How to travel with your.. grandparent!

My 85-year old grandfather is a cool guy. At the age of 80-something he conquered central Europe, smiling in his RayBan Aviator's. Having never been outside Eastern Europe, or former Soviet Union, besides Finland, he has added five new European countries to his list since 2012. Now, when ever he's watching television and sees Paris, Amalfi Coast or Amsterdam, he always proudly announces that he's been there!

Laveno-Mombello, Italy

It's actually pretty cool to travel with your grandparents, so don't hesitate to show them the world!

Most of the time we travel together, yet sometimes he has to fly alone. We've managed to make it hassle free with a few steps we always take before, during and after this travels. Note that this cool dude doesn't speak a word of English, which makes it even more interesting.

Always book direct flights

Direct flights save time and also cause less stress as you don't have to worry about possible flight delays, cancellations or other funny things. It's also way more comfortable for the elderly to have a shorter flight time. It's totally worth paying a little extra.

Paris, France

Cabin size luggage (avoid hold luggage!)

After a couple of incidents when he had to leave either his drill bits or a bottle of schnaps at the airport, he's finally accepted the regulations for prohibited items on planes. Make sure they have a cabin size trolley (preferably with wheels, of course) and it's light enough to be lifted to the overhead bin in the airplane as there's rarely anyone to help (sad but true). 

Ask for assistance!

Most airlines offer assistance at the airport. When he's flying alone from a large airport, I always call the airline for assistance service to help him. They usually arrive with a wheelchair (to which my grandfather rolls his eyes at, he's funny like that, and then proudly walks next to it). Even though he doesn't need it, I do think it's good as sometimes the walk to the gate can get pretty long. The assistance service is usually free but should be booked beforehand. And it's not a problem if the passenger doesn't speak English. Keep in mind that some airlines are friendlier than others and there was an airline that once refused to assist him as he refused to sit in the wheelchair. 

Yes, Estonian Air, I'm talking about you.

Dusseldorf, Germany

Add a note

Print out the flight details and add a note asking to contact you if needed (with a telephone number) and ask your grandparent to keep it in their pocket at all times! Something like Hi! I'm lost and don't speak English! If needed, please call my family on the following number. 

You can even add several lines, first in the language your grandparent speaks and then below the same thing in English, for different situations such as trying to find the gate, where's the nearest toilet, how do I get out of this airport etc. 

Book a two bedroom hotel room or adjoining rooms

A trip with a grandparent is not the same as traveling with your friends so be flexible. In the past we have booked single rooms for him but those tend to be pretty awful so try and get a room large enough to accommodate several travelers or book adjoining rooms so the grandparent can hang out with you at the hotel. 

Amsterdam, Netherlands

They've already managed to live longer than you, they will manage in tough situations! 

Whenever I wonder if my grandfather is going to be ok I always need to remind myself that he's lived longer than I and no matter what happens, he's probably been in that situation before. Older folks tend to be creative and will take matters into their own hands, if needed. 

A few more for the road:

- make a list of their medication and make sure you know what they're taking and for which purpose. Take the prescriptions along on your trip as sometimes the customs might want to take a look. 

- Free the passenger seat of your car for your grandparent. There's usually more space and it's more comfortable. Also, they have a better view than on the back seat of the car.

- Ask them about their seat preference on the plane. 

- Make sure you have enough stops on long car journeys as older people get sore joints more easily.

- Add something familiar to your trip. Either make sure they get the food they always eat in the morning or a visit to a city they always hear talking about on the media. They'll love it!

- Hop-On Hop-Off Bus is your friend! When you're in your 80's you don't walk all day long. So make sure you have transportation available. Even better if it comes with a guided audio tour!

Colmar, France

Dare to be different! Surprising things to avoid for a better travel experience

After years of frequent traveling our travel style has changed quite a bit. Instead of visiting all the popular sights we have cut the list short to fit in some genuinely more interesting options. Here why, how and a few tips.

Musee d'Orsay, Paris, France

We (often) skip museums

Don't get this wrong. We love and adore good museums but let's be frank, there aren't that many museums in every city actually worth spending several hours in, especially when you're short on time. Popularity doesn't always equal quality, therefore do your research before filling your calendar.

