Did you know Poland has, throughout history, had many different capital cities, and Krakow was the capital of Poland for over 500 years from 1038 to 1596?
Here are 37 pictures we took during our long weekend in Kraków. It has a gorgeous old town with plenty of history, making it a great place to visit.
The close market building at Main Market Square Center of Old Town
Krakow old town graffiti
Krakow old town
Krakow market building
Auschwitz
Sculpture in the old town
Wawel Castle
Krakow old town
Auschwitz-Birkenau
The Wawel Dragon
Krakow Ghetto Memorial
Old typewriter as seen in the movie Schindler’s List
The old streets of Krakow
Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa – The best vodka bar ever!!
Wawel Castle
Pijalnia Wódki i Piwa – The best vodka bar ever!!
Krakow main square
The old streets of Krakow
Krakow main square
Auschwitz
Father Bernatek Footbridge
Krakow old town
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Krakow old town
Schindler’s factory
Krakow old town
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Alchemia – one of the oldest bars in Krakow
Town Hall Tower in Kraków main market square
Auschwitz-Birkenau
Wawel Castle
Father Bernatek Footbridge
Auschwitz-Birkenau
The walk up to Wawel Royal Castle
Wieliczka Salt Mine
Krakow old town
Krakow old town graffiti
“I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.” – Mary Anne Radmacher
Hotel: Cairo Marriott Hotel & Omar Khayyam Casino
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Room: Executive Room with private balcony
Perfect for: City break
Category: Luxury, 5 star
Did you know that Cairo is the home to the only remaining ancient wonder of the world? That’s right, those pointy stone objects in the desert!
The Pyramids would be one of the most incredible sights I have seen, the size of the pyramids are unimaginable, it truly is something you need to see to believe!! Aside from the Pyramids, there are plenty of things to see and do In Cairo, such as the Egyptian Museum, Mosque of Muhammed Ali and The Hanging Church just to name a few.
If you’re looking for something a little out of the hustle and bustle of the busy city centre, look no further than Zamalek Island. It is centrally located in terms of daily tour pick-ups and ease of getting everywhere, yet completely set away from the busyness and chaotic lifestyle of the rest of Cairo.
We stayed at the Cairo Marriott & Omar Khayyam Casino Hotel for 4 nights during our stay in Cairo.
When looking for hotels in Cairo, we wanted to be fairly central for convenience for our day tours and have enough amenities that we could spend some time at the hotel in our down time.
Having travelled a bit, we built up a small war chest of loyalty points we needed (wanted) to use. The two hotel groups we were considering was either Accor Hotels or Marriott and we were instantly intrigued by the Marriott’s description.
The resort is massive, the hotel is advertised as having been originally built in 1869 as a Palace by Khedive Ismail. The description continues to say there are 1,087 room and 15 onsite restaurants, offering everything from casual Middle Eastern cuisine to fresh sushi. Well before getting to the review, you can believe me when I say this place is by far the largest hotel we have stayed in. You even receive a map of the hotel grounds.
We booked an Executive Room at the Marriott which included access to the Executive Lounge. The lounge has a good breakfast, complimentary snacks and non-alcoholic beverages throughout the day as well as a small buffet where you are able to enjoy some alcoholic beverages in the evening. I’ll get back to this a little later!!
Our welcome experience…
This was a bit mixed, to be honest.
The good – walking into the reception, we were greeted by very friendly porters who directed us to the check in desks where guests were offered refreshing raspberry lemonades to enjoy during the check in process. Our front desk receptionist, Sally provided a warm welcome, spoke good English, and most importantly, efficient.
The not so good – having enjoyed our refreshing drink and the warm welcome, we went to the concierge desk to get a map and to inquire about available tours. We had a couple in mind and just needed to find out which of these may have had availability or if they had any specific recommendations. The employees English was significantly below average and to be frank, did not understand our question at all, we left completely unsure what the employee was able to help us with (key given the role!). We ended up doing quite a bit of research ourselves which is not what you want to do on your holidays.
The room…
Spacious, large balcony, slightly outdated bathroom for a 5-star luxury hotel
The room (1420) was spacious, large balcony which opens up to spectacular views of the Nile river, the resort grounds and pool area.
It is always nice when you arrive after a long flight, to check in to your room and have a surprise waiting for you!! This was no exception, we received a fresh fruit platter as well as complimentary bottled water waiting for us in our room.
The bed was super comfortable, the pillows (all 4 of them!) were great. It was perfect after a long day exploring the pyramids.
The bathroom was spacious, but not a fan, and certainly did not expect to find a dated shower curtain! Luckily the bathtub was wide and the curtain rail was designed in a way that the curtain did not touch your skin.
Who doesn’t love a nice shampoo and body lotion?? The amenities were plentiful and even included mouth wash!
In the evening, the housekeeping staff provide a turndown service. This, of course, is not complete without an after dinner mint!
Being a bit particular, given we were two guests in the room, I always find it a bit frustrating when they only provide one robe and a set of slippers (I mean really?). This was quickly fixed up when we called reception, but it’s the small touches that really make the difference.
Hotel grounds
Restaurants: The hotel features many restaurants to choose from. These include a mixture of a steak house, Italian, Egyptian and various snack bars just to name a few! We took a look inside a few of the restaurants and they were all tastefully decorated and the staff on duty were informative and very friendly.
Casino: There is a casino located within the hotel grounds. You must present your passport before entering as Egyptians are not allowed to enter the gaming area.
Pool Area: The pool area is central within the hotel grounds, although depending on your room, can take a while to get to as the hotel is so large!
The area is fairly standard with deck chairs and umbrellas available for use as well as towels from the towel station. There is also a section which is under cover to allow guests to escape the summer sun.
I should mention that in the 4 hours we spent by the pool, only one pool attendant came by to see if we would like to order any food or drinks.
Health and fitness…
If you like to stay fit and healthy while on holidays, you would love this fitness centre!
The gym area within the hotel would probably have to be the most well-appointed gym I have seen at a hotel. It had several cardio machines to choose from where most hotels only have a couple at most. The weight section included just about every weight machine that a regular gym would have as well as free weights and mats as well. It is very well air conditioned, has two TV’s on the walls and they provide you with towels and cold water.
