While we were staying at Kiama, on the South Coast of New South Wales, we stopped by Cathedral Rocks to see what all the fuss was about.
Located around 4km north of Kiama, you will find Cathedral Rocks, an awesome rugged coastal rock formation. After doing plenty of research, we decided on a very early start and get there for sunrise.
Getting to Cathedral Rocks
Cathedral Rocks is about a 1.5-hour drive south of Sydney or just 10 minutes north of Kiama village. Getting to Cathedral Rocks is really easy! Just pop North Kiama Drive into Google Maps and you will find the parking located at the northern end, in front of the beach (opposite Moona Avenue).
From the parking lot, just head down on to the beach and head towards your right.
You will need to navigate over some rocks and around the corner and no doubt you will see many other photographers there already. It is much easier (and safer) to get there on low tide so if you can time it, even better.
Once you’re there, you will find a little cave (which will no doubt already have some photographers there), and it makes for some cool photos!
What to bring with you
Try to remember to wear comfortable shoes, after all, you will be climbing over rocks to get there so something with a bit of grip would be ideal as the rocks can get slippery. Depending on how keen a photographer you are, you will want to bring your tripod, filters and lenses etc.
Best time to photograph Cathedral Rocks
This was a big one for us. All seascape locations on the east coast of Australia are best photographed at sunrise. Unfortunately, the morning we arrived for sunset there was quite a bit of low cloud which meant we didn’t get the fiery sunrise we were hoping for. Regardless, it was still breathtaking and I could have spent hours there… actually, we did spend hours there!!
It is worth taking the tide and swells into consideration when capturing Cathedral Rocks. If you’re really wanting to shoot from inside the cave, you need to be there at low tide. The swell was pretty impressive when we were there so needless to say, we got a bit wet from the waves crashing up against the rocks.
Take a look at our short video on our trip to Cathedral Rocks.
Do you have travel insurance?
Before travelling, make sure you get a travel insurance policy – you never know when you might need it! Click here for information on travel insurance, what company we recommend and a link to get an instant quote.
Alternative accommodation
If you’re looking for alternative accommodation to either save some money or share with friends or family, click here for information on Air B&B ($50 discount on your first booking), hotel price comparison websites etc.
Here are a few more of our snaps of the day.
“Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you traveled.” – Mohammed
“Take a journey through a frozen maze of towering ice formations, jagged ridges, and deep blue crevasses!”
Probably one of the most incredible experiences we’ve had. It is truly remarkable and something not everyone has experienced, it is simply breathtaking.
We booked a full day tour from Reykjavik, Iceland with Arctic Adventures. This was a must do on our trip to Iceland, as it gives you the opportunity to hike the incredible Sólheimajökull Glacier with an option to do some ice climbing as well. On our way back to Reykjavik, we stopped off at Skógafoss waterfall, which was also impressive.
Our prep before the hike
The day we did our glacier hike was typical Icelandic weather, overcast with drizzly rain! It is important to have the correct clothing and footwear for this tour. We hired crampons and ice cleats which are a must for your footwear, as well as waterproof pants to ensure we were well equipped for the day. I am so glad we did!
Arrival at Sólheimajökull Glacier
We arrived at the base of the Glacier and you can’t help but notice the incredible blue glacier ahead of us. Despite the overcast conditions, it still looked beautiful, something out of a movie even.
To put it into perspective, the Glacier is about 8km long and 1-2 km wide. What shocked us is that around 20 years ago, the glacier covered the car park we were standing in… It is so sad to see the glacier receding like it is. Both Jenna and I felt extremely privileged to be able to climb the glacier, thinking that one day it won’t exist anymore…
It is here we start to get prepared for the hike ahead. We were each given our crampons as well as an ice ax, which as you will read further down, comes in very handy for ice climbing! We then started our walk towards the tip of the glacier tongue. It was here, we were shown how to wear the crampons correctly and some techniques on how to walk over the glacier, as well as the ice ax so you don’t accidentally swing it into your fellow hikers.
We were then off!
The Glacier Hike
Not as simple as it might seem. It is very important to follow your guide and listen to them very carefully. Hiking over a glacier can be extremely dangerous, and the ice can be forever changing and crevasses can be hidden by a thin layer of snow. What was even scarier is when we came across a Moulin. This is basically when surface water flows down the glacier and if you take a wrong step, you could go down hundreds of meters. So listen to your guide when they say to walk in single file and be guided on where you can and can’t walk.
The Glacier is covered in black volcanic ash, from a distance it looks dirty but when you’re up close you can see it is black volcanic ash. It’s pretty impressive.
All of a sudden, the climb on the glacier was getting a little steeper! Time to practice our crampon technique to get up safely. Coming down is a different story, this is when the ice axe comes in handy as you put the ax behind you, bend your knees a little bit and lean backward and walk down slowly. Sounds simple, right? Ha!
