like the kebab shops from where you can manage to have your food.

“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”– Anonymous.

We did a 2 days road trip to Wales (Southern Part of Wales) in August 2019.

Wales is a destination with so much to offer in terms of activities, history, railways and beaches.

Every corner has something interesting to discover. It doesn’t have the fame or glory of England or Scotland, but it’s loaded with just as many treasures. Wales’s destination tend to be lesser-known to the general traveling population.

We started our trip from Nottinghamshire (in Britain) in the morning.

The distance from Nottinghamshire to Wales was around 161 miles (covered in 2.50 Hrs)

Brecon Mountain Railways:

The first destination that was covered on Day 1 was the ‘Brecon Mountain Railways’.

Starting point of the journey was Pant Station (Timings – 10.30Am, 12.15Pm, 2PM, 3.45Pm).

Tickets can be purchased directly from the Pant station and the ticket price was around Adult 15 GBP, Kids (2-15) 6.25 GBP.

You can also book your tickets online here : https://bookings.bmr.wales/(S(0u3i4kf5yskooxfh3krgmnd3))/booking.aspx

All trains travel nonstop from Pant to Torpantau. All returning trains from Torpantau stop at an intermediate station in Pontsticill, where you can visit the Lakeside Cafe, admire the view or go for walks alongside the reservoir, there is also a children’s play area.

Passengers can stay longer at Pontsticill and get a different train back to Pant station. The entire trip was around 2 hours (including the 20 minutes tea break at Pontsticill).

You can also see the Workshops in the Pant station, where these locomotives are repaired.

In this entire trip, you will get a chance to travel behind a vintage Steam Locomotive.

I felt that the tickets are overpriced (15 £/Adult) because you don’t have a lot to see enroute. If you have not travelled in such a steam engine driven train, this trip might be interesting for you.

One thing to admit is that train and compartments are well maintained and is very clean.

Cardiff Bay:

Later we went to Cardiff (capital of Wales)

The distance to Cardiff from Brecon Mountain will be around 37 minutes/27 miles.

Cardiff is beautiful, conveniently connected by transportation, highly walkable, and feels like a small town while having the amenities of a larger city.

Cardiff Bay is often described as one of the most successful redevelopment projects in the United Kingdom.

Cardiff Bay is supplied by two rivers (Taff and Ely) to form a 500-acre freshwater lake around the former dockland area south of the city centre. It’s an excellent place where you will get lot of options to capture some really nice photos.

If you want to explore Cardiff’s coastline, there’s no better way than a boat. Cardiff Bay is where all the boat trips head out from.

Many of the boating here in the Bay close by 5:15 Pm-5:30 Pm. So, it is advisable to reach here no later than 4:30 Pm.

There are many adventure/kids’ activities available near to the main bay area.

Millennium Centre:

The Millennium Centre is possibly one of the newest landmarks in the city to see! Best yet, there’s so much to do inside, especially if you want to explore the creative side of the city.

It’s a 2,500-capacity venue that can host massive bands, comedians and touring theatre shows.

The national assembly of Wales (named Senedd) is also located here and its near to the Millennium Centre.

We had booked our stay in Cardiff (Clive Road Flat 5, Cardiff, Wales CF5 1HG, United Kingdom) and stayed in this place for 2 nights.

Quick review of the accommodation:

We stayed in the ground floor and the room was quite clean.

This house is in a Residential area

You can find a Fish and chips shop near by

There were no much pans/pots for cooking.

Second day was a fully packed trip where we had to cover a lot of places.

Some places that we explored were:

Strumble Head Lighthouse:

This is very nice place, not much explored.

You need to be a good driver, as the roads are quite narrow, and you might encounter one or another vehicle from the opposite direction. You won’t get permission to get inside the light house.

The present lighthouse was erected in 1908.

There is enough parking space available near the lighthouse, but no shops / Toilets available in that region.

The area is known as the Pencaer Peninsula, although it isn’t actually a peninsula. Bordered on two sides by the sea and on the inland side by a line of low hills, it does give the feeling of being cut off.

Porthgain:

Porthgain was once a small commercial harbor used for exporting stone from the nearby quarry but is now a popular spot for tourists and locals. If you don’t have a car, you can reach Porthgain by taking the Strumble Shuttle coastal bus service. Porthgain has a couple of restaurants, art galleries, and it’s a great spot for launching kayaks. There are also public toilets available in this place.