Executive Club
The Executive Club on the 18th floor. We enjoyed breakfast here without the hustle of the main breakfast restaurant without limiting our options. There are snacks (pictured below) available throughout the day including tea, coffee, fruits, cakes and so forth.
For dinner, a hot buffet (4 dishes which varied each night) was served along with salads, cheeses, breads and desserts from 5.30pm – 8 pm each night. The wines kept flowing and our water continually topped up. It was a great place to unwind in the evening, and go through photos from your holiday!
A special mention goes to Medhat who was by far the most helpful waiter we had throughout our stay. His English was perfect and he always went above and beyond his duty to make sure we were well looked after. Medhat insisted that we try a freshly baked traditional Egyptian dessert called Oum Ali. Directly translated, it means mother of Ali, and is the most traditional and famous of the Egyptian desserts. Served warm, it is the equivalent to bread and butter pudding and is usually made with puff pastry, combined with cream, nuts and dried fruit. Medhat brought us one of these each night!
Good to know…
You can hire taxi drivers through the hotel concierge desk for the day. It is a fixed rate and the driver will take you to several points of interest as agreed. This is a good way to see the sights if you don’t want to use a tour company and have a bit more flexibility.
Checking out…
Check out for us was very early as our flight departed at 7.20am. Check out was very efficient and the staff helpful and friendly. We had pre-arranged a car to take us to the airport, and unfortunately, there was a communication issue in that the staff didn’t let us know our driver had arrived. Security sent him out of the complex as there is a time limit on how long cars can stay in the driveway. We had no way of contacting our driver so we had to wait around 20 minutes for our driver to arrive back at the hotel. Luckily, being so early there was no traffic so we made it to the airport on time!
Above and beyond…
As mentioned above, Medhat provided exceptional service during our stay and experience in the Executive Club.
Positives…
- Friendly welcome staff
- Several restaurant options
- Executive Club (for executive rooms only) and friendly staff who go above and beyond their duty (Medhat in particular!)
- large fitness centre with a variety of machines
The not so good….
- The hotel concierge didn’t understand our basic questions
- Staff servicing the pool area seemed to enjoy avoiding the sun as much as the guests and we were not well looked after
- The room had only 1 pair of slippers and 1 robe when there were two of us checking in to the hotel
The verdict…
Overall, the hotel is well-appointed and if you’re using local taxi services, they are easy to come by at the hotel.
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
Iceland is one of those countries that offers so much for tourists, but it is often forgotten about! Hopefully, these 42 pictures (despite our grey, rainy weather!) will encourage you to visit sometime!
Sólheimajökull Glacier
Reykjavic, Höfði House
Reykjavik
Gullfoss Waterfall
Gullfoss Waterfall
Sólheimajökull glacier
The Blue Lagoon
Reykjavik
Geysir
Gullfoss Waterfall
I don’t speak Icelandic
Sólheimajökull glacier
Art on the side of a building in Reykjavik
Sólheimajökull glacier
Reykjavik town
Sólheimajökull glacier
Hamborgarafabrikkan (Hamburger Factory), Reykjavik
Sólheimajökull glacier
The Blue Lagoon
Skógafoss waterfall
Skalholt Church
The Law Rock
Cabin at the Skalholt Church
Gullfoss Waterfall
Ice Climbing at Sólheimajökull glacier
Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park – the continental drift between the North American and Eurasian plates in the cracks and faults that traverse the Þingvellir
Thingvellir Church
Sólheimajökull glacier
Geothermal Regions
lake at the Thingvellir National Park
Gullfoss Waterfall
Reykjavik town
Gullfoss Waterfall
Looking up an ice cave at Sólheimajökull glacier
Geysir
The Blue Lagoon
Geysir
The Blue Lagoon
Reykjavik town
Faxi waterfall
Geysir
Reykjavik town
“Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind.” – Seneca
Thinking of ticking off an extra country during your stay in Dubrovnik? If so, this post is for you!!
Dubrovnik is in the perfect spot for a sneaky road trip – within a few hours, you’re able to escape the Croats and head deep into one of the neighbouring Balkan countries, rugged mountains, and remote dirt roads!
After a whirlwind sailing trip from Split to Dubrovnik, we were torn between the coastal towns in Montenegro and the hinterland of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Jenna was really keen to head to inland given we just spent the last week on a yacht, visiting coastal towns and islands, so we locked it in!
There were two main sights on our agenda… Kravice Falls and Stari Most in Mostar.
If you’re wondering the best way to see the sights, we can recommend hiring a car in Dubrovnik and driving yourself. There were four of us, so it made it very economical. If you’re unsure about hiring a car in this part of the world, take a look at our Renting a car in Europe post for detailed information on hiring a car in a foreign country. You can also book a day trip from Dubrovnik to Mostar, but they don’t stop at Kravice Falls.
Driving to Kravice Falls and Mostar
Kravice falls are around 40 km southwest of Mostar. Or, if like us you’re travelling from Dubrovnik, it is around 130km and 2.5 hours.
When you arrive at border control, they take your passports, stamp them and give them back to you and tell you to go ahead. It all seems fairly standard and simple. However, what I did read before going was that Bosnia does not allow google maps (which we rely on for our GPS). This completely slipped to the back of my mind. From the moment we crossed the Bosnian border, the Google Maps stopped repositioning the map and stopped telling us where to turn…
Luckily, the predetermined route (blue line) remained on-screen and whilst there were no street names we were able to manually reposition the map as we continued our journey. Now, Google Maps is set to the quickest road, not necessarily the best road!! There was a good chunk of time where we drove on a section of the ‘road’, or rather a dirt track which had more potholes than you can imagine – it’s like the Balkans let thousands of Gopher’s run-amuck hoping for a cheap tunnel to China!
Having endured a slow and bumpy journey through the countryside, someone’s little bladder decided it was time to find a loo, so we were pretty pleased when we rejoined the tarmac with a glimmer of hope that there may be a service station or restaurant, which there wasn’t. Pulling up to local selling honey on the side of the road (and busting), Jenna jumped out to see if they had any tissues which she could use. Not a word of English. Acting out some serious disease where Jenna was furiously trying to act out the scene of blowing her nose, in the hope they might get to the need for tissues, she failed! Jenna was never very good at playing Charades!