A few great museums not to miss:

The BMW Museum in Munich, Germany

Romano-Germanic Museum, Cologne, Germany

Musee d'Orsay, Paris France

Alcatraz, San Francisco

We also skip churches

In some cities, the list of sights mainly consists of churches, churches and more churches. True, they have historical value and are often worth viewing but we almost always walk around the most interesting ones to view the architecture but often don't enter them. Or, like in Duomo di Milano we went to the roof which was so magnificent we went there twice.

A few great churches not to miss:

Geghard Monastery in Armenia

Helsinki Cathedral in Helsinki, Finland

Igreja de São Francisco & Catacombs, Porto, Portugal

Geghard Monastery, Armenia

On the roof of Duomo di Milano

Travel with hold luggage

This goes against pretty much every second travel article you find online but we have gone the other way and taken along about 40+ kg's of luggage on extended weekend trips to make it more versatile. You can easily combine a city trip with a hiking or a shopping holiday, or even all of them.

A few multi-purpose destinations:

Zurich, Switzerland with surrounding towns and mountains

Thessaloniki, Greece. Shopping, beach, mountains to hike nearby.

Verona, Parma and Modena are not only good for fashion but also for shopping for food! You can easily fill your luggage with a new wardrobe, some Parma ham, Parmesan cheese and high quality balsamic vinegar after visiting these cities.

Parma, Italy

Rent a car on a weekend trip

Only have a couple of days in your destination? It's still a great idea to rent a car for a day! Choose a smaller destination and drive to a nearby town to get a better overview of the country. Worth it every time!

A few great towns to visit:

Munich in Germany is only a short drive away form both Garmish-Partenkirchen and Salzburg but choose carefully because they're in different directions but both absolutely wonderful!

Chinchon near Madrid is a fantastic destination for a day. The small town is absolutely delightful and so full of history. It's also only 30min from Madrid!

The small town of Haapsalu is located about an hour and a half from Tallinn, the capital of Estonia. It's located near the sea, has a beautiful castle and even the drive there is pretty! Take the small roads to see how beautiful it can get!

In the mountains of Montenegro

Don't skimp on transportation

Airport buses and trains are often affordable but sometimes also unreliable. Skip the lines and stress by either having shuttle service from your hotel (mostly for extra charge) or take a taxi. It does depend on location and traffic but if traffic jams are not an issue, you'll save your nerves and have a moment to rest before hitting the sights!

A few locations with superb airport transportation options

Amsterdam, Netherlands, a train from Schiphol airport to city center in only 15 minutes.

Milan, Italy, a bus or a train only takes about half an hour!

Vienna, Austria, a bus or train will only take you 15 minutes!

Portugal is always a good idea!
Faro, Portugal.

Visiting three countries in three days while even getting some sleep! This is how we did it.

We recently took a long weekend trip of three full days visiting three countries. In Switzerland we had a quick & clean city stay in the city of Basel, in Liechtenstein it was mini-sightseeing with shopping and in Austria we went hiking in the Alps. Sounds like a lot but is completely doable even in as short time as three days, and makes you feel like you’ve been on a week-long vacation! And you even have time to sleep! Here’s our detailed plan on how to make it happen - with some comments and advise!

Basel, Switzerland

- Don’t pick huge and insanely interesting cities for short 1-day stays as you’ll most likely end up staying too long or regretting not having enough time.

- Keep driving distances short and don't forget to consider general driving conditions. Smaller roads in the mountains can take much longer than estimated.

- Pack enough for a versatile trip. You might be short on time buy you don't have to stick to a monotonous trip.

- Make sure you plan your dining beforehand. Searching for a restaurant can take lots of time. Searching for places to eat near your hotel or route beforehand makes life so much easier!

Friday

We flew out from Amsterdam on Friday afternoon after work and arrived to our Basel hotel at around 19.00. Basel is an hour flight away from Amsterdam which is perfect for quick trips!

We rented a car which, at the Basel-Mulhouse airport, was super quick and easy. We were sitting in the car within 10 minutes after getting our luggage. What’s important to know is that you might have to buy a vignette when crossing the border to certain countries, therefore do your research beforehand and be prepared for this to avoid unpleasant fines. You could also ask the rental company for a car that already has a vignette for Switzerland.

Having booked a restaurant near the hotel beforehand we were all set for dinner at 20.00 and back at hotel around 23.00. Used TripAdvisor’s fantastic Browse Nearby feature.