The harbour was used as a location for the filming of the comedy ‘Their Finest’ starring Gemma Arterton, Bill Nighy and Sam Claflin.

On the left of the harbour the large brick buildings built into the cliff face are the hoppers used to store crushed granite (of different sizes) before shipment. The hoppers are now a scheduled monument, as Porthgain was designated a conservation area in 1987. Their only use now is as store for the local fishermen who still successfully fish for crab & lobster.

Abereiddy:

We did not explore much here, and we didn’t like this beach (Black sand). It was very much crowded.

The car park overlooks the beach and fills up quickly in summer. There is also a parking fee.

We did not visit the Blue Lagoon aswell.

Seems this is a popular spot for coasteering and quite a popular bathing place for families.

Saint Davids / St Justinian’s Lifeboat Station / Haverfordwest / St. Justinians:

You can take a boat trip to Ramsey Island from St Justinian’s Lifeboat Station.

This boat trip would be my first recommendation in case if you have very limited time to spent in Wales.

Situated on the spectacular coastline of south-west Wales and close to Britain’s smallest city, St Davids Lifeboat Station has been launching lifeboats since 1867.

The boat starts from a place which is a 10 minutes’ drive from the main town. You can buy your tickets from the main town and drive down to this place. There is enough parking/ toilet facility available near by the boat station (There is a small parking fees).

You need to climb up/down a lot of steps to reach near the boat.

There are a couple of companies operating boats here. Please check for the ticket price in all the such shops. There is always a scope to bargain (to a small extend)

We took Thousand islands Adventure trip (Jet Boat) which last for around 1 hour. They took us along the bays and caves around Ramsey Island.

More details here –> https://thousandislands.co.uk/thousand-islands-adventure/

If you are lucky enough, you will get chance to see a lot of seals during this trip.

This trip will help you to get some stunning views of the sea / caves/ seals / Sea Birds and so on.

There are many shops in the main town and a couple of paid parking grounds / slots as well.

You will find a lot of snack shops in the main town. We tried Crabs Oggie. It was very costly (4.5£/Piece). We personally did not like the Crab Oggie at all. My suggestion would be to buy 1 piece and taste it before buying in large numbers.

Bombay Brasserie (Indian Restaurant):

As always, we started our search for an Indian restaurant to have our Lunch, Infact it was quite a very late lunch that day.

Our search took us to ‘Bombay Brasserie’.(Vine Rd, Johnston, Haverfordwest SA62 3NZ, United Kingdom).

Eventhough the food delivery took some time, I would certainly admit that the fact that the food here was extremely tasty. Staff was friendly and welcoming.I would certainly recommend this place.

There is also a Fuel station and a Hotel (for accommodation) nearby to this restaurant.

Stackpole Quay (in Pembrokeshire):

Pembrokeshire county is full of gorgeous small towns with rich, unique history. It’s also home to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, which is Britain’s only coastal national park.

You can walk from Stackpole Quay to Barafundle bay.

The tiny harbour at Stackpole Quay on Pembrokeshire’s south coast is used by fishing boats and pleasure craft. Just inland from here is a National Trust tearoom and the parking area which is nearest to beautiful Barafundle Bay.

Tenby Beach (in Pembrokeshire):

Tenby is one of the favourite sea-side town in Pembrokeshire. Traditionally a historic fishing town, this colourful coastal town has now become one of the region’s best-loved places. This alone makes it one of the best places to visit on a Welsh road trip.

Tenby overlooks two islands, the closest of which is St. Catherine’s. This island can be reached by foot at low tide. The harbour, North Beach and South Beach are all worth a visit.

Other places that we missed in this Southern wale’s trip are:

Barafundle Bay
Skrinkle Haven
Bronwydd Arms Station (Gwili Railway)
Kidwelly Castle
Gover peninsula
Barry Island
Big Pit Mining Museum
Cardiff Castle
Cardiff National Museum
Castell Coch
St Davids Cathedral
Whitesands Beach
Merchant Seafarers’ Memorial
St. Catherine’s Island in Tenby

NOTES:

1. You can see a lot of sign boards in ‘Welsch’ language, but everyone speaks English. As part of efforts to protect Welsh language and culture, the Welsh language was placed on equal footing with English in 1993. As a result, Welsh is taught in schools and all government signs are in both English and Welsh. Some Welsh are more comfortable speaking Welsh; others are more comfortable speaking English. That said, today everyone speaks English.