Now – long story short, Jenna did find a toilet at a restaurant not too much further along our journey and the crisis was averted.
Kravice Falls
Getting to the general area of Kravice Falls is straightforward – but finding the right spot without a working GPS isn’t. Consistent with our earlier experiences, the signage is scarce and you really do need to know how to get there. The falls are either referred to as Kravice or Kravica, neither of which we seem to pronounce correctly because no one knew what we were going on about!
Hopefully, the below will help if you’re heading that way …
As I said, the drive to the general area is straightforward, 95% of the drive is along the main road where you’ll pass through a series of towns. The one to look out for is Trebižat, and then you continue driving towards Studenci. As soon as you reach the bridge (it will make sense when you get there!) you know you’re close. It’s around 5 km further before you’ll see a brown tourist sign which does, in fact, point you in the direction of Kravice Falls! Finally, you know you’ve made it!
There is a large parking lot at the top of the falls. Bosnians accept either Euros or Convertible Marka (the local currency) so I wouldn’t be too concerned about converting your money. The cost was only a couple of Euro for both the entrance as well as parking cost. There is also a toilet block at just past the ticket office, which is free of charge.
The walk down to the falls is lovely and only takes around 5 – 10 minutes.
The day we were there, it was cloudy and a little rainy which was a shame as the water is supposed to look incredible when the sun is shining! Despite the weather, it was still breathtaking and well worth the drive.
There is a restaurant and a café down at the waterfall to either escape from the rain (or the sun if you’re lucky!).
The service was good, they accepted Euros and the food came out quick – great spot to plan the next leg of the road trip to Mostar as you sit on the deck overlooking the falls.
There isn’t just one waterfall in Kravice falls, there are many falls – some larger than others. The sound of the water crashing down is incredibly relaxing!
On a hot day, I’ve been told that a swim in the lake is a must – the water temperature is around 8°C all year round.
Mostar
The drive from Kravice Falls to Mostar was much better – no dirt tracks and only 43 km.
When we arrived in Mostar, we drove through the city centre and started thinking to ourselves, what is this place…, it is so run down…, did we really just waste our time coming out here? The quick answer is absolutely not!
The old town of Mostar is beautiful and has plenty to offer. Cobblestone streets, filled with market and food stalls, all of which made me feel like I was back in Turkey!
This is also where you’ll find Stari Most. Stari Most is a is a reconstruction of a 16th-century Ottoman bridge which connects the two parts of the city.
We were standing around with a big crowd, only to realise that a local dare-devil was about to jump off the bridge, into the river. The bridge is over 20m high! They walk around gearing the crowd up, get ready to jump to get you excited, and then walk around with their collection again.
This is a tradition dating back to 1664… as soon as the diver has a €20 donation, he is ready to take the plunge! It was so incredible, we had to wait to watch the second jump… to our surprise it was a double jump! I don’t know how they do it… They must have no fear!
After we enjoyed watching the two jumps, we decided to take a stroll around the markets and find somewhere to have a bite to eat.
We came across Restoran Labirint which was fairly quiet as it was mid afternoon, and the location was perfect – views of Stari Most!
The staff were extremely friendly and spoke fairly good English in comparison to other locals. The food was also lovely, taking on recommendations from the waiter! I tried the ćevapčići, which is local Bosnian sausages, served with a Bosnian pita and salads. It was delicious!!
We continued to wander through the markets and Jenna found some locals selling some lace doilies, crocheted by hand. Their English was minimal, but we picked up a piece for Jenna’s Nanna which was lovely and it seemed to make their day!
It was just before 5 pm and we needed to get the rental car back by 8 pm. The drive back to Dubrovnik is around 2.5 hours and 147 km without taking into account traffic or any unexpected incidents.
The drive back to Dubrovnik
So, as mentioned we left around 3 hours to get back to Dubrovnik which should have given us an extra 30 minutes to allow for delays at border control. Easy, right? WRONG!
Well, the drive started off as planned, following the route on Google Maps until we get to a cross-section where there is a sign that says ‘Dubrovnik’ with an arrow straight ahead. Our dilemma was that Google Maps was indicating that we should turn left… hesitating for a second or two, we decided to follow Google Maps. After all, that must be right.., right?
Well, what an incredibly fun and scary ride this was! The road took us inland, winding in and out, up and down through mountains, past lakes and many, many narrow roads that barely fit two cars. It was a beautiful drive and I only wish we had a bit more time.
At this point, not being able to drive faster than 50km/h we quickly realised we were going to struggle getting back to Dubrovnik by 8 pm to drop the car back. So, we started to speed up.. a little… Jenna wasn’t too impressed and held on for dear life, but it wasn’t as bad as she makes out!
After about an hour of weaving through the mountains, we finally got to the other side and see a sign for Dubrovnik, so we followed the sign… We see the border patrol and the Bosnian border control officer said something to us, we smiled and continued to the next guard… who came out and said we weren’t allowed to enter, this is border control is only for residents. Confused, not quite understanding what he was saying to us, nor what the Republika Hrvatska was, we simply said, we’re looking for Croatia!!
So, apparently the Republika Hrvatska is just, Croatia, but long story short we were in such a remote location that only the locals who live in the region are allowed to cross that border as the guards at these borders weren’t trained to stamp our passports. He was a nice guy and directed us to the international border control where tourists are able to cross the borders.
We rang the car hire company and let them know we were going to be 10 minutes late, and they kindly agreed to wait for us. We finally made it back, just under 10 minutes late which wasn’t too bad considering what we had gone through! Talk about stressful!!
The moral of our story: Unless you have lots of spare time, stick to the main roads and don’t follow Google Maps in Bosnia!!
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.
“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.” – Babs Hoffman
The sand may brush off… The salt may wash clean… The tans may fade… But the memories will last forever!
This is exactly how we feel about Sardinia! Each day just kept getting better and better.
After our incredible evening at the THotel in Cagliari, we could have slept for hours the next morning to recover from the amazing dinner… but instead, we woke up early for breakfast so we could make the most out of our day. We had a big day planned, visiting two more incredible beaches, Spiaggia di Cala Cipolla and Tuerredda.