Saturday

Getting up in the morning, enjoying breakfast at the hotel and off we went for a quick 2-3 hour stroll across the town. We were out of the hotel around 8.30 in the morning. Make sure you know where to get your breakfast from not to waste too much time on this in the morning.

We found a nice city walk (Googling and ending up on TripAdvisor’s Forum) which was truly great and covered the most important sights and areas you’d probably want to see. As Basel is quite a small town we felt this walk was definitely enough. I guess you could spend good 1-2 days there (especially if you like museums) but anything more than that is probably too much. Half a day is more than enough.


Basel city walk, found on TripAdvisor by MAEZLI:

Start on the northern bank of the Rhine on Middle Bridge,( Mittlere Brücke) the center of the city. Walk upstream and take photos of the river and the mediaval skyline with the cathedral behind it.

Take the ferry boat hanging at a rope, and then climb up to the cathedral, 11th century, high upon the Rhine, to the Pfalz and take a photo of 3 countries in one picture, explore Cathedral place (Münsterplatz), then walk through Augustinergasse, Martinsgasse until you can take the stairs down to Marktplatz. See the town hall, 15 th century, leave the place on the opposite side and enter Sattelgasse and then Schneidergasse. Try to find the very narrow Imbergässlein (Ginger lane), next to Restaurant Hasenburg, and walk uphill to Nadelberg, turn left towards to Spalenberg, then some meters down and the right through Gemsberg a U-turn to the right up to a place called Lyss. There you will see in 200 m distance the famous Spalentor.

Started driving to Liechtenstein at 11.00. Route: A3, Basel – Vaduz, Liechtenstein, driving time: 2h.

The scenery was incredibly beautiful and traffic nice and efficient. We didn't make any stops during the drive as we didn't feel it was necessary. No matter where you drive in these countries, you'll always be surrounded by amazing scenery. therefore don't panic if you miss a nice view, there'll be next one around the corner.

St. Florin Cathedral & The Alps

Liechtenstein is tiny! We had planned a few different locations to visit, such as the Vaduz Castle, Burg Gutenberg, Malbun and Triesen chapel but as soon as we arrived to Vaduz, we quickly decided to skip most of them and only walked along the main street of the city and went up to the Vaduz Castle. We skipped the rest because those locations were mainly for the great views but we felt it was unnecessary to drive around as the view was all around us all the time anyway. Also, we wanted to save time for shopping. Obviously.

Vaduz Castle

Landquart Designer Outlet (Tardisstrasse 20a, 7302 Landquart, Switzerland, 20min drive from Vaduz) was quite good. It's not huge but the things they sold were quite high quality (not that bulk outlet stuff some shopping villages have) so we made a few great buys. Most of them were Finnish brands, though. A fun coincident to buy Suunto and Rukka in Switzerland for half the price.

Vaduz Castle

After a nice shopping spree it was time to drive to the final destination, Innerbraz in Austria, about an hour drive from Liechtenstein. We had booked a nice, traditional gasthof (German for guesthouse) with a very highly rated restaurant, therefore no need to search for restaurants! Luckily the restaurant was incredibly good so we had no reason to search elsewhere.

The gasthof we stayed at was called Gasthof Rössle in Braz. We loved the traditional wood paneling all over the hotel, it was such an authentic experience.

Sunday

Alpine trekking!

Going up Vorarlberg in Austria

The next morning, after a quick breakfast, we headed out to the mountains. Austria is one of the best locations for people who enjoy spending time outdoors in the nature and they have great resources for this also. I did struggle a little at first while trying to find hiking trails but searching by the area name or even nearby mountains will help. To top up the efficiency, lay out all your hiking clothes the night before, fill the water bottles and pack everything else you’re planning to take a long. 

We chose a hike on Vorarlberg (click on the link for the trail map) suitable for winter time (without special gear) which was perfect for us. It was quite easy with a nice ascent to the Lindauer Hütte (alt. 1744m) on Montafon. Would definitely want to hike this trail also during the summer and stay at the cottage. This time we only walked up (and slightly further from the cottage), had a cup of coffee there and went back down. The weather was absolutely fantastic that day. We had clear skies all day long and temperature was high!

For Sunday we didn’t have anything else scheduled than hiking. We knew when the sun was setting and had reserved a table at the restaurant of our hotel for 19.00 meaning we had quite a relaxing day ahead.

Made it up and down we go!

