Tag: City Break

Bruges Travel Diary

13.10.18

I’m writing this from bed on a very lazy Saturday afternoon/evening. I’m currently in Bruges and I’ve just awoken from a long nap. I don’t remember the last time I napped during the day but I’m currently treating this little weekend away as a holiday in more ways than one.

Yesterday we arrived in Bruges at around 3pm, after a very long journey from Manchester. We took a taxi, a plane, a coach and two trains, all in the aid to get here. We hadn’t quite anticipated the length of the travel but in the end, when stepping off the train in Brugge (as the locals call it), we wondered along the quaint cobbled streets and we realised it had all been worth it.

This is my first time in the city, and my second visit to Belgium after having visited Ypres a few years ago. I knew some of what to expect and had already presumed there would be a great amount of beer and waffle consumption, but it seems we have all already somewhat over indulged. By this afternoon, after returning to the Airbnb for the afternoon (the place where we are staying is perfect by the way), we found ourselves each retreating to the bedrooms, or the sofa, and for me, I wound up in bed having a nap, which has led me here.

This evening we hope to go out and explore more of the local bars and pubs, as our Airbnb host already recommended a couple to us when greeting us on our arrival yesterday.

So far, we’ve already had some great food at a local restaurant, which was recommended to us by our AirBnb host. We went to a local place called De Verloren Hoek, where I went for for the skate, which was served with salad and mash potatoes and oh my was it good.

Then today we wound up in another great little spot for called Sanseveria. The speciality there is bagels and if you’re a fan then I’d definitely recommend this place.

14.10.18 – 12:40

We’re currently on the train from Bruges heading to Belgium. Our flight home isn’t until the evening but as the journey back it quite long, we decided to split it up a little by leaving Bruges early to spend the afternoon in Brussels before heading home.

I’ve really enjoyed our little weekend away in Bruges though. Whilst we were only there for a short time, it’s also felt long, but in a good way.

The weather has been amazing this weekend, which has been lucky, as its October but its felt more like the middle of summer, with highs of 24 degrees. Yesterday we sat out in the sunshine sampling beer and ate alfresco at one of the oldest pubs in Bruges during the evening (it had been there since 1515).

I think one of the things I’ve been pleasantly surprised with on this trip has been the food. It’s not that I expected anything bad but let’s just say on my last visit to Belgium I purely survived on a diet of French fries and waffles. Whilst neither are to be sniffed at (I mean, who doesn’t love waffles and fries) I’m glad that we’ve also been able to enjoy a verity if of tasty food, including the onion soup and cheese on toast that we had at the pub last night – it was delicious.

Whilst we have overindulged in rich foods, I’ve enjoyed everything we’ve sampled during being in Bruges, including the beer, which is a surprise to say I’m not much of a beer drinker. I’m glad though that I’ve been able to get my favourite cherry beer on tap (which is the norm for here) and something I wish they did back home – although it’s probably for the best that they don’t, as I can drink that stuff like it’s juice.

Right now I’m looking forward to getting off this train and stretching my legs. Let’s just say I’m glad that we’ve decided to split up the journey and I’m looking forward to seeing a bit of Brussels too.

20:30

It’s much later on now and we’re currently sat in the airport waiting for our plan to arrive. I feel full to brim and we’re all so, so tired but we had a great time visiting Bruges. It was also nice to stop off in Brussels earlier for lunch, but after a lot of travelling and waiting around, I think now it’s got to the point where we’re now all just ready for our own beds. I forget how tiring weekend city breaks away can be, especially when lots of travelling is involved like with this one. However I don’t regret taking the trip as it was a delight visiting Bruges and it’s somewhere I’m sure I’ll be visiting again in the future. Bye for now.

Samio x

October 22, 2018
A Manchester Staycation

It had been years since I had a staycation in the city, so when Roomzzz offered us a night’s stay at their newly opened hotel in Manchester, I of course jumped at the offer. Whilst I love my weekends spent at home, I must admit there’s always something a little bit exciting about spending a night or two away from home, even if it is only a few miles down the road.

Damien and I headed to Roomzzz a few Saturday’s ago, with our bags packed ready for a fun weekend in the city. Situated in the grade II listed Corn Exchange building, the Roomzzz hotel is in the perfect location, close to many of the best bits of Manchester. Being a born and bred Mancunian, I of course have my firm favourite spots in the city but on this occasion it was nice to try a few new places too.

As well as being home to Roomzzz, the Corn Exchange also houses a number of great bars and restaurants, some of which I’ve visited before (like Mowgli for example, which is one of my favourites and would recommend if you enjoy authentic style Indian street food). During this particular time we tried Salvi’s in the Corn Exchange for the first time. This little Italian is a hidden gem and I’m surprised we hadn’t visited earlier. We had the fun of experiencing a pasta making class whilst we were there and we also sampled their amazing smoked mozzarella cheese – I’d recommend trying one of their pizzas with it on too if you get chance, it’s seriously good.