It was a fairly calm process getting to the summit of the glacier. Don’t get me wrong, it was hard work and despite the temperatures being around 0 degrees Celsius, we worked up a bit of a sweat, but this didn’t last long. The moment you stop, the chill factor sets in!
The view, however, makes it all worth it. It was breathtaking.
Take a look at our video covering the glacier hike and our final stop at Skógafoss waterfall.
Ice Climbing
Then the fun really kicks in. It was time for Ice Climbing and of course, I was the first to volunteer to go up.
We watched Sarah, our guide set everything up for the climb, ensuring the ropes and everything was tied down correctly.
I was ready to get climbing, but we had a little bit of time to kill so we enjoyed exploring around the blue ice. It really is spectacular.
It looks easy when you’re watching someone else, but let me tell you it was quite hard work! This is why you have to wear the right shoes… you need to kick your shoes, with the crampons attached, until they stick into the ice, you then do the other foot and also use your ice ax to secure your spot… However, to get the ice ax in, you have to hit around 3 – 6 times (depending on your aim and strength) in the same spot to secure your ax. This isn’t that easy! Once you’re up, you continue to do this until you’re at the top.
Take a look at our short video of my ice climbing!
When it came to Jenna’s turn, she got about half way before retiring and coming back down. The thing that got Jenna was the burning sensation in her forearms from having to hold the axes (they aren’t that light), trying to secure them in the ice, bracing yourself and then pulling yourself up for the next step is a decent workout!
It was the most amazing fun and if we had time, I would have loved to have climb up again!
Our descent
On our way back down to the base of the glacier, we came across an ice cave! It was so cool to see, so we each took turns (only 2 people at a time could fit) to head down to see what it was like. The ice caves are formed from flowing melted glacier water and they surprisingly can go quite deep into the ice.
We continued back down to the base of the glacier, where we took off our crampons and continued back to the carpark.
Skógafoss waterfall
On our way back to Reykjavik, we stopped in at the Skógafoss. It was such a spectacular waterfall! It is one of the biggest waterfalls in Iceland, spanning 25m wide and a drop of 60m… just incredible. I have been told that if you visit on a sunny day, because of the amount of spray the waterfall consistently produces, you can see a single or a double rainbow!
Our verdict
The whole day was incredible, from start to finish. Our guides were extremely knowledgeable and always happy to answer any questions we had.
Do you have travel insurance?
Before travelling, make sure you get a travel insurance policy – you never know when you might need it! Click here for information on travel insurance, what company we recommend and a link to get an instant quote.
“I see my path, but I don’t know where it leads. Not knowing where I’m going is what inspires me to travel it.” – Rosalia de Castro
Located 120km south of Sydney, nestled in the Illawarra, New South Wales, Australia is the gorgeous village of Kiama. One of the main tourist attractions is the Kiama Blowhole, but there is so much more to this gorgeous little town than the blowhole!
The village, located on the coast has a few surfing beaches, caravan parks, little restaurants and within a short drive other popular tourist attractions such as the little blowhole (yes, there is more than one!), Bombo Quarry, Cathedral Rocks and Saddleback Mountain lookout.
We decided to make a long weekend of it and spend two nights in Kiama, which is plenty of time to see everything and leaves time for relaxation as well.
Kiama Blowhole
The Kiama blowhole is the most famous attractions in Kiama. We read numerous reviews about the blowhole being hit and miss and some even saying you have to be lucky to see it blow. It is dependent on the winds coming from the South East, which in turn allows the waves to enter the mouth of the blowhole and compress air within the inside. When the air escapes, it makes a really loud “oomph” sound along with the water spout.
We initially thought it had to do with the tide and swell, but it turns out it only has to do with the winds, so if you head down on a weekend where the winds aren’t coming from the south east then you might not be so lucky!
Check out our video for some footage of the blowhole.
Little Blowhole
After visiting the big blowhole, we weren’t expecting anything super exciting from the little blowhole… Boy were we wrong! We punched in Kiama little blowhole into Google Maps, and off we went. It is around 3km south of Kiama village and situated just off Tingira Crescent. There is a small car park at the entry to the blowhole or plenty of street parking.
The little blowhole was equally as impressive as the big blowhole, if not more impressive simply because we had the place virtually to ourselves and the blowhole was extremely active. There is a viewing platform there, otherwise, you can sit on the grassy area and just enjoy the view! The blowhole is at its best when the seas are from the North East.
Check out the video for some footage of the little blowhole.