2.We did not find much of Souvenir shops from where we could collect some souvenirs/fridge magnets. It’s advisable to buy one, as soon as you find it anywhere on your trip.

3. Please note that in this entire trip, we completely avoided the Northern Wales, due to time limitations. Northern Wales also have many beautiful places like Snowdonia National Park and so on.

“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide

We spent 4 days in Scotland during the month of July in 2019. One day each in Edinburgh (pronounced by most Scottish people as “Edinbra”) and Glasgow and 2 days in Scottish Highlands. It was a complete road trip along with my Brother-in-Law and his family. If you really want to explore the beauty of Scotland, my personal recommendation would be to try a road trip. Renting a car will be the best option.

Scotland might be a small country, but there are tonnes of places here that will astonish you.

There are beautiful landscapes, no matter which part you are in.

Scotland is full of experiences that can make your trip an unforgettable one. If you’ve been dreaming about visiting Scotland for a long time, I’m sure that you will have a long bucket list to see and do.

Scotland is one of the most scenic and beautiful countries in the world. Obviously one of the most beautiful countries that I had visited in my life.

I would like to share my Scotland Experience with you. I believe this would help you to finalise your itinerary. Considering the number of places that we have been to, I believe 4-6 days would be a good option.

Day 1:

Edinburgh Castle / Miles Road:

The city of Edinburgh is one of the top places to visit in Scotland and Edinburgh Castle is a must see.

Perched high on an old volcano overlooking the city of Edinburgh, is Edinburgh Castle. One of Scotland’s most popular tourist attractions, the castle is home to the Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny. You can get a pretty great view of the city without paying for entrance. Now it’s the country’s most popular tourist attraction, drawing around 1.5 million people a year.

Encircled by 7 hills, both the city’s old and new towns are UNESCO World Heritage sites, with the famous Royal Mile framed by Edinburgh Castle and the splendid Holyrood Palace. Edinburgh is the birthplace of Harry Potter.

This gorgeous city is built atop not one but two extinct volcanos.

Edinburgh’s Royal Mile is the heart of Scotland’s historic capital.

We had explored Edinburgh in Red line of the Hop-on-Hop-off.

Hop On Hop Off has 3 routes in Edinburgh:

Red line (covers the castle, Miles Road, Dynamic Earth and so on)

Green Line

Blue Line

More details here: https://www.hop-on-hop-off-bus.com/edinburgh/edinburgh-hop-on-hop-off-tour_5121?

Considering the price and the places that are covered, I believe Bright tours would be a better option compared to Hop on Hop off Red line. (Adult – 10£, Child – 6 £)

More details here: https://www.firstgroup.com/bright-bus-tours

There are so many options for food. We personally had tried ‘Nandos’ and it was quite nice.

In Edinburg, we stayed in Lochend Serviced Apartments.

Day 2:

1) Three Bridges:

From here, you could see the spectacular view of the 3 bridges (distinct types) quite near to each other:

The Forth rail Bridge (1890)

The forth Road Bridge (1964)

Queensferry Crossing (2017)

The Forth Bridge is a cantilever railway bridge across the Firth of Forth in the east of Scotland, 9 miles west of Edinburgh City Centre. It is considered as a symbol of Scotland and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was designed by the English engineers Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin Baker

Due to its distinctive red colours and huge proportions, it is one of Scotland’s most recognisable landmarks.

More Details here : https://www.thethreebridges.com/

2) Loch Lomond:

Loch Lomond is Scotland’s largest lake and is surrounded by greenery. If you want to have more fun, then hire a seaplane and cruise over the loch or hire a jet ski and take it to the lake.

There are lot of paid parking and paid toilets available in this place.

During our visit, we felt like the number of visitors were a lot more compared to the boats that were available for service. Due to the same reason, we decided to skip the Loch Lomond boat trip.

If you really want to stay somewhere near Loch Lomond, I would personally suggest Duck Bay Hotel.