Whilst the Corn Exchange has plenty to offer, there’s also lots around the area too. Just across from there you have Selfridges and Manchester’s Arndale if you fancy a spot of shopping whilst you’re in the city.

If you fancy dining out somewhere different during your stay, then you can always take a short walk along Deansgate towards Spinningfields. On the Saturday evening we went to Iberica in Spinningfields for Spanish tapas. Although I’d been to Iberica a few times in the past for drinks, this was the first time I’d eaten there and the food did not disappoint. Our waiter was great at recommending the best dishes to try and everything we had was delicious.

Overall it was a great staycation. I think my favourite thing about our stay at Roomzzz was the convenience of being so close to everything. Although I live in Manchester, it was nice to experience my city in a completely different way and also try out some new places in the process.

Samio x

March 28, 2018
A Porto Travel Guide

Another Trip To Portugal

At the end of August Damien and I decided to take a trip to Porto. I visited Portugal for the first time at the start of the year when I went to Lisbon (which you can read all about here) and it seems I’ve not been able to keep away since, as I then went for a second time for work to Vilamoura in May and then finally again for this trip last month. It’s fair to say that I’ve well and truly fallen for Portugal and Porto did not disappoint.

This has probably been my most relaxing trip of the year so far. I say relaxing, however we did managed to walk just over 94,000 steps within the 6 full days we were there. As you’ll be able to see from some of the pictures, Porto is incredibly hilly and we made it our mission most days to walk down the hill from the old part of town where we were staying, to walk along the river to then cross the bridge and do the same along the other side. We’d often do this twice per day as we did the same when we came out in the evenings too. Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side of course…all jokes aside though, although both sides of the river have their fair share of fun, we just personally preferred the opposite side for restaurants as it was slightly less touristy. Plus although both sides of the Douro river have rather impressive views of Porto, we both preferred the view looking out from the opposite side to where we were staying as it was slightly prettier, so there you go.

Where We Stayed

We stayed in Porto for 6 nights, which was a good amount of time but 5 nights would have probably been enough. Once again we opted for airBnb for our accommodation and stayed in the Baixa area which was close to lots of cool neighbourhood bars and restaurants frequented by the locals. I really liked the area we stayed in and would stay around that part again if I were to go back.

Food

We had some really good food whilst in Porto and of course there was lots of good seafood available. If you are into fish then the sardines are a good dish to try whilst dining out by the river – but like I mentioned I’d recommend heading to the restaurants on the side opposite to the old town part if you do. And if unlike me you do eat meat then you may want to try the Francesinha, which seems to be one of Porto’s most popular dishes.

Port

And finally, I of course cannot speak about Porto without speaking about Port – one of things which it is most famous for. I would definitely recommend taking a visit to one of the many Port cellars and of course doing a bit of Port tasting whilst you’re there too. We chose to visit Graham’s, which was one of the Port places situated furthest away from where we were staying (but as you probably guessed – we like to walk). I’d recommend the walk though because the views from the outside of the winery are quite beautiful (as you can see on the image below) and of course the Port is worth tasting too.

The Low Down

When we visited: August 2017
Weather: Average 28 – 32 Degrees C
How long we stayed: 6 nights.
Where we stayed: Baixa.
Accommodation: Airbnb.
Must Try: Port Tasting. Sardines and the cod.
Recommendations:
-Chill out at the open air bar, Base.
-Check out the bars/restaurants in the Baixa area – and go to the Champanheria da Baixa and try the champagne sangria, it’s soooo good. The atmosphere is also great on the weekend evenings.
-Go to Galeria de Paris for a super cheap yet tasty buffet lunch in the most random restaurant ever!
-Visit the Igreja de Santa Clara church.
-Go up Clérigos Tower at night for great nighttime views of the city.
-Find Arc of Truth (wine bar) for a cosy intimate setting, great wine and window views of Douro River.
-Go to Graham’s Winery for great views and a tour of the wine cellars – and port tasting (obviously).
Would I go again: Yes and would recommend a trip in August too.

Samio x

September 19, 2017
Eindhoven City Guide

Trying somewhere different

When I’d mention to people that next up on my travel itinerary was a trip to Eindhoven, many people responded with either ‘where?’, or ‘why?’, or more often than not a combination of both ‘where?’, followed by ‘why?’. I guess when people think of the Netherlands it’s not often the first place that springs to mind…and that’s exactly why I wanted to go, because it was someplace different.

You may have realised by now (if you’ve been reading my travel posts) that some of my trips aren’t the most obvious travel choices. I just love exploring, and as much as I do love the popular super touristic hot spots, I also love discovering other places too. It feels like I’m trying something for the first time in a way and I also like how I can get a real feel for a place without it being too touristy.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t quite know what to expect from Eindhoven prior to my visit. I’m a book flights and worry about the rest later type of person (as you may have gathered if you read about my Oslo trip). However after arriving and both Damien and I feeling very welcomed into the city, I quickly began to love the vibe and the energy of Eindhoven.