Cathedral Rocks
Located around 4km north of Kiama, you will find Cathedral Rocks, an awesome rugged coastal rock formation. To read more about this amazing place, check out our full blog on Cathedral Rocks here: Visiting Cathedral Rocks: What you need to know
Bombo Quarry
This would probably be one of my favourite stops on our trip to Kiama. Bombo Quarry is located a little south of Cathedral Rocks. Going back around 70 years, Bombo Quarry was once an active quarry but today is one of Australia’s most famous seascape locations. To read more about this spectacular spot, take a look at our full blog on Bombo Quarry here: What you need to know about Bombo Quarry, New South Wales
Saddleback Mountain Lookout
Just a 15-minute drive from Kiama village, you will find yourself in a completely different world filled with farms and stock! Saddleback Mountain Lookout provides you with uninterrupted views over the New South Wales South Coast. It is definitely worth a drive up to take in the view!
On the way back down, we stopped in to say hello to the local stock on the farms!
Kiama town
If there is one thing in Kiama town you need to do, it’s spending some time at the Historic Terrace Houses on Collins Street.
The houses were built back in 1886 for the local quarry workers. Today, they house cafes, clothing stores, crafts and collectables.
Coronation Park is also a nice spot to spend a few hours, pick up some fish and chips or in the summer time have a swim!
Kendalls beach is a lovely stretch of beach and happened to be virtually empty when we visited!
Kiama Harbourside is the perfect spot for a stroll along the harbour, relaxing in the park and just doing nothing but enjoying the scenery!
Kiama Lighthouse is at the Kiama Blowhole and the area surrounding the blowhole is incredible! It is definitely worth taking your time and enjoying the scenery.
When you wonder through the village of Kiama, you will such gorgeous quaint buildings. It does make you feel like you’re in a small European coastal town!
Kiama Markets are held at the harbourside are held on the third Sunday of each month. There are some great stalls there and you can expect to spend an hour or so just walking through!
Where to stay
We stayed at the Sebel Kiama Harbourside Hotel. The location was perfect for our stay in Kiama.
To read more about this hotel, please click here for our full hotel review.
Where to eat
Amaki Cottage Cafe: We stopped in at Amaki Cottage Cafe for some afternoon tea, a scone with jam and cream! The cafe is located in one of the famous Historic Terrace Houses and worth a visit, the staff and atmosphere are great!
The Hungry Monkey: The Hungry Monkey is also located in one of the Historic Terrace Houses and is most famous for their burgers! You know a place is good when people are waiting outside for a free table, or ordering takeaway to eat on the surrounding grounds.
Jenna ordered the colonel burger with chips and I had the acai bowl. The service was really good and the food came out pretty quickly. I would definitely recommend a lunch stop in at the Hungry Monkey.
Blue Diamond Bar & Bistro: Our first evening we decided to dine at the Blue Diamond Bar & Bistro. The Bistro is part of the Sebel Harbourside Hotel, so we thought we’d give it a go. To be honest, we were hoping for more of a restaurant feel from the hotel, but the bistro is a sports bar/bistro and far from a restaurant. This is fine if you know what you’re expecting! I ordered the steak sandwich and Jenna the beef burger. I probably wouldn’t rush back to eat here, but it would be great if you’re meeting up with a bunch of mates and wanting to watch the football. I would also recommend the bistro during the day as you will be able to enjoy the views over the harbour. To read more about the Blue Diamond Bar & Bistro, check out our blog on the Sebel Kiama Harbourside.
Olive and Vine: We were deciding where to have dinner on our last evening and came across Olive and Vine on Trip Advisor, rated the number 1 restaurant in Kiama. Since we love Italian, we thought we’d give it a go! It was fully booked on the Saturday so we booked ahead for the Sunday night. Upon arrival, we were given two slices of olive tapenade pizza. We then ordered the bruschetta, a margarita pizza and a lamb pizza. The service was pretty good at the start, although it did slow down after we received our main and we had to walk up to the front to be able to pay our bill.
Do you have travel insurance?
Before travelling, make sure you get a travel insurance policy – you never know when you might need it! Click here for information on travel insurance, what company we recommend and a link to get an instant quote.
Alternative accommodation
If you’re looking for alternative accommodation to either save some money or share with friends or family, click here for information on Air B&B ($50 discount on your first booking), hotel price comparison websites etc.
“No place is ever as bad as they tell you it’s going to be.” – Chuck Thompson
Hotel: The Sebel Kiama Harbourside
Location: Kiama, New South Wales – Australia
Room: Deluxe Room 1 King Bed Harbour View
Perfect for: Beach holiday & Relaxing weekend stay
Category: Contemporary, 4.5 star
When deciding on where to stay in Kiama, we came across the Sebel Kiama Harbourside which was perfect for us as we’re platinum Le Club members at Accor Hotels. The hotel is perfectly situated in Kiama, on the harbour and within walking distance to the Kiama Blowhole and the historic terrace shops.
Our welcome experience…
Upon arrival, we were met by Tanya who checked us in, made us feel welcome and gave us a few suggestions on what was on over the weekend, where to go and what to see.
Our room was also available for an early check in which was an added bonus!
The Room…
We stayed in a Deluxe King Bed Harbour View room. The room was spacious and flowed out to a very large patio overlooking the harbour.