We had a short tea break there, the surroundings and environment are simply superb.

More details here: https://duckbay.co.uk/

3) Fort William (Small Town):

Enroute to Ben Nevis range is Fort William.

It is not so much exciting as a town, but rather for its surroundings.

This is where the famous West Highland Way ends and where the highest mountain range of the UK begins: The Ben Nevis Range.

It takes only 15 minutes to drive from Fort William to the car park of the Nevis Range.

4) Ben Nevis Range:

Towering 1,344m over neighbouring Fort William, the soaring peak of Ben Nevis is not only Scotland’s highest point, but the highest mountain in the UK.

There is a cable car (Mountain Gondola) available to reach the Top most point of the Range. However, the last stretch is closed through out the year (except winter time).

The Mountain Gondola has become an amazing visitor attraction, allowing visitors to enjoy the scenic ride and absorb the stunning views and clear mountain air.

More details here: https://www.nevisrange.co.uk/

We stayed in a 2bhk luxury caravan (Caolasnacon Caravan & Camping Park) that night and it was an amazing experience.

Day 3:

1) Commando Memorial:

The Commando Memorial is a monument in Lochaber, Scotland, dedicated to the men of the original British Commando Forces (World War II)

2) Bridge of Oich:

The Bridge of Oich is a taper principle suspension bridge, designed by James Dredge, across the River Oich near Aberchalder in Highland, Scotland.

The bridge opened in 1854 and was used to take the main road traffic over the river until 1932.

Aberchalder Swing Bridge is also in the same spot.

3) Fort Augustus:

Fort Augustus is a settlement in the parish of Boleskine and Abertarff, at the south-west end of Loch Ness, Scottish Highlands. Its economy is heavily reliant on tourism.

4) Caledonian Canal:

The Caledonian Canal connects the Scottish east coast at Inverness with the west coast at Corpach near Fort William in Scotland. The canal was constructed in the early nineteenth century by Scottish engineer Thomas Telford.

Please check with the officials and understand the timings when the Locks will be opened. Before the lock opening, the swing bridges will also be opened. This is indeed an amazing view and should not be missed.

There are lot of parking available near the Canal and lot of restaurants as well.

We found a small ‘fish and chips’ shop (Canalside Take Away) to be the most economical.

5) Loch Ness (Popularly known for Loch Ness Monster):

It is a large deep Fresh water loch in Scottish Highlands.

Scotland’s most well-known lake, or loch, is an impressive 23 miles long. On its shores, you’ll see picturesque villages, mountains and the ruins of Urquhart Castle. Look closely and you could be rewarded with a sight of the Loch Ness Monster!

This is the second largest Loch after Loch Lomond. There is a cruise option in this Loch. If you have missed a boating in Loch Lomond, you can very well try this as an alternative option.

More details here: https://www.jacobite.co.uk/

The depth of this Loch is around 200 plus metre. Loch Ness is known as the home of the Loch Ness Monster (also known as “Nessie”), a cryptid, reputedly a large unknown animal.

The existence of such a monster sea animal is still a debatable topic, as of today.

Whatever may be the debates, everything here (from Souvenirs to Cruise trip) is been sold in the name of this Lochness Monster.

6) Isle of Skye:

The Isle of Skye, or the isle of mist, is everything you’ve ever imagined it to be.

It’s rugged scenery and brooding mountain ranges are commonly featured in films and television series.

Despite being popularly famous for its natural beauty, the Isle of Skye would never leave you disappointed. From the scenic mountains to the water that surrounds you, there’s nowhere to look that isn’t gorgeous. Truly awesome place and a must-see place in your Scotland Itinerary.

It may seem like a long drive to get there, but by adding in scenic pitstops along the way, you can turn the journey into a sightseeing adventure.

Skye Bridge is the gateway to the Isle of Skye. Continue A87 through Kyle of Lochalsh and cross the Skye Bridge (there is no toll to cross the bridge).

In case if you would like to have some Indian Cuisine, there is a Restaurant named ‘Taste of India’ after a short distance from the Skye bridge.

We stayed in a 2bhk luxury caravan (Caolasnacon Caravan & Camping Park) that night and it was an amazing experience.

Day 4:

Highland cows:

While these aren’t wild, many visitors to Scotland will want to see a highland cow during their trip. As they are usually kept in fields, they can be spotted most often between April and October.