Where We Stayed

We stayed in the Inntel Art Hotel, which is half situated in the old Philips Light factory. I’m glad we got a room in the old part of the building as I loved the industrial yet modern feel of the room with it’s high ceiling and exposed concrete and pipework. It’s also situated in a great location too, as everywhere we went was reachable on foot with most places less than a ten minute walk away.

One thing I hadn’t expected about Eindhoven is that it’s home to a great deal of ex-pats, making it a very multicultural city and after a couple of days there it’s easy to see why this place is popular with outsiders. It’s innovative in design and technology, easy to get around, traffic is minimal with the majority of people choosing to ride bikes, it’s a very green city, and if you’re a foodie like me, you’ll be impressed with the amount of great restaurants and bars it has to offer.

Where we ate

Damien and I were both really impressed with all the places we went to for food. We had breakfast provided at our hotel each morning and then for lunch and dinner we were spoilt with a great selection of places. Eindhoven is full of great restaurants and bars and we were lucky enough to sample a good selection of them.

Calypso was where we went on our first evening for food…and quite a lot of drinks. We enjoyed oysters, a cheese board, calzone pizza AND dessert and spent the entire evening in there chatting to the locals and the owner of the bar, Louis, who was great fun. Our night at Calypso was a great introduction to Eindhoven, although I must admit I nursed a sore head the next day but I guess that’s usually the sign of a good night, right? Hangover aside, I really liked the vibe of this place and it’s somewhere I’d probably end up being a regular at if I lived in Eindhoven.

Coffeelab was such a cool little spot for coffee and lunch. We went on the Saturday for lunch and I had the walnut and cheese toasty, which was different but really good. They had vegan options on the menu too which is always good to note. I loved the interior of this place, full of greenery and cool lights hanging from the ceiling. It’s the type of place I could see myself visiting alone with a coffee and a good book/or even my macbook and sitting there drinking cups of coffee for an entire afternoon.

De Vooruitgang. We actually went here three times; on the first night for some drinks before heading for dinner, on the Saturday for a meal and on the Monday for a drink outside in the sun before heading home. I guess that pretty much tells you that we really liked this place. The interior in this place is again very cool and there’s also plenty of seating outside too and there’s a great atmosphere sat outside in the square on a sunny day.

The dinner we had at De Vooruitgang on the Saturday was really good. To start I went for the tuna, which was so tasty and my main of shrimp pasta just topped off an excellent meal.

Usine Not only does this place look really cool, with every angle of the place being a photographable opportunity (bloggers dream) but the food is pretty darn good too. We went for lunch on the Sunday, where we sat in a cosy corner on retro chairs and sofa drinking copious amounts of coffee. Food wise Damien went for the club sandwich and I went for the fish and chips. And I have to say it was some of the best battered fish I’ve had, as it was so, so tasty.

Down Town Gourmet Market. Damien and I loved this place and it was the perfect spot to end our last night on the Sunday evening. You’re spoilt for choice at this place as you’re presented with a selection of the amazing eateries to choose from in a relaxed gathering spot with seating both inside and out. We got food from Miss Temaki, a sushi place and Vietnamama, which is Vietnamese. We were honestly so impressed with the food from both places and probably would have eaten more if it weren’t for us being full. Like I say we were spoilt for choice and if I were to go back I’d love to try even more of the food places on offer there.

What We Did

A big part of our trip was focused on food and drink which was great because if you know me then you’ll know I absolutely love eating out and trying new restaurants.

Aside from eating and drinking away to our hearts content, we also did a spot of shopping. I’m not one to be easily drawn into the shops but as I mentioned in my previous Eindhoven Outfits post, I did find a few clothing shops that were right up my street and I also made a couple of purchases. Even Damien bought a new jacket too.

A few of my favourite shops were Hutspot, which sells a selection of cool brands including Selected Femme, Matt & Nat, Samsøe & Samsøe and lots more. They also had a Monki store in which I bought my new favourite pair of pants (if you follow me on Instagram you’ll know I haven’t stopped going on about them). We also found the most amazing home store called Home Stock, which immediately left us wishing we had bigger luggage because I seriously could have bought everything in that store if I had the chance.

A visit to the Van Abbemuseum was a highlight for me and if you’re in to modern and contemporary art, then I suggest you too visit here when in Eindhoven. There’s so much to see there and you can easily spend a good couple of hours wondering round, as we did.

It’s also worth visiting the Strijp S area, where there are lots more bars/restaurants and design shops situated in the old Philips buildings. The area had a real industrial yet modern feel and a cool vibe.

The Low Down

When we visited: May 2017
Weather: Sunny
How long we stayed: Friday to Monday – 3 nights.
Where we stayed: Intel Art Hotel (right in the city centre).
Suggestions: Visit the Van Abbemuseum
Food to try: Down Town Gourmet Market, there’s something for everyone.
Would I go again: Yes!