The beauty of the Sebel is that all of the rooms are self-contained, meaning there is a kitchenette in each of the rooms, should you wish to do a bit of cooking during your stay. There is, of course, a small dining table and lounge in the room as well.
The king size bed was very comfortable, as were the pillows! There is nothing nicer than enjoying a great nights sleep after spending the day on your feet seeing the sights.
To top off the great start to the holiday, shortly after settling in, Tanya knocked on the door and offered us a bottle of sparkling, on ice with a couple of glasses – such a nice touch!
Meals…
Breakfast was located in the Quarry Room, which boasts 180-degree views of Kiama Harbour! To compliment the lovely views, the breakfast was a buffet with a barista on hand for any special orders.
The staff were very attentive, they ensured the buffet was always topped up, and the fruit was refreshingly fresh.
The Sebel has one option for dinner on site, and that is at the Blue Diamond Bar & Bistro. I must admit, when we walked down to the bistro, we weren’t expecting a sports bar atmosphere, but if you’re looking for a casual meal in a sports bar, then this place would be great. We visited on a Saturday night and the place was packed, there were plenty of people there to watch the game.
The food came out quickly, we ordered some chicken wings, a beef burger and steak sandwich and the food was okay, not what I expected from a hotel bistro. The venue seems popular with the locals, great spot for lunch, however as a treat for dinner, I would suggest looking at a few of the other local restaurants as well.
Health and Fitness…
There is one word that sums up the gym at the Sebel. WOW!!! One Fitness is located in the basement of the Sebel. I wasn’t expecting such an amazing gym in such a small town, let alone in a hotel. This gym has absolutely everything from cardio machines, weight machines, free weights, an ‘outdoor’ weight section, classes and a boxing ring!
As a guest at the Sebel, you can get a 2-hour pass from reception to use the facilities.
If you’re someone who likes to stay active while on holidays, you might find this article helpful.
You can also hire bikes from the hotel, this is great if you enjoy a casual bike ride along the harbour.
Hotel Grounds
The hotel grounds are lovely and a mixture between contemporary and historic. The gardens that lead you down to the Quarry Room for breakfast are well maintained and the foyer welcoming.
Good to know…
The hotel offers free parking for all guests. There are several levels of parking and not once did we have a problem finding a car park.
Checking out…
Our check out was quick and easy. Tanya asked where we were heading to after Kiama (which was Sydney via Wollongong) and happily suggested lunch spots in Wollongong for us. Tanya certainly provided above and beyond service!
Above and beyond…
Tanya went out of her way to make us feel welcome. By telling us about the free transport to the wine festival or by letting us know about the Sunday markets that are held on the harbourside. It is those extra touches, especially the bottle of sparkling, that makes visiting a hotel special.
The not so good…
The only negative I have about our stay at the Sebel was our dining experience at the Blue Diamond Bar & Bistro. I wouldn’t recommend a nice meal there for two. However, if you’re in a group and looking for a nice casual night with a few drinks, then the Bistro would be a great spot!
The verdict…
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Sebel Harbourside Kiama. We will be staying at this hotel when we next visit Kiama.
Do you have travel insurance?
Before travelling, make sure you get a travel insurance policy – you never know when you might need it! Click here for information on travel insurance, what company we recommend and a link to get an instant quote.
Alternative accommodation
If you’re looking for alternative accommodation to either save some money or share with friends or family, click here for information on Air B&B ($50 discount on your first booking), hotel price comparison websites etc.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust
A visit to Sydney is not complete without a stop off at The Lord Nelson Brewery, Sydney’s oldest continually licensed hotel, established in 1841. Located in the Rocks (Sydney’s historic precinct) you can’t get a more appropriate area to house the pub.
After living in London for two years, sitting in The Lord Nelson made us feel a little nostalgic… it was a rainy day, the trees had lost their leaves, the fireplace was on and the atmosphere was cosy. I felt like I was sitting somewhere in the middle of England or Scotland, it was amazing.
The Lord Nelson isn’t just any old pub. They have a brewery with over a quarter century award-winning ales, a restaurant and accommodation.
There are plenty of great beers on tap for you to choose from.
Your visit to Sydney isn’t complete without a trip to the oldest brewery pub in Sydney!
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust
Surrounded by mountains and incredible local culture, it is quite easy to see why Lake Como (or Lago di Como as the locals call it) has become one of Italy’s most popular holiday destinations.
At just over an hour drive north of Milan, Lake Como has many things on offer and is a perfect way to spend a long weekend.
We visited Lake Como in early September and the weather was spectacular. It was cool in the evenings and warm during the day.
Interesting Facts about Lake Como
Lake Como has an area of 146 square km’s (56 square miles) which makes it the third largest lake in Italy. It is also one of the deepest lakes in Europe at over 400 metres (1, 300 feet) and to add to that, the bottom of the lake is actually more than 200 metres (660 feet) below sea level!