Falkirk Wheel:

The Falkirk Wheel is well worth a visit.

My personal suggestion will be to just see the Falkirk Wheel in action and avoid the boat trip.

You can take a boat ride which will take you to the Upper Canal using Falkirk Wheel. This includes a ticket. But if you are running short of time, you could easily skip.

There are lot of parking available in this region and there is a parking charge involved.

More details here: https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/falkirk-wheel/

The Kelpies:

The Kelpies tower of the Forth and Clyde canal near Falkirk and are the largest equine sculptures in the world. They stand over 30 meters high and weigh in at over 600 tonnes.

The Kelpies pay tribute to the working horses of Central Scotland who used to pull barges along the canals. They are truly magnificent sculptures.

This is one of Scotland’s most photographed man made attractions. Its worth to spend some time here.

Guided tours are available where you also get the opportunity to experience the statues from the inside. There is a visitor centre (open daily between 10 am and 5 pm) which has a gift shop and a restaurant. Paid parking is also available.

River side museum, Glasgow:

On our way back to Birmingham, we passed through Glasgow. It’s not a clean city compared to its other counterparts in Scotland.

There is a car Museum (River side museum), which is free of cost.

Riverside Museum is Glasgow’s award-winning transport museum. With over 3,000 objects on display there’s everything from skateboards to locomotives, paintings to prams and cars to a Stormtrooper.

Kids would love this place.

More details here: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/riverside-museum

Other Ways to explore Scotland:

Scenic train ride (Jacobite – Hogwarts Express (For Harry Potter Fans))

Scotland is not only beautiful from the roads. Some of the best views can only be seen from aboard a ferry or a train! Iconic train lines, like the West Highland Line which runs through the isolated landscape of Rannoch Moor and crosses the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct between Fort William and Mallaig.

You can book your tickets here: https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/jacobite/jacobite-steam-train-details.cfm

Tour Operators:

In case if you don’t want to drive, you can try public transport or tour operators like Rabbies.

More details about Rabbies tours : https://www.rabbies.com/en/scotland-tours/from-inverness

When to visit Scotland:

Scotland is a destination that is worth visiting all year long, but the summer months, from June until August, attract the most visitors, marking peak season. July and August are on average the warmest months of the year, which coincides with the peak season for tourism and summer holidays.

Scotland is renowned for being a wet country and the rains can sometimes spoil your trip especially when you are exploring the Highlands of Scotland.

As the weather is changeable, you could encounter all four seasons in one day, regardless of which month you come to Scotland. Therefore, while considering what to wear, we recommend always having a few layers with you, especially wind and rain proof layers!

Some other Tips:

1) No drinks while driving:

There are strict alcohol limits for drivers, but it’s impossible to say exactly how many drinks this equals – it’s different for each person. Any alcohol in your body can adversely affect how you drive.

The current limits are:

22 mcg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath (the ‘breath limit’)

50 mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood (the ‘blood limit’)

67 mg of alcohol in 100 ml of urine (the ‘urine limit’)

2) Across Scotland, there are challenges with the network connectivity.
So, it will be a good option to keep a map handy with you and don’t completely depend on google maps in your phone.

3) Careful with Midges:

To some people, midges can be a night mare or a serious nuisance.Midges didn’t leave us either..

Mosquito/Midges Head net can save you here. Some options below: https://outdooradventurestore.ie/product/midge-mosquito-head-net?gclid=CjwKCAjwwvfrBRBIEiwA2nFiPTEUL_MtR1Sqtd4XGcFSgnrKhcN5TR9Qio1KmzBL6uAz2yhxbztU5BoC2p0QAvD_BwE

There might be many other names still missing from the above list.

If you really have more time, I would suggest you explore further places.

I have mentioned some places below:
Edinburg Zoo
Edinburg Ghost tours
Mull of Galloway
Fairy pools, Skye
Corryvreckan whirlpool
Cairngorms National Park
Rosslyn chapel
Finnich Glen
Holy Isle
The Ring of Brodgar
Staffa
St Kilda
Luskentyre beach
Distillery (like The Edradour – Kids below 12 are not permitted)
Smoo Cave of Scotland
Inverness
Isle of Lochalsh