Damien and I both really enjoyed our trip to Eindhoven and as my first trip to The Netherlands it definitely left a great first impression. The city has a cool vibe, the people are friendly and it’s full of great food, so what’s not to love. Until next time.

Samio x

May 30, 2017
A Long Weekend In Malaga

A Relaxing Weekend

I can’t believe it’s almost been a month since Damien and I went on our long weekend away to Málaga. It was a somewhat impromptu trip, having only booked it all a couple of weeks prior going, but we decided that we both felt the need for a little break and to go somewhere warm where we could simply relax.

I’m pretty much a pro when it comes to planning short trips abroad now and with nowhere specific in mind on this occasion, I decided to go with southern Spain for our best chances of warm weather and affordable flights. Málaga came up best in my search and whilst I had been before a few years ago, it had been for a shoot and so I was excited to visit again, on a non work related trip this time

We arrived in Málaga on a Thursday for the last couple of days in March and then returned home on the Sunday, which was the second day of April. It was definitely a good idea picking Málaga, as the weather over that weekend was just splendid.

I found us the perfect little AirBnb only a very short walk from the centre and right by a few little convenience stores where we were able to buy our eggs for breakfast and wine to drink whilst sat out on the roof terrace. Yes we had our own private roof terrace which was exactly what we’d wanted, a nice open space to sit out and enjoy the sun.

The Sights

Although the main focus of the short holiday was to relax, never ones to sit still for too long, Damien and I of course couldn’t help ourselves from doing just a little bit of sight seeing whilst we were there.

Málaga is actually a lot more beautiful than it’s given credit for and away from the high rise hotels that are situated further down the coast line, the city centre is full of old buildings filled with cute little restaurants and bars.

Speaking of the beauty in Málaga from the top of Mount Gibralfaro we were able to see the most wonderful views of the city. It’s quite a walk in the blazing heat but it’s certainly worth it once you get to the top and also very scenic as you walk through beautiful gardens to get there. Of course once at the top we went in the Castillo Gibralfaro and wondered around the castle ruins before heading back down.

Eating Out

One of the restaurants we visited, as recommended by our Airbnb host, was tiny little traditional Spanish restaurant called El Tapeo de Cervantes. We were told to book beforehand, which was wise as we found it was full to the brim when we arrived and still had to wait for ten minutes or so outside before we could even get in to be seated at our table. But we were glad to find that it was certainly worth the wait.

I didn’t take any pictures in the restaurant as it’s so tiny that you are pretty close to the diners either side of you and behind you, all strategically fitted in on high slim wooden tables and chairs. Although this is something that would in most circumstances irritate the heck out of me, in this instance it only added to the character and charm of the place and I rather enjoyed the atmosphere. The staff were great and I had some of the best tapas I’ve ever had. Opting for fish and vegetarian dishes, each plate we had was delicious and if you do find yourself visiting Málaga I’d definitely recommend this place.

Another evening we decided to take an hour long walk along the beach to a few of the highly recommended local fish restaurants located in El Palo. We stopped off at a bar along the way and watched the sunset before continuing on.

Once we arrived we picked one of the restaurants, Restaurante Gabi. It was no thrills dining at its finest and we took a table outside across from the outdoor fire on the beach, where they cooked the fish. Although quite a long walk to get there it was worth it in the end and the fresh fish was excellent. It certainly seemed popular with the locals and we could see why, as its reasonably priced fresh seafood made the visit worth while.

A Drink With A View

There are of course also plenty of bars to chose from in the centre of Málaga, along with a few rooftop bars. One evening before dinner we went to the roof bar La Terraza de la Alcazaba which has excellent views of the town centre and Alcazaba of Málaga. It’s quite a busy spot but fine if you don’t mind potentially standing. It has quite a young vibe and although the drinks are (expectedly) a little pricer than some of the other bars, it’s worth visiting at least for one, just to see the view before sun down.

Well I think that’s almost everything. I’ll end things here before I run the risk of waffling on too much but we really did enjoy our little trip away to Málaga. Sometimes three nights away is all you need to unwind and relax whilst also having the fun of exploring a different location. Now I can’t believe it’s only two weeks until Damien and I jet off on our next little city break, I plan to be a lot swifter with my upload of that travel post once we return, so be sure to check back soon for more travel adventures. 😀

Samio x

You can watch my Málaga vlog here:

April 26, 2017
The Oslo Story – An Alternative City Break

Why Oslo? And in February!?

I knew we needed to book our girl’s trip in that moment whilst (almost) all together, or else it was never going to happen. We had the dates for when we were all available so all we needed to do was book!

As I grabbed my towel and headed for the door I looked back at Lydia and Hannah who were both still recovering on the bed and said, ‘right’ in a determined manner, ‘I want you to have found flights to where we are going by the time I’m out of the shower’. I naturally left this one to Lydia, the organiser of the group, whilst I quite simply made my demands and left to go and shower, in an attempt to refresh myself in the midst of an ever growing hangover brought on from the night before.