Getting to Lake Como
After arriving at Milan airport, we picked up our hire car and made our way to Lake Como, which is just over one hour drive north of Milan Airport. The drive was quite pleasant, we simply popped on google maps and we were on our way.
For more information on hiring a car in Europe, what to see in Milan or using your mobile phone abroad, click on the below links.
Renting a car in Europe? Driving on the wrong side of the road? Freaking out? This one is for you!
Top 5 things to see in Milan!!
Travel tip; using your mobile phone abroad
Deciding on where to stay at Lake Como
For us, we found it difficult to decide where on the Lake is a good place to stay. We had received feedback from friends and had read reviews about not staying in the touristy parts of Lake Como, but rather stay in the quieter villages.
The principal towns around the Lake are:
- Bellagio
- Como
- Menaggio
- Varenna
- Lecco
Other villages around the Lake that are easy to commute from include:
- Lenno
- Tremezzo
- Villa Carlotta
- Cardenabbia
We stayed in Lenno, which is easily accessible by boat and a quick journey to the other villages on the Lake, including Bellagio and Varenna.
Lenno has a few lovely restaurants to choose from and a range of accommodation choices as well. If you’re after a nice quiet relaxing holiday, I would highly recommend Lenno.
Bellagio is the most popular, touristy part of Lake Como. It is lovely to visit and there is plenty of things to see but it often is more expensive (and busy) if you stay here.
Varenna is a much smaller town than Bellagio but is still equally as beautiful. The impressive Castello de Vezio is located in Varenna and will give you incredible views over Lake Como.
Getting around Lake Como
Getting around Lake Como is quite simple. If you’re staying at one of the villages that has a ferry terminal, then it is simple! There is a frequent boat service that connects the central resorts. The stops include Lenno, Tremezzo, Villa Carlotta, Cadenabbia, Menaggio, Bellagio and Varenna.
Some hotels have their own private boat that will shuttle you from the resort to Bellagio. However, if this isn’t an option for you, you can buy tickets at the ferry terminal from the person working behind the counter.
The ferry ride is by no means boring! Cruising up and down Lake Como is beautiful. You see some amazing hotels and residences and there is always something to look at!
Our arrival story…
There is a funny story that goes with our arrival to Lake Como. We arrived at our hotel, Hotel Britannia Excelsior which we had booked and paid for through hotels.com. We were really looking forward to our Lake View room and unwinding after a whirlwind 24 hours in Milan.
Upon arrival, the hotel asked for our passports (standard procedure) to process our check in. Jenna has at that moment, realised that the passports were sitting in the safe.. at the hotel… in Milan.. yep, we left the passports in Milan! So, it clearly wasn’t a good start to the day. That aside, the hotel started to process our check in and came out after a few minutes to tell us that there was a problem with the booking and they did not have a room for us. At this point, I was off somewhere doing something else and had left Jenna to get us checked in… Jenna remained calm and patient while they tried to explain what happened… They had then booked us into another hotel, a 5-minute drive down the road and had offered us the complimentary all inclusive package to their hotel. This meant we could use the multiple restaurants, pool bar and drinks package at no extra cost. We seemed happy with their effort and packed the car up again and drove down to our new accommodation.
To cut a very long story short, the new hotel turned out to be a 2-star room above a news agency and was far from our superior lake view room at the 4-star hotel with amazing amenities. We didn’t even check in. We rang the hotel back immediately and said it wasn’t good enough. But, they wouldn’t do anything for us. So, after around 3 hours on the phone to hotels.com to find an alternative accommodation (to which they offered us another place, on a different lake, in Switzerland!!) we decided to give up on hotels.com and book something directly through one of the local hotels ourselves!
This was the last time we ever booked with hotels.com and I would absolutely recommend booking directly with the hotel even if you do use hotels.com as the initial starting point for your hotel search.
What to do in Lake Como
Bellagio: Bellagio is probably the most famous villages around Lake Como. It is at the very tip between the two southern branches of the lake. We spent the most part of a full day here and really enjoyed ourselves. It has that true Italy feel about it with picturesque lanes, narrow roads and a range of restaurants to choose from, often spilling out on to the lane ways.
The beautiful thing about Bellagio is from the moment you step off the ferry, you feel like you’re in this remote village in Italy, not only an hour or so out of Milan! There are cobble stone lanes that rise up to reach the main street in the village.
It is a gorgeous lane where you can do some shopping and for us, we stumbled across the most incredible Christmas decoration shop. For those who don’t know, Jenna picks up a Christmas decoration at every city we visit, unless the culture simply doesn’t appreciate Christmas! It makes for a very exciting Christmas when we put up our tree and reminisce our amazing adventures. This Christmas shop was so special, a local had made all of the decorations in the store and was happy to make them to order! She even kindly added a few finer details on our ornaments for us.