On our way to Spiaggia di Cala Cipolla, our first stop for the day, we noticed off to the side of the freeway, these creatures in a swampy area … we quickly realised that these were in fact Flamingos!!! Yes, flamingos in Sardinia! I’ll get back to the flamingos a little later…
The beaches in Sardinia are always busy in the summer. The water is crystal clear, most are sandy and you can get plenty of vitaminSEA… So, needless to say, you have to get there nice and early to secure a car park and the prime sun tanning spot.
Spiaggia di Cala Cipolla
Cala Cipolla is a tiny bay at the end of a dirt road and a short stroll further over the hill. It’s not too hard to find, but there are a number of beaches in the area, so make sure you drive all the way to the end of the road! The walk over the hill appears to continue further along the coastline, but to be honest there is nothing there, head straight to the beach!
Parking was plentiful with the standard €5 cost for the day – you’ll soon realise you’ll need a lot of 5€ notes in Sardinia!
Despite the overcast weather, Cala Cipolla was well worth the visit! The water was warm and unlike many European beaches, is sandy with waves, proper waves!! Having lived in London for a couple of years, it’s funny how quickly you forget how powerful waves can be and a gentle reminder to get our act together for when we move back to Australia!
Jenna got dunked by a massive wave… it was at the point where you decide whether to go over or under the wave…
The experience was described as being thrown into a washing machine, being chucked around and thrown on to the ocean floor! Luckily for her, she was able to save her hat, sunnies, and bikinis!!
Being thewelltravelledman, I should mention I was perfectly fine and quite enjoyed it – even got this cool shot on the GoPro as a wave just passed us and the spray of the water created my own little wave!
Tuerredda Beach
Having already had the beach on our list, we knew we had to visit it when the T Hotel restaurant manager specifically recommended it! It was only a 15-minute drive from Spiaggia di Cala Cipolla to Tuerredda. There were two parking lots, one closer to the beach and one just opposite the road, prepare your €5!
The beach wraps around a bend and has plenty of room for everyone. There were no waves and the water was definitely much colder than Cala Cipolla – now when I say much colder – it may only be a couple of degrees but it makes a big difference! Given the lack of waves, this would be the perfect spot for some snorkeling.
There were a number of vendors, towels, bikinis, jewelry and the like was plentiful and prices comparable to the other beaches. There is also a café near the entrance; relatively expensive, so if you can bring your own drinks, then I would definitely suggest that!
Flamingo Watching
This was the highlight of the day! Having not seen flamingos before, we were eager to get a closer look.
These crazy creatures were off the main road with no clear entrance to the lakes – but being on holidays and breaking the typical road rules we couldn’t resist pulling off to the side of the road! We noticed a hidden entrance leading towards the dirt tracks surrounding the lakes. Being in a tiny little rental car, we drove slowly, zig-zagging around the track to avoid the potholes and potential damage to the undercarriage, but we nothing was going to stop us from reaching the other side of the lake where the hundreds of flamingos seemed to congregate.
We were close to the flamingos and they seemed very unphased by us – we were gutted we didn’t have 200mm camera lens on hand, but glad we had a camera on hand to take plenty of photos!
The place is only around 20 minutes from Cagliari and there were hundreds of flamingos just chilling in the lake! Click here to read an article by Sardatur Holidays on the wildlife in Sardinia!
Cagliari
When we got into Cagliari town, being a Sunday….. everything was closed!! The only positive of having everything closed was that the parking appeared to be free on a Sunday. Some of the retail shops open around 5.30pm which is when the locals head into town and the restaurants open up, but aside from that the town was deserted.
Like most European old towns, you will find a little ally way where there is some pretty cool graffiti. Cagliari was no exception!
We wandered around and took advantage of the very quiet town! There is a lovely viewpoint at Bastione di Saint Remy which is worth checking out. You get panoramic views over the city and you feel like you’re on top of the world… well, Sardinia!
By this stage, after not eating lunch we were absolutely starving!! We found a restaurant called Grotta Marcello at Piazza Yenne. We were desperate for a good pasta, so having sat down, looked at the menu and decided on the pasta we were going to order, were told that because of the time of the day (not lunch .. not dinner…) they are only serving pizza!!!! So, we had to quickly change our minds and pick a pizza!
It was honestly the biggest pizza we have had, and we ordered two!! The toppings were plentiful and the flavour was delicious! I can still remember the moment it came out and thinking how on earth will I finish this!! Well, I did finish it.. Jenna not so much, but it managed to fill the hole and certainly didn’t need dinner that night!
The Seven Wonders of Cagliari
In one of the short story books the T Hotel gave us, it goes into detail about the seven wonders of Cagliari. You’re probably wondering what they are? Well, here is a list for you!
- The Sun
- Flamingos
- Carlos Kleiber’s Last Concert
- Portrait of Ines
- Distance
- The Market of San Benedetto
- The Sea
Here is a snippet from the short stories:
The Sun: “An Icelandic summer is at least as cold as a Mediterranean winter. July in Reykjavik is rainy and windy. Fortunately, the Icelanders don’t mind. On the contrary, they go around in shorts and vests, proudly displaying unnatural tans expensively acquired in solariums. The girls even wear sandals, as if the weather was sweltering! ….. Such is Cagliari: a city kissed by the sun and blessed by its rays. Maternally protected from the cold. Sunny in every sense: full of light; hospitable, warm and always plenteous with emotions.”
Flamingos: “Flamingos, mauve-winged birds given a variety of imaginative names by different peoples: Fenicotteri, Genti Aruba, Palamenci, Qizilqaz… Seen from a distance, in groups, filtering sandy beds of ponds through their abstruse beaks in search of small molluscs; standing there, poised on one leg, they seem like tightrope walkers in a celestial circus, divide acrobats, indifferent to the passing of time, guests in a disharmonious present quite alien from their grace.”
Carlos Kleiber’s Last Concerts: “Montreal, July 1976. The Romanian gymnast Nadia Comeneci is the first athlete in the history of the Olympic Games to be given the perfect score of ten by the judges. Thanks to her, that day humankind officially attains perfection. A divine, in human achievement; made possible by willpower and discipline…. Perfection has occurred in Cagliari too It happened on 26 February 1999, when Carlos Kleiber, the greatest conductor of the twentieth century, gave his last concert at the Teatro Lirico. It was one of the most wonderful days in the city’s history.”