When I returned feeling somewhat better and mostly excited for this still ambiguous trip ahead, the first question I asked was ‘where are we going?’. ‘Oslo’ Lydia joyfully replied. Fabulous I thought, ‘where’s that?’ (Geography had never been my strong point). Lydia giggled, ‘Norway’. Cool! I’d never been to Norway.

The flights were only £35 and Hannah was already reading up on what to do and see in Oslo. It sounded like a great place to visit.

We quickly made a call to Charlotte who sounded even more tender than we did and didn’t seem in any type of mood to talk (our partying the night before had obviously taken its toll on us all). Still, over loud speaker we excitedly bombarded Charlotte with the information we had just found. She sounded somewhat less excited than we did and in that moment I think her agreement of the trip was purely to get us off the phone.

And so it was booked and we were going to to Olso baby! It wasn’t long after our booking that we discovered that temperatures in Oslo can reach as low as minus seven in February (when we’d booked to go). MINUS SEVEN! We could only laugh, as whilst doing our vague, hungover research, along with planning where to stay, we’d forgotten to look up one vital thing – THE WEATHER. Anyway, hey, ho, we had our girl’s weekend booked and later another friend, Sally joined on to the trip and the five of us were really looking forward to our fun weekend away.

The Cost

Now something we’d been repeatedly told before we even got to Oslo was ‘it’s really expensive there’, usually followed by a pitiful look of confusion. Why were a group of twenty something girls going to Oslo for the weekend? Erm, because the flights were cheap. Many often laughed at this reasoning. We did not let it dampen our spirits.

Whilst our airbnb was affordable, upon arrival we did in fact find that, yes, everything in Oslo is ridiculously expensive. Our first round of drinks in Oslo was in a traditional style pub: 3 wines and 2 beers came to the equivalent of £45 and each place we went to thereafter, the price continued to be roughly 8 or 9 pounds for a glass of house red wine. However that said, this did not deter us from heading out on the evenings and a having a good time whilst we were at it.

Of course this meant that food was pricey too and Seven Eleven became our new best friend when it came to eating out/on the go in order to stick within our budget for the weekend.

The Weather

The weather wasn’t actually that bad. Okay, let me rephrase that…We’d brought the appropriate clothing meaning that we didn’t get too cold. So much so, that on the Saturday after bussing it all the way to the Viking museum we decided to walk back. We actually spent a good two hours walking through the snow. It was actually really good fun and we got to see a lot of pretty sights.

The Moral Of This Story

Another little spanner in the works that I almost forgot to mention was that we’d booked our flights to and from the wrong airport. Okay the moral of this story is fast becoming why you should never book a trip hungover and without proper research…BUT we found getting from Torp Oslo airport where we landed, to central Oslo was reasonably easy. We were able to jump on one of the coaches outside to embark on the one and a half hour journey to central Oslo (I know, I know), which cost around £25 each. Somewhat defeating the object of the initially ‘cheap flights’ but whatever. You live and you learn.

And The Icing On The Cake

On the Sunday we were more than ready to head home after our random yet fun weekend in Oslo and after checking out of our AirBnb we took the hour and a half long coach trip back to Oslo Torp airport.

We’d gone through customs, we’d order food and as we sat and waited for our flight details back to Manchester to show up on the board, we noticed a number of flights were being delayed and then cancelled.

A flight delay we could deal with, a cancellation we could not…and after seeing a number of flights being cancelled due to severe fog, our Manchester flight was next to join the list. I’ve dealt with flight delays before but this was the first time for a cancellation and believe me, it was not fun.

It’s exhausting to go through the next 24 hours that followed in detail but in short it included queuing for 3 hours. Having to book new flights for the next day to fly to London Heathrow (the flights back to Manchester were full until Tuesday). Getting in touch with our AirBnb to see if our apartment was still available (thankfully it was) and booking another night. Getting the train back to Oslo centre and checking back into our Airbnb. Waking up on Monday and heading to the central airport to fly to Hamburg and then to London. The girls getting a hire car and driving back from London to Manchester. Me getting off the plane and running through the airport to jump on the Heathrow Express to get to central London in time to make it to my modelling job that same day. I made it (Phew).

In these scenarios I like to say, ‘it could have been worse’ and the main thing is that we made it home in the end, even if it was a little later than expected…and I finally got to go home, home, after a week working in London. My bed had never been more appreciated.

The Round Up

Well. Oslo was an experience to say the least. Was it one of the most random (and at the very end, stressful) trips I’ve ever been on, yes…but was it fun, yes, actually, we had a fun time and didn’t stop laughing for most of it. But as the line goes, it’s not where you are, it’s who you’re with and that was certainly the case for this trip.

I may not have left a piece of my heart in Oslo on this occasion but I am glad I went as my random adventures are all about exploring somewhere different and that’s exactly what we got to do.