The shop was near Bellagio’s main town square. You will find the town church, the Romanesque Basilica di San Giacomo, which is worth popping in to while you’re there.
From the main square, you can walk down to the parkland for a peaceful view over the lake. There is a nice restaurant there, but we preferred to be up where the action was happening and do some people (and ferry!) watching!
Varenna: Varenna is a picturesque village on the eastern shore of Lake Como looking towards Bellagio. What makes Varenna so appealing is the old fishermen’s houses and how everything is a little understated compared to Bellagio.
Our main reason for visiting Varenna was to visit Castello di Vezio and take in the beautiful view over Lake Como.
We decided to walk up to the castle, and quite possibly took the most scenic way possible! It sort of like a little hike or bush walk… took around twice as long as what it should have, but it was an experience we’ll never forget!
When you arrive at the Castle, and you are overlooking the lake, you forget about the interesting walk to get there.
There are really interesting birds you can take a look at while walking around the grounds, as well as climb up to the top of a turret for an even more beautiful view over Lake Como.
We then took the ‘easy’ walk back down to the village. We had hoped to stop off at the local waterfall, but given how dry their summer had been, we were told there was no water so we decided to continue our journey back to town.
Faro Voltiano, Brunate: After our drive back from Milan to pick up our forgotten passports(!), we decided to drive to Brunate to see Faro Voltiano. The drive, according to google maps is just under 30 minutes to drive the 9.7km. However, we weren’t expecting roadworks! Nor were we expecting roads that were so narrow, it didn’t look like a car could even get through! It was probably the most stressful, yet enjoyable drive we’ve ever done! There were points in the drive, where someone had to reverse down the narrow lane way so the other could pass, side mirrors had to be folded in to avoid damage… all I can say is I am glad we had our little Peugeot 208!
We finally made it to the lighthouse, only to find out it doesn’t open on a Monday!
Whoops! Probably should have looked at the opening hours before we took the drive up… Anyways, the views were still really good and the driving experience alone made it worth it!
Thankfully, the drive down we managed to follow a local so we just stuck behind them and we got down pretty quickly! From Como town centre, the drive back to Lenno took us around 45 minutes.
Where to stay
Following on from our above story, we stumbled across Residence Lenno and drove down to the main hotel, Albergo Lenno to see if they had availability. We ended up booking a full lake view apartment and it turned out to be more than perfect! The staff at the hotel were so accommodating and said that they have problems with some of the other hotels overbooking and leaving customers stranded.
The apartment was spacious, bed comfortable and the views were simply breathtaking.
In terms of location, it was a short 3-minute stroll to the ferry terminal which is a quick ride to Bellagio or Varenna. There is also a supermarket less than a 10-minute walk down the street to pick up some drinks and snacks.
Like most visitors at Lake Como, we had a car and Residence Lenno had free guest parking at the front of the hotel. This was extremely convenient because if you’ve seen how narrow the streets are, having a private parking lot is something you don’t take for granted!
We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Residence Lenno and I would stay there again when we return to Lake Como.
Where to eat
Lenno: I loved eating at Lenno, it was so quiet and the restaurants were amazing and food delicious! Our favourite restaurant was Plinio which was located on the lake.
It was by far the most popular restaurant so we needed to book in advance for our dinner. I ordered fresh grilled fish and Jenna the spaghetti pomodoro. The service was really good, the food delicious and the views are perfect.
We also ate at Bar Sport. We both ordered Arrabbiata and it was delicious and really well priced too! You eat right on the water so the atmosphere is perfect.
Bellagio: We decided to eat at probably one of the most touristy restaurants in Lake Como, Hotel Excelsior Splendide! But, it was perfectly positioned right on the front, overlooking the lake and ferry terminal.
The food… I don’t know what else to say but YUM! I ordered the lamb Pappardelle and Jenna ordered the Lasagne. Both meals were delicious.
The dessert.. well, take a look at the pictures, it was the most incredible dessert we’ve ever had!
It is definitely worth eating here, just make sure you get a seat along the front of the restaurant so you have uninterrupted views!
Varenna: We stopped in at a little restaurant called Nilus Bar. We wanted something quick and easy before our walk up to the Castle.
I ordered a vegetable sandwich and Jenna a pizza. The food came out quickly, the service was fairly average. It was a pretty cheap meal so we can’t complain too much!
Do you have travel insurance?
Before travelling, make sure you get a travel insurance policy – you never know when you might need it! Click here for information on travel insurance, what company we recommend and a link to get an instant quote.
Alternative accommodation
If you’re looking for alternative accommodation to either save some money or share with friends or family, click here for information on Air B&B ($50 discount on your first booking), hotel price comparison websites etc.
“To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” – Aldous Huxley
Kakadu National Park is World Heritage listed and covers an area of more than 19,800 square km’s. There is so much wildlife to see in Kakadu from thousands of different insects, plants and hundreds of bird species. There are many rock art sites which showcase Aboriginal culture which dates back to around 50,000 years ago.