Portrait of Ines: “Love can be an obscure thing: distant from Romanticism. Close only to obsession. Imagine a complex, stern love, composed of many feelings woven together like the transparent threads of a spider’s web. Jealousy, sacrifice, possessiveness, pain, anger: but also affection, tenderness, compassion and trust. They are all summed up in one painting: The portrait of Ines that Umberto Boccioni painted five years before he died.”
Distance: “Distance both obstructs and preserves: it shrinks objects in our sight, but magnifies them in our thoughts… When in Cagliari we’ll feel distant from the rest of the world. And when we’re elsewhere we’ll feel distant from Cagliari: bereft of its solitude, nostalgic, longing to return there.”
The Market of San Benedetto: “The market: a symbolic place of medieval tradition that has miraculously survived the onset of modernity… Cagliari too has a unique and distinctive market of its own, the Mercato Civico of San Benedetto, first held on 2 June 1957. Here you’ll be greeted by all the traditional delicacies of Sardinia: Carloforte tuna, mullet bottarga and oysters from the pool of San Teodoro. As well as arbutus honey, herring, sea slugs, sea urchins, scallops and an unusual Sardinian version of fish and chips which include fried shrimps.”
The Sea: “Cagliari is no freshwater city; it’s a place of sea and salt. Although the large white mounds on the salt flats are no longer there, salt is always in the air: it fills the day and night with flavour, giving the city the privilege of an additional sensory perception, which makes it unique and unrepeatable.”
Bio on the Author of this book:
Born in Cagliari in 1976, Nicola Lecca is a passionate traveller who has lived for long periods in England, Spain, Austria, Sweden, Hungary and Iceland. His works include Concerti Senza Orchestra (Marsilio, 1999, shortlisted for the Strega Prize), Hotel Borg (Mondadori 2006) and II Corpo Odiato (Mondadori 2009).
His novels have been published in fifteen European countries by leading publishers. At 27 years of age, he was awarded the Hemingway Prize for literature.
Visit Nicola’s website
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 read about where else we visited in Sardinia, check out our Sardinia: 7 day Italian Love affair!!
“The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” – G. K. Chesterton
Did you know, that Unesco considers the Amalfi Coast to be an outstanding example of a Mediterranean landscape? Well, we couldn’t agree more!! The Amalfi coast is certainly a special place… the combination of coastal mountains, that plunge in to the sea, picturesque towns, and inland forests.
The photos really don’t do the coast justice, it is simply a place you must visit!
Here are some photos of the Amalfi Coast to whet your appetite!
The view from our boat to Capri, looking back on Positano
The view from our villa at Villa Gianlica, Praiano
Amalfi Town
Gorgeous flowers in the gardens
Furore, on the Amalfi Coast
Positano
Villa Cimbrone Gardens, Ravello
Old town in Ravello
Positano
The view from our Villa. Many villas and restaurants grown their own fruit and vegetables
Amalfi town
Coastal cave walk in Praiano
Positano from the water
Church in Amalfi Town
Gorgeous scenery on our way to Capri via boat
Villa Cimbrone Gardens, Ravello
Inside the blue grotto – incredible!
The view from the top of the island of Capri
Pretty as a picture
Villa Cimbrone Gardens, Ravello
Sorrento
The view from our pool at Villa Gianlica, Praiano
The view overlooking Positano
Villa Cimbrone Gardens, Ravello
Sunrise from our Villa at Praiano
Positano
On our way to the Island of Capri
The most delicious Penne Arrabbiata
Sunset on the Amalfi Coast
Gorgeous boat on our way to Capri Island
On our way to Villa Cimbrone Gardens, Ravello
Stopping in to visit some caves on our way to the Island of Capri
Gorgeous pink buildings on the island of Capri
Sorrento with views over to Pompeii
The view over the island of Capri
The view from Villa Cimbrone Gardens, Ravello
“Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” – Gustave Flaubert
Everyone knows someone who knows someone that has at least one or two horror stories from a rental gone wrong! But if you follow a few simple steps you’ll have nothing to worry about! But before we get to the tips, let’s consider some of the benefits and pitfalls:
The benefits:
- Freedom – spending the time you have where you want!
- Reaching your destination faster – no guest pick-up/drop-off
- Convenience and comfort – no need to sit on that bus from the 80s with no aircon!
- Cheaper – seriously, compare the cost of those tours and transfers from the airport
- Flexibility – where you’re able to define your route taking in the views rather than purely sticking to the motorways
- Fit your needs and likes, or that extra boot space for the ‘just in case’ clothing
- Remote locations where the only feasible option may be to rent a car
- No maintenance or concerns – 24-hour roadside assist!
Remember to consider our tips for using your mobile phone abroad when you want to use Google Maps (or perhaps the less than desirable Apple Maps) on your mobile to act as GPS.
The pitfalls:
- Accidents – remembering no one does anything on purpose!
- Minor damage – exterior and interior, it all matters
- Traffic – trust me the frustration is much higher when you’re the driver compared to sitting on a bus on your phone
- Limitations for leaving the country borders (generally possible but read our tips below!)
- Pick-up/Drop-off times whilst generally reasonable can still be a consideration if you have a very early or late flight
- Understanding the agreement and quote (does it include what you think it does?!)
Our zippy car in Zakynthos!
Where we hired a car:
Now, if you’re still reading, you may be wondering who we are and why you should take our advice (I mean have we even hired a car more than once?) well, yes we have!
- Sicily, Italy. We used a company called Locauto. We had no problems (just keep in mind there is a shuttle to and from the airport)
- Izmir, Turkey. We used a company called Garenta. The company was quick to process our request.
- Naples & Amalfi Coast, Italy. Tip, get a small car as the roads are very narrow!
- Dubrovnik, Croatia. We used a company called Avis. They were helpful and quick to process our request. They even waited 15 minutes after closing as we were running a little late dropping the car in!
- Zakynthos, Greece. We used a company called Thrifty. The company was quick and processed our booking.
- Milan & Lake Como, Italy. We used a company called Maggiore. The company was quick to process our booking.
- Sardinia, Italy. We used a company called Maggiore. The company was quick to process our booking.