Would I go again?
Not in a rush, no. However that’s not to dismiss Norway as a whole, as whilst outside of the city centre of Oslo, we saw some absolutely beautiful sights and if I were to head back to Norway again, I’d love to do more outdoor exploring and take more of an adventure type holiday there. But I’m glad I got the chance to visit anyway and enjoy quite a different girl’s weekend away.

Have you ever been to Oslo or have you ever taken an alternative city break somewhere? Let me know in the comments section below. 🙂

Watch my Oslo vlog here:

March 27, 2017
A Travel Guide To Hamburg

What To Eat, See & Do In Hamburg

Germany is fast becoming one of my most visited European destinations. I’d actually been to Hamburg for the fist time a couple of years ago during the summer but this time I was ready to explore much more of the city and experience Hamburg in winter as something different. My friend Chloe and I decided on the trip at the start of January and after finding flights that suited us perfectly for only £35, we quickly booked our three day city break for the 13th to the 15th February.

Where We Stayed

Superbude

The super cool hotel/hostel Supebude kindly put us up for our two night stay in Hamburg. Located in St Pauli, it’s only a stone’s throw away from a large selection of coffee shops, bars and restaurants, in the super quirky hipster area of Sternschanze. We actually spent a lot of time around the local area and found several great places to eat and drink.

Superbude, labels itself a hostel and hotel, however right away I have to say it isn’t like any hostel I’ve ever stayed in before, as whilst being affordable it is definitely a lot more stylish than most accommodation that falls into the ‘hostel’ bracket.

You know when you walk into Supebude that you’re in a cool spot and all the staff are really friendly. To the right of the reception there’s a cool chill out area with a couple of refrigerators that serve as a self service bar and behind that is the area where breakfast is served. Breakfast was included and we were both pleased with the selection of food on offer. Of course being in Germany it’s the usual continental style breakfast selection but there was plenty to choose from and we left feeling satisfied each morning.

We were also pleased with our room. Whilst being simple it provided everything we needed for our two nights stay. I’m happy as long as my bed is comfy, the shower is hot and overall everything is clean. I’m happy to say that it ticked all the boxes. Chloe and I both had good sleeps and agreed that we’d happily stay at Superbude again.

What We Ate

Eating Our Way Around Hamburg

It’s probably easier to compile a list of things we didn’t eat on this trip than the things that we did. In fact, I can go as far as to say that we didn’t stop eating for the entire three days. This was much to the delight of Chloe who is vegan and has mentioned how she often struggles finding food options when she’s away. We quickly noticed lots of vegan options close by to where we were staying, in Sternschanze. We managed to get our hands on everything from vegan cherry pie, to vegan donna kebab! Even I was in my element with it all and all the food we tried was so, so good!

A few favourites included:

Bullerei – A popular restaurant where we went for lunch on our first day. I had the salmon risotto which I thoroughly enjoyed. They didn’t have any vegan dishes but they made one of the dishes dairy free for Chloe on request.
ElbGold – A cute coffee shop serving great cakes and pastries and even better coffee. We had a vegan apple slice & a vegan cherry pie with coffee. It was all very good.
Cafe Piya – A restaurant on Schanzenstraße where we went for dinner one evening. We both went for the vegan burger and it was really good. The wine was good too.

We also had vegan Currywurst at a fast food place round the corner from our hotel. I unfortunately forgot to take note of the name of the place but it was either on or close by to Schanzenstraße.

What We Saw

Being Tourists

Aside from eating out…A LOT…We also managed to fit in quite a bit of sight seeing too. Although this was my second time in Hamburg, I ended up discovering a whole other side to the city that I hadn’t previously. I learnt that Hamburg is a creatively vibrant and artistic city. On first appearances you don’t see it’s quirks and unique flare but take a walk around an area like Sternschanze and you’ll see unique graffiti on every building. Whilst looking edgy I have to say that it still felt safe whilst wondering around these parts and overall there was a really chilled and pleasant vibe to the city, especially in the area mentioned. It had been Chloe’s first time in Hamburg and the second day into our trip she was already saying how she wanted to come back.

On our first day we took a two hour bike ride around the city on one of the StadtRAD rental bikes. Whilst it was absolutely freezing that day, I couldn’t have thought of a better way for us to explore the city. There are bike lanes on every single side walk, so there’s no need to worry about biking on the road. The hop on, hop off bikes are such an easy way to get around and when you’re done you can just hook them back up at one of the many bike docks around the city.

We also went on a boat tour and a bus tour during our trip but I have to say that the bikes were still my favourite mode of transport and a great way to see everything too. We also did a great deal of walking, which is so easy to do when you’re in a place like Hamburg which is very relaxed compared to other more crowded cities. There’s also a great deal of greenery in Hamburg with parks dotted throughout the city.