Kakadu was a must for us, but we struggled to find a variety of tours given it was still wet season so we booked through AAT Kings for a day trip to Kakadu, Nourlangie and a Yellow Water Billabong cruise. They seem to run all year round tours which worked in our favour. We also joined their full day tour to Katherine Gorge!
About the tour
It was an early start; pick up time was scheduled for 06:15, after all, Kakadu isn’t that close to Darwin! The tour is a 13 hour day – so be prepared for some serious driving time! Kakadu is about a 3 hour drive each way.
Once you leave Darwin, you jump on to one of the longest roads in Australia, the Stuart Highway. The landscape is not what we expected and was quite green and luscious but it is the wet season so the rainfall is higher than other times in the year.
Once you exit the Stuart Highway, you’re then on the Arnhem Highway which continues with the changing landscape.
There is a pit stop half way there which is a great chance to grab some breakfast or a snack.
The Bark Hut had pre-made pies, toasted sandwiches and also made to order breakfast if you got in first and had time to wait for your eggs!
There is a lovely outdoor area where you can see some emus. They are interesting creatures!
It was then back on the road, Kakadu here we come!
The tour offers an optional scenic flight over Arnhem Land and Escarpment and is around $250 per person extra. We didn’t do this simply because we had the flight included with the Outback Floatplane adventures tour. However, I am sure it would be fantastic to see if you did choose this option. So, once you drop those taking the flight off at the airport we continued down towards the Cooinda Lodge where we departed for our 1.5 hour Yellow Water Billabong Cruise where we were lucky enough to see a couple of crocs and some amazing birds.
Here are a few of our favourite pictures from the billabong cruise.
Take a look at our short video of our river cruise.
We then walked back up to Cooinda Lodge which is where a buffet lunch was included. The lunch was nice, offering some cold meats, salads, rolls and some fruit and carrot cake for dessert. There was also a bar available for drink purchases if you wanted something a little more refreshing!
It was then a quick drive over to the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre. The Bininj (pronounced Binning) are the traditional custodians of Kakadu National Park, and this cultural centre provides a good introduction on their way of life. It was interesting to read the different seasons and their calendar. It is very different to our traditional calendar.
The last stop on the tour is, of course, Nourlangie Rock. This particular part of Kakadu provided shelter to the indigenous people for many thousands of years.
They used this rock as a canvas which illustrates their deep spiritual culture.
The walk around the base of the rock is around 1.5km and our guide (also the driver) walks you through and explains the different types of rock art paintings and what they mean.
Cost of the tour
The tour costs $235 per adult (and $118 per child). However, this doesn’t include Kakadu National Park entry which is $25 per person. This ticket does last 14 days should you be staying on in Kakadu for additional tours. If you’re limited to only being able to spend one day in Kakadu and are basing yourselves in Darwin, this is going to be the tour for you. There isn’t a lot of walking involved, so it is suitable for elderly people (in my opinion!).
To read more about our recent trip to Darwin and our itinerary, click here!
Do you have travel insurance?
Before travelling, make sure you get a travel insurance policy – you never know when you might need it! Click here for information on travel insurance, what company we recommend and a link to get an instant quote.
Alternative accommodation
If you’re looking for alternative accommodation to either save some money or share with friends or family, click here for information on Air B&B ($50 discount on your first booking), hotel price comparison websites etc.
“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca
Nitmiluk National Park. Some might know it as Katherine Gorge National Park, spans more than 292,000 hectares. The landscape is a little different to that of Kakadu National Park but is still green and luscious. The name Nitmiluk actually means ‘Cicada Place’, named by the Jawoyn people who are the traditional custodians of the park.
When Jenna started researching things to see from Darwin, Katherine was up there on her list of things to see. It’s a shame that the research didn’t include double checking the best time of year to visit the Northern Territory, the timing certainly could have been planned better to maximize the experience. One of the first differences is that there was only a handful of tour companies operating at the time, and decided to book a day trip with AAT Kings (big coaches, which I’m not a fan of!). The flexibility of a rental car was considered and we would have booked one if we had an extra day in Darwin, but knowing we had a tight itinerary with quite a bit planned we needed something that will run on schedule.
The post will outline the day – but please feel free to contact us if you would like additional information on the day!
Day trip from Darwin
The AAT Kings Katherine Gorge tour had a few more stops and has slightly more driving than the Kakadu day trip (also with AAT Kings). The pickup at the hotel from Darwin was at 06:15 and the drop-off time was around 21:00.
The drive towards Nitmiluk National Park and Katherine Gorge is on the Stuart Highway – it is a lengthy drive, but we were relieved when we stopped for some breakfast around 9:30 at the Emerald Springs Roadhouse. The food wasn’t extensive but the scones and jam were to die for, definitely the highlight of what was available!