- Ibiza, Spain. We used a company called Centauro. The company was great, except you need to get a shuttle bus to and from the airport, it is only 5 minutes down the road. Helpful hint: They don’t take AMEX to secure the deposit and if you don’t have another credit card to use, they use your debit visa (so they debit the money and then refund it at the end – this becomes expensive with conversion fees etc!!)
- Koh Samui, Thailand. We used a no-name company, well they probably had a name… It was a scooter, not a car, but it has similar considerations and we had no problems at all.
Our VW in Bosnia
Now for the advice…
Step One: Make sure you have an international driving permit (IDP)
This is something that not a lot of people think about and if the car company doesn’t mention it, you won’t think about it. Each country has different regulations, so it is best to check these before booking your car hire. We were living in London, with an Australian driver’s licence. For us to get an IDP, we had to apply to our home state (for us, it was Queensland) motoring body. If you live in your home country it will be as easy as popping into your local motoring body’s office, but given we were in London we needed to follow the postal application which required the form to be completed, printed and signed together with two witnessed (consular services) passport sized photographs. You have so many options for sending this to Australia, but we opted for a registered post service as in our opinion it is more likely to arrive on time.
Make sure you arrange for this with plenty of time before your holiday as it can take over a week to be sent from your home country to where you’re living in Europe. The permit does not replace your licence, but it’s basically a translation of your licence into the foreign language.
Step Two: Comparison websites to choose your rental company
Go beyond the international brands such as Avis, Hertz or Thrifty as they are usually more expensive, but this doesn’t necessarily translate to better customer service and rating! If you scanned through the list of our rentals, you’re unlikely to recognise many of the names as they’re generally the local car rental companies with comparable ratings, just cheaper!
There is a range of comparison websites, but we found www.rentalcars.com very easy to use. Rentalcars.com list the available rental companies, rating, car options and any restrictions on one page. We never actually booked online but called them instead to speak to a customer service representative to handle our booking (open 24 hours!!) and each time they were very friendly and most importantly, were able to offer me a discount compared to the online price! Not only were they able to bring the car hire cost down, they also dropped the price of the zero excess car insurance.
Step Three: Choosing your car
Two key factors come to mind.
- Size, bigger is not always better!Have a think about the location, in particular, those narrow, windy roads in Italy. I certainly wouldn’t want to be driving or looking for a park in that large comfortable sedan or four wheel drive! However, make sure you know what you actually need. The last thing you want to do is book a compact vehicle when you have two large suitcases and carry on bags. We hired a Renault Twingo in Sardinia and honestly, after squeezing our two carry on suitcases in the back I was glad Jenna didn’t pack those ‘just in case’ bikinis. Now, I’m sure I don’t have to remind those 6ft tall people out there, but also have a think about the leg room (or lack thereof in some of the smaller compact cars, maybe opt for the Golf instead of the TwinGo!).
- Economical – diesel vs petrol for small island getaways (Zakynthos comes to mind) this is clearly less of an issue… But if you’re planning on a bit of driving then I would highly suggest looking at something more economical, skip the turbo and even opt for a diesel if you can. The extra $10 you’ll be spending on the car will be saved on the fuel cost!
Our economical car for the Amalfi Coast
Step Four: Be aware of any more costs you might be charged
Booking through rentalcars.com is easy because they will tell you about any other costs that might be associated with your trip. Some of these include:
Cross Border Fee:
We picked up a car in Dubrovnik, Croatia and drove into Bosnia and Herzegovina. For this particular trip, we were charged a cross border fee and we needed extra insurance. If you’re doing this – remember to take your passport for border control!
Pick up / Drop off at a different airport:
Having already booked our flights and accommodation at the time, we gave rentalcars.com a call to book a car in Sardinia, Italy. The pick up was from Alghero and drop off to at Olbia (the other side of the island) as we were doing a road trip around the island. Little did we know, there is a charge (and not a small one) to drop the hire car off at a different location to the pickup up location. Sympathy only get’s you that far as companies still need to make a profit but I was very grateful when the customer representative reduced the car rental to help with the overall fee (although this was still quite a lot higher than we anticipated!).
Remote Island fee:
When we booked a car for Zakynthos, Greece, the price was higher than many of our other bookings. This was simply because they incorporate a remote island fee to the price!
To be fair, there is nothing you can do about this so if you’re headed that way it’s just something to be aware of!
Additional Driver:
If you want to list more than one driver, this is an additional cost.
Insurance:
Travel insurance vs. Credit card travel insurance vs. buying direct with the rental companies
One thing is for sure, you need to take out some insurance. We haven’t had any damage as of yet, but if anything you just don’t want to worry about that 1,000 euro excess and the ‘what if’. Peace of mind is certainly worth the small price to pay.
If you have any doubt, check and double check your policies. I know for a fact that my platinum American Express credit card offers a good level of travel insurance and yours may as well (make sure it includes car rentals before relying on it). We also always take out annual travel insurance policies for those holidays where the booking company charges an exorbitant surcharge or simply does not accept your American Express credit card, but we still always opt to pay for the zero excess car rental insurance at the time of our booking our car rentals.
Age Penalties:
Most of the time, if you’re under 25 there will be an age penalty on the booking. This is one of those times where you’re happy to be old(er).
Mileage:
Make sure you understand any restrictions, and if possible opt for a rental company that includes unlimited mileage. The last thing you want is to be limited to 100km and then drive 500km!
Late drop off:
If you’re going to be late dropping your car off, you may be charged additional fees. This is because most rental companies charge you in 24 hour blocks, so if you go over that, they may charge you for another full day.
Petrol:
Make sure you fill your car up before dropping it off. If you drop the car off without a full tank of petrol, they will charge you a premium to do this for you. I also would never recommend prepaying for fuel as the fees are significantly higher than what you’re able to get at the petrol stations. We have never struggled to fill up close to the drop off locations, but it may be worth checking google maps before you start that journey to drop off the car.
Our hire car in Sardinia
Step Five: When picking up the car, be sure to check, double-check and triple check for any damage
After hearing so many horror stories, we were very careful when picking up a rental car to make sure all marks were noted down on the form, before driving off. We often spent 15 – 20 minutes just going over the car and getting a staff person to amend the form. It is worth the time when you pick the car up, rather than arguing when you drop it off about scratches you didn’t put there!