One tourist attraction I would recommend is the Elbphilharmonie concert hall in the HafenCity quarter. It’s free to go up and from the viewing deck you’re able to take in the views of Hamburg. Also, if you’re into architecture the building itself is pretty stunning and it cost a pretty penny too, which definitely shows. Even the inside of the Elbphilharmonie impressive, and I’d say it’s worth stopping by if you get the chance.

The Low Down

When we visited: February 2017
Weather: Average minus two degrees – Cold and crisp with blue sky.
How long we stayed: Monday to Wednesday – Two nights
Where we stayed: St Pauli
Accommodation: Superbude Hotel Hostel
Food To Try: Vegan Currywurst (if you can find the takeout we went to on Schanzenstraße), otherwise just look out for Currywurst in general.
Suggestions: Layer up if you’re visiting during the winter.
Recommendations: Go up the Elbphilharmonie, it’s free and you can see great views of Hamburg from up there!
Also, rent one of the StadtRAD bikes and cycle around Hamburg.
Would I go again: Yes!
Would I go again in February: Yes, however I’d love to go again in the summer too.

Chloe and I both loved our three days in Hamburg. I enjoyed myself the first time I visited but it’s the second time around that I really grew to love the city. We both liked the easy going vibe and Chloe has already said how much she is in love with Hamburg after our visit.

If you enjoy good food, street art and a city with a creative vibe, then Hamburg could be just the place for you and I certainly recommend the visit.

Samio x

*Our accommodation was kindly provided by Superbude along with thanks to Hamburg Tourism who organised it also provided our travel whilst in Hamburg.

See more of what we got up to in my Hamburg Vlog:

February 20, 2017
What To Wear In Lisbon

Today I’m sharing the final look from my Lisbon trip, which I feel is long overdue, considering the trip was almost a month ago and now my next trip is in less than a week!

Anyway I’m still excited to share this look, as it was my favourite outfit of the trip and in this spot we found the perfect setting, with the blue tiled walls in the back, which complimented what I was wearing perfectly.

Before our travels I’d wondered what to wear in Lisbon, and more so, what to wear in Lisbon during the winter? I knew the weather was going to be milder than in England around this time and I was also aware that a lot of European cities tend to keep it pretty casual, which of course was fine by me.

I did pack heeled boots for the trip, just incase I wanted to step things up a notch in the evenings, however I found myself repeatedly reaching for my trusty Converse. In fact my friend L’Oréal and I both didn’t stop wearing our Converse and found ourselves ‘twinning it’ for the majority of the trip. We even wore our Converse for a night out, which was just as well, as we ended up dancing away until the early hours of the morning, which made it sheer bliss being heel-free.

Although we mostly kept it casual, that isn’t to say that we didn’t put some effort into our dressing. Being able to ditch several layers due to slightly better weather, got me excited to re-work some of my outfit favourites. You will see me repeatedly rocking my Mint Velvet 3 in 1 coat back home but it had been a while since I’d be able to wear it sleeveless. It worked perfectly with this Topshop shirt. Although I’ve been wearing this shirt quite frequently, I haven’t had much chance to show off the wonderful sleeves on it whilst out and about, as they are usually covered up by the sleeves of my coat. I felt the two pieces worked perfectly together and I can’t wait to team them together agin when the weather starts to warm up a little at home.

Finally, a quick note about the jeans. They are of course my favourite go to Farleigh style from Asos (which I wear repeatedly) but you may have noticed the slightly lighter shade of denim. That is of course because I decided to add a third pair to my wardrobe, which I actually featured here. However I since decided to cut the hem off the bottom, which I’m very glad I did because I think it changed them up a little bit.

Anyway, that’s all for now. It’s surprising how much you can waffle on about one outfit but if you’d like to hear more about my Lisbon trip you can check out my travel guide here.

Samio x

Shirt – Topshop | Jeans – Asos | Coat – Mint Velvet | Bag – Kate Spade | Trainers – Converse

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February 8, 2017
A Weekend In Lisbon, Portugal

Making Plans

It was a dreary day in November and I scrolled through my Twitter feed in search of some mild entertainment. As my eyes flitted down the screen I spotted my friend, L’Oréal, had tweeted expressing how she was keen to go to Berlin again for a city break. This instantly caught my attention! I’d been feeling a strong desire to take more trips in the new year, especially to places I was yet to explore in Europe…Although I knew it would be a long shot that we’d actually end up going anywhere, I thought I’d put it out there that I was eager to go on a city break too. And so without hesitation I tweeted back…Because you never know, right!

I’m often reminded that not everyone is quite as spontaneous as I am, but when L’Oréal tweeted back agreeing that we should make the trip happen, I was on Skyscanner before we’d even had a chance to discuss things properly.

I was happy to see that L’Oréal was just as enthusiastic as I was when we got round to properly discussing our trip over private message. We both decided on January for our time to travel. Then Berlin quickly evolved into Lisbon with L’Oréal’s suggestion and the slightly warmer weather in mind.