Once we finished breakfast, it wasn’t too much longer until we reached our first stop for the day, which was at the Adelaide River War Memorial. This memorial is dedicated to the many men and women who lost their lives in the north of Australia during WWII. It is always a surreal experience and never ceases to amaze when you read just how young the soldiers were when they gave their lives to the country and for the greater good.
Albeit the cemetery is a surreal experience, I have no doubt that anyone who books this particular tour is after the various waterfalls and lakes. The first of the waterfalls is at Leliyn (commonly known as Edith Falls). Given the timing of our trip, which was near the end of a relatively dry wet season, the waterfall wasn’t as impressive as some of those images on Google! If you’re after a great experience at the falls or Gorge, make sure you visit in the middle of the wet season. If you’re after wildlife, then towards the end of the dry season is best when the water levels are lower. Nevertheless, it was still gorgeous and the landscape was still well worth the visit.
In the dry season, you can also opt for a swim at Edith Falls. Even though we visited towards the end of the dry, wet season, the water levels were still high enough for the crocodiles to enter the area – we certainly had no intention of finding out if they were still there so we decided to keep out!
The area also has a kiosk available for a quick top-up if you weren’t quite satisfied with breakfast, or even better, an ice-cream or icy cold drink (which you will need!!).
It was then a short drive to our next stop for lunch, followed by a 2-hour cruise through Katherine Gorge!
Lunch was at a lovely the Nitmiluk Visitors Centre which included a wide selection as part of a buffet, drinks are available to purchase from the bar. Alfresco dining is an option and trust me, you know you’re in the Northern Territory when you sit in the heat looking out over the surrounding landscape. The alternative is to make the most of the air conditioning inside!
The cruise commences a short walk from the Nitmiluk Visitors Centre. Depending on the season, your boat ride could be either one boat, or two! Given the water levels at the time of our visit, we took one boat through gorge 1 and then we had a short walk to get to the second boat for the cruise up through the second gorge. The views are simply breathtaking! I won’t bore you with the details, instead check out our short video with some highlights!
After the cruise, it was the start of a very long drive back to Darwin. Normally, the tour would again stop at the Emerald Springs Roadhouse (where we had breakfast), but unfortunately for the owners, their generators were down, but luckily for us, we experienced another Northern Territory roadhouse, being the Adelaide River Inn. The atmosphere was decent and with the generous serving sizes we certainly weren’t complaining!
We arrived back in to Darwin at approximately 21:00.
The cost for this tour at the time of our post is $250 per adult and $125 per child.
To read more about our recent trip to Darwin and our itinerary, click here!
Do you have travel insurance?
Before travelling, make sure you get a travel insurance policy – you never know when you might need it! Click here for information on travel insurance, what company we recommend and a link to get an instant quote.
Alternative accommodation
If you’re looking for alternative accommodation to either save some money or share with friends or family, click here for information on Air B&B ($50 discount on your first booking), hotel price comparison websites etc.
“Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions.” — Peter Hoeg
Santorini, one of the most famous of the Greek Islands. Nestled in the Aegean Sea, Santorini was devastated by a volcanic eruption in the 16th century B.C.E. It is because of this eruption that Santorini has its incredibly rugged landscape and villages that cling to cliffs above an underwater crater.
Santorini, a photo essay…
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” – Neale Donald Walsch
If you’ve been reading our 7 day Italian Love Affair blog on Sardinia, then you know that some of the most incredible beaches are found on this island! As our trip drew to a close, we were able to stop into one last beach before flying back to London.
We spent the morning at Golfo Aranci. The beach was lovely, but not the type of beach I could spend my whole day. This suited us as we had to get back to the apartment to pick our bags and car and head to the airport, which is luckily only a 15-minute drive away!
Typically in Sardinia, you have to drive down dirt or gravel roads to get to the beach, and Golfo Aranci was no different! It makes you question if you’re, in fact, going the right way, or if you’re even on an actual road anymore! You soon stumble across the perfect water and beaches that line the eastern side of Sardinia.
We didn’t spend too much time here, just enough to grab a few snaps and head back to Olbia to pack up our things.
For lunch on our last day in Olbia, we stopped in at a little pizza place called Old Station. We ordered one pizza to share between the two of us and it was plenty! The food came out quickly and the service was also pretty good. It is a great place if you like to people watch as you can sit on the street front and watch the people and cars go past!
It was an awesome way to finish such an incredible holiday. We certainly felt quite relaxed heading back to the airport to drop off our rental car and checking in for our flight!
Do you have travel insurance?
Before travelling, make sure you get a travel insurance policy – you never know when you might need it! Click here for information on travel insurance, what company we recommend and a link to get an instant quote.
Alternative accommodation
If you’re looking for alternative accommodation to either save some money or share with friends or family, click here for information on Air B&B ($50 discount on your first booking), hotel price comparison websites etc.
“Investment in travel is an investment in yourself.” ~ Matthew Karsten