Vorarlberg, Austria

After finishing our fantastic hike, we went back to the hotel and prepared for the dinner, being completely exhausted and tremendously happy the restaurant was right there at the gasthof. To make things easier for the departure day, we packed majority of our stuff after coming back from the hike so we could just fell on the bed right after dinner and get some much needed sleep.

Monday

On the last day we had lots of time and decided to avoid highways and take a look at some alternative routes. This was fun as we definitely enjoy driving around exploring! The route from Innerbraz in Austria to Mulhouse airport in France took us through the total of five countries (in only 2-3 hours!) covering also Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Germany. We made it back to the airport right on schedule and were back in Amsterdam at 20.00 on Easter Monday and ready for work the next day.

Somewhere in Switzerland

Somewhere on the road from Austria to France

We were traveling with the total of 35kgs of luggage which is quite insane but necessary as we brought our own hiking gear (clothing, shoes, backpacks, hiking sticks) and bought some wine to bring back home. However, the amount of luggage wasn’t a problem at all with a relatively big car we had rented.

So there! Not so busy but completely versatile and full of new experiences. We were exhausted from the hike even a couple of days after the trip but it was more than worth it!

Approximate driving route from Base-Mulhouse airport to Innerbraz, Austria via Basel and Liechtenstein . On the way back we took a scenic route avoiding highways.

Enjoy your flight! How to make the long-haul comfortable

After a couple of uncomfortable long haul flights, train rides or road trips majority of us start thinking of ways to make this time slightly more pleasant. It does depend a lot on the aircraft or other vehicle you're traveling with. Being stuck for 6+ hours in a BOEING 757 flying over the Atlantic ocean doesn't exactly make you think of comfort and tranquility. However, there are great ways to make it a little better.

Photo Source: Dreamatico.com

Wear something comfortable

Starting with the obvious. Either you step in the plane wearing your favorite pair of pants or you change into your comfortable attire before or during the flight, this is rule #1 for us when flying long haul. Good, comfortable and breathable clothes are a must. Any flight with a duration of more than five hours and it requires a more comfortable travel outfit. Make it easier for yourself by choosing something that's easy to wear and fast to change into. Plan it carefully as the best outfits can also be worn outside of the plane or are easily transformed for different climates. Compression socks are a must!

Some great options are jeggings (the lovechild of jeans and leggings), sports clothing (there are some great lifestyle collections by lots of sports brands) and loose sweaters and cardigans in natural fabrics.


Ear plugs and a sleeping mask

Flying is noisy and getting a good amount of sleep is rare. A good sleeping mask and a pair of (quality) ear plugs are almost necessary. You can replace earplugs with earphones even if the music is off. They block majority of noise but you still hear the food cart approaching. To get an upgraded sleeping experience, go for noise cancelling headphones/earphones.


Earphones

Even if you're not into music, bring your own earphones for the in-flight entertainment/movies. The ones they give you on the plane (and sometimes even ask you to pay for!) aren't worth the annoyance.


Hygiene

Pack some travel sized toothpaste, toothbrush, face & hand wipes and moisturizer.

Ladies, take off your make-up. I know, sounds like too much of an effort but trust me, you'll feel so much better! Before arrival, just apply a light make-up again and you look glorious! If you travel without make-up, even better, I guess!

Also, the effort is not that big. Just grab a pack of face wipes along an you're halfway done!


Slippers

Yes, slippers... Sounds strange but we'll never do a long haul without them again! Got this idea on a recent Turkish Airlines flight where they provide passengers with a pair of slippers. Loved it! Slippers are also handy in hotels.

If you start feeling like your grandparents, just take a glass of sherry and relax.


Eye-drops

13 hours on a plane will dry you up no matter how much water you drink. Bring eye-drops to help you feel more comfortable. Forgot eye-drops? Pour a tiny bit of water on the palm of your (clean) hands and tap it on your eyelids and the corners of the eyes.

Photo source: laviniaplonka.com

Moisturizing nose spray

Keeps on getting more weird by every line, right? It really makes a difference to keep your body moisturized, nose included!


Pouches and bags

It's incredibly annoying to try to find your earphones, comb or passport from your bag full of whatever you're traveling with in the little space you have on the plane. We've started using little pouches and bags to sort it all out. Little pochette will keep your flight accessories in order and easily accessible and a small round mp3 player case will protect your player and/or earphones from getting all tangled and those little plastic ear cushions safe and again, easy to find! You can find pouches, bags and cases in all sizes for every need, for example, on eBay.