Lisbon had never been somewhere I’d thought of going to before, but I quickly got enthused about the idea when I found flights for £40 each, to go over on the second weekend in January. Of course we couldn’t say no to that and so Lisbon was booked and my first trip of 2017 was set in motion.

The Important Stuff

Rather than rambling on too much (more) in this blog post, I’d rather give you the important details that may help/benefit you if you’re panning a trip to Lisbon during the winter…Or any time for that matter. I must admit that L’Oréal and I didn’t do much touristy stuff, with the focus of our trip being on relaxing, eating and generally just hanging out and enjoying the laid back city.

That’s one thing I can tell you, that Lisbon has a super chilled and laid back vibe for a city. You don’t feel in a particular rush to go, or be anywhere and people seem to slowly ease into the day without much rush – that’s how it felt on the weekend at least.

Transport

In terms of transport, the subway is affordable and easy to navigate (if you’re use to the London Underground, you’ll find Lisbon’s version a doddle). We only used the subway once during our weekend, and that was to get us from the airport when we arrived, to Baixa-Chiado – Although I’m sure we’d use it more if we were to go back during the summer and explore more areas. Our tickets cost less than two euro each and were easy to buy from the ticket machines at the subway station.

Accommodation

For our accommodation we stayed in an AirBnb, which we’d actually booked pretty last minute (the week before), although I wouldn’t recommend organising it so last minute during the summer, as you may find many of the best place have sold out. I’ve noticed the AirBnb that we stayed in is already starting to fill up fast!

I’m saying all of this presuming you’ve heard of AirBnb and at least know what it’s all about but I do realise not everyone has used it yet. It’s a great alternative to staying in a hotel, whereby you stay in someone’s home instead. Not to worry if you don’t fancy shaking up with a random family, there are plenty of Airbnb’s available where you can rent the entire home to yourself (like the one we stayed in here)…Overall it generally works out affordable and pretty good value for money. Our AirBnb was excellent and right in Bairro Alto, which is an area I’d stay again if/when I were to go back. Also, if you’re new to AirBnb you can get £25 worth of travel credit if you sign up using my link here…You’re welcome. 😉

The Weather

The weather when we were in Lisbon was thankfully much milder than in the UK! We left England with snow and arrived to blue sky and sunshine. The average temperature was thirteen degrees celsius, which actually felt warm compared to back home. The sky was clear and blue for the whole of our trip and we even managed to eat al fresco for lunch on the Saturday!

The Nightlife

The nightlife in Lisbon is really good fun – from what we experienced anyway. Although we only made it out, out, one night of our trip, which was the Saturday, we found that there were plenty of bars to choose from which seem to get busier later into the evening. Later into the night you’re likely to find groups spilling out onto the streets, with plastic cups in hand giving the city a summer type vibe even in the winter. The only downside to the Lisbon nightlife (and also the only negative thing I can say about the entire trip), is that it’s still legal to smoke in bars over there, so if you’re not use to the smoke it can get a little overpowering! However, after getting over the fact that you feel like you’re back in 2006, you’re likely to get use to it and happily dance away into the early hours, especially when you’ve had a few drinks like I had.

Food

And last but not least…(my favourite) Food…If you’re going for somewhere that’s offering the local cuisine, you’re likely to find a lot of meat, fish and potatoes on the menu, usually with the one vegetarian option of lasagne. The local cuisine is very tasty though if you do happen to try it but not to threat if it’s not for you, there is lots to chose from! Even in the small radius from where we stayed we found a verity of different restaurants, with everything from vegetarian to vegan options, so there really is something for everyone and overall I found the food to be really good!

Also whilst in Lisbon I do recommend you try the Pasteis De Nata, which I insisted on calling a ‘Lisbon Pie’ for the entirety of the trip when I didn’t know the proper name. Whilst in Lisbon someone on my Instagram recommended we try Manteigaria (a pastry shop/cafe selling only Pasteis De Nata), and it was an excellent suggestion!

The Low Down

When we visited: January 2017
Weather: Average 13 Degrees C – Mild with blue sky.
How long we stayed: Friday to Monday – 3 nights.
Where we stayed: Bairro Alto.
Accommodation: Airbnb.
Food To Try: Pasteis De Nata.
Suggestions: Take Comfortable Shoes.
What we spent there: Roughly €160 each on food, drink and transport for the entire weekend.
Would I go again: Yes!
Would I go again in January: Most certainly!

I think it’s pretty clear to say that we both LOVED Lisbon. The people, the vibe of the place, the colourful buildings, the blue sky in January, were all brilliant! We’ve been told by almost everyone that we should visit again in summer, which I would certainly love to do, but I’d also strongly recommend Lisbon for a winter getaway destination too. If you’re from the UK especially, jetting off to Lisbon for a weekend of blue sky and slightly milder weather over January or February, is the perfect way to beat the winter blues. It certainly helped me beat mine!

Have you ever visited Lisbon? What city breaks do you recommend?

Samio x

January 25, 2017