Remember to check the roof of the car (which is often forgotten!) as well as the interior and spare wheel as these are all checked when you return the vehicle.
No doubt they may have missed a mark here and there as they do have some leniency of marks (generally up to 2-4 cm in diameter depending on the company) but it’s always worth having them note these down. One fond memory was being handed a form with no marks noted, only to inspect the car and having them amend it by adding around 20 (proper) scratches and dents along the body of the vehicle… Now to be fair it was within a car park and the lighting wasn’t great (we used the torch on the iphones) but imagine driving off thinking everything was okay, only to wake up the next morning to see the disaster that awaits you!
Now, we have only done this once where it proved faster than taking photos, but feel free to take a video on your phone at the time of pick-up to clearly show where the damage is (rather than having multiple photos of some panel, which could be any panel) to avoid those arguments when you hand the car back to the company.
Step Six: Drive on that wrong side of the road!
Seriously, it does feel a little unusual at first and if you’re really nervous, opt to pick the car up at the airport rather than in the city. This should give you a bit of time to get used to the roads and motorways before entering those manic city centres or navigating those roundabouts!
Now, on a positive note. These are all only precautions and we have never had any real issues with the cars – so go ahead and do it!
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
Norway is as pretty as a picture, so we thought we’d share some of our favourite pictures with you!
For more detailed posts on Norway, click here
If you want a closer look, feel free to click on the picture to enlarge it!
Oslo, Royal Palace
Oslo – Vigelandsparken Sculpture Park
Norwegian Folk Museum, Oslo
Watching the storm brew at the Folk Museum in Oslo
Some incredible seafood at the food markets in Oslo
Fram, a vessel that is said to have sailed farther north and farther south than any other wooden vessel
Bergen Fjord Cruise to Flåm
Train from Flåm
Kjosfossen waterfall
Bergen Fjord Cruise to Flåm
Bergen Fjord Cruise to Flåm
Gorgeous scenery between Flåm and Myrdal
Bergen old town
Scenery on our hike in Bergen
Cool photo stop on our Bergen hike
The view over Bergen from the top!
Bergen Sunset
Bergen viewing platform
Stavanger town
Stavanger Port
Pancakes cooking overlooking the sunrise in Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)
Hiking in the snow – Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)
Hiking in the snow – Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)
Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) hike
Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) hike
Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) hike
Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) hike
Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) hike
Standing on the edge of Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) – 604m drop down to the Fjord!
Relaxing after a 2 hour hike to the top of Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock)
The most incredible sunrise I’ve ever seen! Even more incredible after having to hike 2 hours to get to the top!
No caption required!!
Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) – it’s only 604m to the fjord below!
Beautiful lakes on the way down from Preikestolen
Sverd i Fjell (The three swords monument) in Stavanger
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes
If you’ve read Day One of our Sardinian holiday, then you will be probably thinking how the holiday could get better?
Well, I’m about to tell you!
After a well-deserved sleep in and breakfast at our hotel in Oristano, we were off on a 25-minute drive to San Giovanni di Sinis. When you arrive at San Giovanni, you are able to park there for a minimum of 2.50EUR for 1.5 hours (there are parking inspectors so make sure you display your ticket!).
From the car park, you walk up the path and down to the right to reach the beach. The moment you see the water, you know you’ve reached another incredible beach in Sardinia.
After you’ve taken some snaps of the beach from the top, you then negotiate the path to get down to the beach …. but trust me – it is all worth it!
The beach is a white sandy beach and the water is crystal clear, again, it is like swimming in a pool! The beach was filled with locals, no one spoke English! It felt like a true Italian holiday destination!
It’s a tough call … but we would put this beach at #2 of the Sardinian beaches, whilst the water is amazing at the majority of the beaches, the surroundings and the fact that this was in fact quite a lot quieter than many of the other beaches certainly gave it the edge over the rest!
Tip: Beware of the small fish – they bite your feet and ankles!!!
We spent quite a bit of time snorkelling as there are plenty of rocks and fish! However, Jenna did manage to see a sea snake slithering between the rocks on the ground of the ocean… Needless to say, with her fear of snakes she was out of there quick smart! I’ll get to the bit later where we saw an actual land snake …. haha
From the beach, you can see the Spanish tower of San Giovanni up on the hill and of course, we wanted to see the panoramic view from the top!! So, after a couple of hours basking in the sun and snorkelling with the evil biting fish, we walked up to the top of the hill where the tower is situated for panoramic views over the entire beach. It is well worth it and I would highly recommend seeing the beach and water from above!
There are some tours that you can pick up from the base of the tower to visit the Punic ruins at the historic city of Tharros. We didn’t take part in any of these tours as we were enjoying spending time in the water and keeping cool!
On our walk back down, Jenna spotted a snake (we believe it to be a Western Whip Snake)!!! She was pretty quick to run down towards the car, while I decided to stick around to get a closer look at it (Jenna wasn’t too happy watching the GoPro footage afterwards! – take a look for yourself!).
By this stage, it was mid afternoon and we were wondering why we were so hungry!!! Lunch time of course… Now, the one downside to the beach is that there are really only a couple of restaurants to choose from. We decided on Ristorante bar da Marina where I ordered a salad and Jenna ordered the home-made oven bake lasagna. The meals were lovely, however, the staff don’t really speak English (which seems to be a recurring theme that I love and hate at the same time!) so if you can speak a few words in Italian that would be helpful, such as ‘bill’ which is conto!
After our late lunch, we jumped back in the car and started our hour or so drive to Cagliari. We checked in to the T-Hotel for our 2-night stay. Take a look at our detailed review of the T Hotel for more information!
Where to eat…
San Giovanni di Sinis: We ate lunch at Ristorante bar da Marina just next to the car park for the beach. The service is fairly typical for Italy, quick to seat you but the rest of the service is fairly slow (but that could be because no one wanted to serve us as they didn’t speak English!!). However, when the food came out, it didn’t disappoint! The salad was large and the lasagna was homemade and baked in the oven – delicious!!
Cagliari: We ate dinner at the T Hotel which was incredible! Take a look at our T hotel blog which goes into detail about the restaurant!
If you want to read more about our Sardinian adventure, please check out our Sardinian 7 day love affair blog and links to each day!