Photo source: gearbest.com

Photo source: ebay.com

Meal options
Personally, we haven't done this but we know fellow travelers who always order a low sodium meal option. This will make you feel more comfortable during the flight and also you'll get your food faster. Win-win!


Have a safe flight!

In the waves of Honolulu, Oahu, Hawai'i

Destination: Honolulu, Oahu, Hawai'i
Time of travel: December 2014
Duration: 9 days
Travel plan: 5 days in Honolulu, 4 days on Big Island (Hawai'i), 6 days in San Francisco 

Paradise!

Approaching Honolulu

Honolulu is the capital city of Hawaii. It's located on the island of Oahu, on the west  of the island chain. With it's long, enchanting history it will tell you stories and myths about the birth of Earth, sea and sky, Polynesians arriving on boats from the Marquesas islands (another dream destination!),  WW2, all the way to current days belonging to the United States and being a popular holiday destination especially among Americans and the Japanese. We had a very practical reminder of the US impact right at the time of our expected landing when our plane had to give room to another plane landing on Honolulu airport at the same time - The Airforce One. We'll tell you more about our visit and the President later.

Being the capital city, Honolulu offers you pretty much everything you need from a holiday. There's beach, shopping, restaurants, night life, hiking, surfing, everything! Oahu definitely has it all. It's relatively small considering all the activities you can enjoy on the island yet big enough to enjoy the beautiful scenery even in privacy.

Beach life

The famous Waikiki beach is exactly what you expect. It's a fantastic spot to enjoy some sun and beach while enjoying the view to the Diamond Head crater and watching surfers catch the waves. The water isn't the warmest and you should watch out while walking in the water as it's full of rocks but aside that, you'll have some fantastic time under the Hawaiian sun.
If, however, you prefer to lounge by the pool like we did, you can choose from one of the fabulous hotels by the beach. Hawaii is very popular any time of the year so be prepared to reserve your spot on the beach or on the sun lounger early in the morning as it really gets crowded!
Needless to say, Hawaii in general is super popular among surfers because of it's great waves.

Toes in the sand!

Best beaches:

Waikiki Beach

Bellows Field Beach Park

Papailoa Beach (a little windy)

Sightseeing

Sightseeing is made very easy in Honolulu. You can either walk around the city, take the Hop On Hop off bus, take a tour, rent a bike or drive around by car. We found driving to be the best way to get around the island. You can easily drive around the whole island in one day but we recommend two or three so you have lots of time to stop and enjoy the scenery. However, pretty much all the activities are very well organized and you'll surely find your way even to more remote sights and museums even without a car.

USS Bowfin at Pearl Harbor

Hawaii has an enchanting past that should definitely be explored. Walk around Honolulu and you’ll notice many examples of how the ancient customs have found their way in the lives of present day Hawaiians. We were lucky to see a funeral take place on Waikiki beach. It was a festive event with food and native music, people were calm and smiling, enjoying the day and remembering the past soul.

Waikiki beach ahead

Restaurants, bars

You can't really go wrong with food no matter where you go on Oahu. Best picks are the Asian restaurants as well as everything North-American. Generally the quality is superb and even the Asian restaurants are constantly visited by the Asian tourists which rarely happens in many European locations. Try fresh seafood and sushi!

A restaurant to visit:

Mikawon, a fantastic Korean restaurant

2345 Kuhio Avenue, Honolulu, Oahu

We knew that Barack Obama was born in Honolulu but having him visiting the island at exactly the same time as we did was a fun coincidence. Not only did we arrive at exactly the same time as he did but he also dined at one of the restaurants of our hotel! It was indeed a huge surprise to lounge on the balcony of our hotel and suddenly see several black SUV's pulling up in front of the hotel, blocking the street and escorting the president to the restaurant.

I guess we did good job choosing the hotel!

Shopping

Shopping in USA is always fun but we had our doubts on Hawaii as it is more expensive than other U.S locations especially when it comes to hotels and restaurants. We were pleasantly surprised to see that the high prices don't really apply to shopping and we made lots of fantastic purchases, especially as we were there during the Christmas holidays and the sale had just begun! You have several shopping centers on Oahu as well as a designer outlet. Again, you can reach the shopping centers by public transportation, taxi's or a shuttle bus but driving is always an option also. Just don't leave your belongings in the car (now even in the trunk!). Breaking in rental cars is very common on Hawaii!