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.
“When overseas you learn more about your own country, than you do the place you’re visiting.” – Clint Borgen
There are a few words that come to mind when we try to describe Sardinia… it’s a stunning Italian island, your choice of rocky or sandy beaches with or without waves, guaranteed crystal clear water, delicious Italian food and… the list goes on and on…
The Sardinia: 7 Day love affair post summarises our incredible week circling this stunning island, flying into Alghero and out of Olbia with one or two night stops along en-route to the next beach!
We started this particular Italian holiday in Milan and Lake Como, making our flight from Milan to Sardinia incredibly affordable!
Our flight from Milan was with EasyJet to Alghero Airport in Sardinia. Having arrived around lunch time we picked up our Renault TwinGo hire a car from Maggiore, which we booked through rentalcars.com, quickly checked it over for any damage but were lucky enough to have given a near new and completely undamaged shiny beast. Having spent the morning in airports and the flight, we excitedly drove towards our first stop in the northwest of the Sardinia, in the area of Stintino, La Pelosa!
On our way to our La Pelosa, our little beast car decided it was time display a bright red exclamation mark (!) on the dash… now this was not ideal, we were around 20 minutes into our drive and Maggiore was busy when we picked up the car so if we turned around we would have had a minimum of 40 minutes of driving, plus the time it would take the attendant to look at (or replace) the car to get back to where we were. Not impressed and not wanting to lose any of our valuable beach time (especially as it was day one!) … Jenna scrambled through the paperwork and found the car manual to determine just how serious the (!) really was. Now… we probably could have expected this, but honestly, it’s a rental car company for tourists, you would think the manual may have been in English, but no, it was very much Italian and only Italian!!
Thank goodness for Google Translate (and data roaming on a work phone!), so after a couple of minutes and a rough translation, we realised the (!) on the dash was related to the tyre pressure so thinking this would be relatively safe we continued to drive on before pulling into the next service station and asked a local (who spoke no English whatsoever!) for some help through various gestures pointing to the dash and the car manual before he understood the issue and checked each of the tyres!! It all seemed fine, so away we went with no idea what else the problem could be… within 30 seconds, the car beeped (loudly!) and on the dash appeared another warning message.. this time it was STOP and certainly appeared much more serious. Having then tried to call the Maggiore office, with no response, quite frustrated I sent them an email to explain the situation, attached a couple of photos and noted the fact that I did try and call. Either way, nothing was going to stop us from getting to that beach!
After a relatively uncertain 45 minute drive to the north-eastern point of the island we were lucky enough to a) get there, and b) find parking in a car park right next to the beach. Constantly thinking about the car troubles, we decided on paying 1.50 EUR for an hour long parking ticket to quickly duck down to the beach, walk around for a bit and get back to the Maggiore office before heading further to Oristano where we were due to rest that evening.
Honestly, as soon as we reached the beach, we knew an hour would be a joke, the white sandy beach with its crystal clear water took our breath away, and before stepping another foot we quickly went back and topped up our parking ticket.
Have a look at it, the ocean literally looks like an oversized swimming pool!
When you arrive at La Pelosa, the parking is plentiful and offers both curbside as well as separate parking lots along the side of the road, the cost is the same. On the weekends the beach is very busy so I would recommend either arriving early or after lunch to avoid the crowds!
We walked from the beach where we parked down to the end where you see this incredible castle on a separate island which makes for an amazing landscape. The water goes from clear, to light blue, to a darker blue and is so calm, not a wave in sight!
There is ample opportunity to do some last minutes shopping from the beach vendors, bikinis, dresses, towels, rackets and balls, floating devices such as lilos and sunglasses of course! Feel free to negotiate the price on the items being sold – they cater to the tourist industry so their prices are always inflated!! We asked a vendor how much a large beach sheet cost, and the best price I got him down to was around €12 which isn’t too bad because you can then take that with you on the rest of the holiday and it doesn’t take up too much room!
Once we enjoyed a refreshing swim, we headed back to the car, the bright red STOP prominently displaying on the dash, we decided it really was time to head back to the Maggiori office to have the car checked (which turned out fine and they simply needed to reset the computer after a tyre change!!) and then off to our first hotel stop for the holiday, Hotel Mistral 2 in Oristano which was a 2 hour drive south.
Arriving at the Mistral 2, we were absolutely starving so we asked the reception team for some restaurant recommendations and a town map, delighted, we were asked if we would prefer ‘carne’ or ‘frutti di mare’. Now given Jenna does not like seafood, we asked for a meat (carne) recommendation. The reception staff member quickly suggested Cocco e Dessì (see the below review) which was a 15 to 20-minute walk from the hotel, in the old town. It is worth noting at this point that the restaurant is, in fact, a seafood restaurant, NOT a meat restaurant!!!
After dinner, we walked back through the old town to call it a night after what I would call quite an eventful day!
Where to eat
Oristano: Cocco e Dessì. This restaurant is predominantly seafood, but they do offer some meat dishes as well. We arrived at 7.30pm on a Friday night without a reservation. The restaurant had absolutely no atmosphere and was empty, but all the surrounding tables were reserved! The majority of the staff only spoke Italian, so ordering was interesting – after a few minutes, they found another team member who spoke broken English to take our order! We asked what was the best dish on the menu and without hesitation the pizza! I ordered the Gran Torre pizza (tomato, mozzarella, fish pâté and salmon) which was delicious. I’m usually quite sceptical about seafood on a pizza but given the recommendation and the fact that Sardinia is known for their seafood, I couldn’t resist! Jenna ordered the Marinara (tomato, garlic, olive oil and added mozzarella). The service was good, although like most European restaurants they do not come around often to check on drinks and I did feel like everyone specifically avoided eye contact with us at the risk of needing to speak English!
Where to stay
Hotel Mistral 2 was a conveniently located hotel within easy walking distance to the old town. The reception staff were welcoming (even with the misunderstanding between the meat and seafood restaurant!) and the rooms were spacious compared to many other Italian hotels. The breakfast was a fairly standard Italian breakfast – breads, pastries, cakes and so forth, but nothing to write home about, unfortunately. The bonus for us is that the hotel offered free underground parking which was great!
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.
Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving. – Terry Pratchett