Shopping centers:

Ala Moana Center

1450 Ala Moana Bulevard

T Galleria Hawaii (Duty Free shopping for tourists)

330 Royal Hawaiian Avenue

Kalakaua Avenue

Royal Hawaiian Centre

2201 Kalakaua Avenue, Honolulu

Waikele Premium Outlets

94-790 Lumina Street, Waipahu 

Exploring Oahu! Ka'a'awa Valley

Hiking & adventure

Although we didn't go hiking on Oahu, we were aware of several fantastic hiking trails. An easy one, where you really don't need any equipment for would be to walk to the top of Diamond Head. We walked up in our flipflops so don't worry about it being a difficult hike. It does have lots of stairs but it's still relatively easy. However, you do have a huge selection of hiking paths all over the island so you can easily select one to suit your level. It does rain relatively often on Hawai'i which might affect your trip. We were initially planning to hike one day on Oahu also but due to stormy weather decided to skip it.

Ka'a'awa Valley

One of the Lost series filming locations, old Walaiua Sugar Mill (Mr. Eko's Nigerian Village)

US is not the ideal location to drive around and explore, which is what we constantly do in Europe. This was also something that we didn't love on Oahu. When ever we picked a road that looked like an adventure, it didn't take long to be stopped by fences, gates and Private Property signs. Luckily, there's plenty to see and experience despite of all the fences.

Hawaiian style

To sum it all up..

Ever since our trip many people have asked if it's really as expensive as it seems? And more importantly, if it's worth it? To tell you the truth, it is expensive! But it's also 100% worth it. You will need to spend big bucks on a decent hotel, on the car as well as restaurants but it's Hawaii after all! Good thing is that generally you also get good value for money. Going for cheaper hotels is always an option but the budget hotels are far from decent and probably won't give you the fantastic Hawaii experience. You won't be disappointed!

We stayed at The Modern Honolulu, a great hotel in Waikiki. Great location, good service, spacious and modern rooms, great toiletries (so good that I've been trying to find them online!). Two pools one of which was adults only. Good cocktails and decent restaurants.

We can almost hear Jack, Kate and Sawyer! This is Papailoa Beach (aka. Police Beach), one of the filming locations of Lost.

Don't limit your trip to Oahu only! Make sure you get to visit one of the other islands as well. They're all quite different, some are better for adventure activities and sports, others are popular for parties but I doubt you could go wrong no matter which island you pick. For us, the other island was the island of Hawai'i. This is where it gets confusing for those who haven't familiarized themselves with the Hawaiian islands. Basically the island chain is called Hawaii with islands (starting from the left/west) Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, Hawaii. The main island with the capital Honolulu is Oahu yet the biggest island in size on Hawaii, which is often referred to as The Big Island because it's the biggest of the islands. The Big Island also keeps on growing because of it's constantly erupting volcano Kilauea. Now how cool is that? It is also the number 1 attraction in the area. Traveling from island to island is made very easy and there are several flights departing every day and the distances are short.

Diamond Head crater

How much did we actually spend then? We got a good deal on flights which was around 850€  per person with a departure from Amsterdam (with two stop overs, first in London, second one in L.A).This was a  fantastic price and we also got to include San Francisco, where we stayed for five days on the way back. Average price is usually around 1200€, anything below that is a good price. Hotels were from 125 - 260€ per night. Considering we traveled during the peak season, Christmas holidays, these prices were absolutely great.

Spam Musubi on the go while driving around Oahu. It tasted strange and nice yet addictive.

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Tallinn? What's that?

Having lived abroad majority of my life and currently being ever further than ever before I have gained some perpective when it comes to my home country Estonia. While people living far from the Baltics often ask "Estonia? What's that?" there's also equally large amount of those who know the country very well and can easily point it out on a map. Quite often these incredibly knowledgeable folks can be found in surprising locations such as Bosnia, Hawaii and Taiwan - not exactly neighbouring countries!

I could write a praising post on the tech development and innovations or the rich history, years under the soviet occupation and current era of innovation but I won't. You can read about it elsewhere. Instead, I'll share everyday tips on why Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, should be your next destination for a weekend away.

Medieval Tallinn

Tallinn is small yet has something for everyone. A must see location is, of course, the medieval old town (UNESCO heritage site) that has been an important trading hub since the 13th century. Walk along the city walls, step inside one of the museums or cafes built literally into the walls or one of the towers and inhale all of the history! Join a walking tour and get to know the stories and the tales of those who used to walk the cobbled streets of this enchanting city.

Tasty Tallinn

My most favorite activity in Tallinn is enjoying all of the cafe's, restaurants and bars. The quality is incredible and you can choose a place to get a drink at pretty much any theme you can come up with. New places arise constantly so there's always something new to try. Compared with many other cities in the region, Tallinn is a very energetic and bustling city - a little like Berlin.




Indulging Tallinn

Visiting a spa is quite a popular activity among both, the locals and the tourists. The city of Pärnu as well as the islands have some of the best spa's but also Tallinn has it's share. Not into getting in your swimsuit? Well, get a haircut or a facial instead. Tallinn has definitely one of the best, if not the best beauty professionals in Europe when it comes to hair, skin treatments, make-up, nails, you name it. Especially local ladies love to look beautiful on a daily basis and are frequent users of the beauty services making the quality of beauty treatments high and the prices low.

Green Tallinn

With nice weather, summer or winter, you should visit the Kadriorg Park, have a picnic surrounded by the beautiful nature, visit the art museum KUMU (you really should!), view the presidential palace or have a run around the park all the way to the direction of Pirita while enjoying the fresh sea breeze. You can also rent a bike and cycle to Kadriorg and Pirita. Pirita beach is absolutely beautiful, surrounded by a forest of pine trees, nearby the beautiful St. Birgitta's Convent ruins dating back to 1407. Traveling during hot summer days? You must spend a day at the beach! While it doesn't sound like the number one activity to come to mind when thinking of the northern regions, the water is surprisingly warm during the summer months, especially August. On the opposite direction, also on the shore, you have the young Kalamaja district. Haven't been there myself but it definitely has people talking so it must be good!




Other suggestions

Planning a trip in the late July? Visit the annual Öölaulupidu, Night Song Festival. It's an annual song festival where you can enjoy traditional music performances by local musicians. It's quite a cool event even if you don't understand a word of it. Check Google for dates and more information.

Shopping is always a success in Tallinn. You should try local brands such as Ivo Nikkolo, Baltman, Monton and lots of smaller boutiques you can find spread out across the city centre. Visit visitestonia.com for more information, http://www.visitestonia.com/en//things-to-see-do/interests-lifestyle/shopping/design.

For some great reading to better understand Estonia and its history I recommend one of the amazing bestsellers written by an incredible author Sofi Oksanen.

While in the area, you should take a ferry to Helsinki and spend a day or two. Consider continuing to Turku for a day followed by a trip to Stockholm either by sea or air and spend a couple of days in the beautiful Swedish capital. Visiting these three/four cities really gives you a great understanding of the differences of the countries, the cultures and the richness of the region.

Porto, Portugal

Destination: Porto, Portugal
Time of travel: July 2012
Duration: 14 days
Travel plan: 7 days in Porto with day trips to nearby towns, overnight trip to Santiago de Compostela via Vigo (Spain), 6 days on the island of Madeira. Beginning and end of trip from Porto.

Porto is a great base to explore northern Portugal, including Douro valley and all the vineyards as well as north-west part of Spain. Porto itself is amazing also; you can easily take a weekend trip to explore the city without paying a small fortune.

The climate in Porto is not even nearly as hot as it can get in Lisbon due to it's location by the Atlantic ocean. Makes it even nicer to explore the city by foot. While Porto might not be the best beach destination due to the winds and chilly water, it is however, great for history, food, shopping, architecture and more.


Why should you travel to Porto instead of a more popular city in Europe?

Porto is very authentic, to us it seems like the most authentic Portugal. It is somewhat touristic with the Port wine tastings but that's about as touristic as it gets - which isn't that much at all!

The city is very beautiful and if you've been to Lisbon before, you will surely love Porto! Due to it's long and rich history, the city is full of beautiful architecture, museums and sights. 

The cost of the trip will most likely be a fraction of what you need to pay for pretty much any other European city destination including flights, hotel and food. From further parts of Europe flying can be pricey, though. In that case we recommend a longer trip. 

Port wine at Graham's

Talking about food, Porto is a great food destination. In our experience the food was even better than in the capital itself! Try the espresso and one (or many) of the amazing savory pasties, Pasteis de Nata (of course!), or the sandwich everyone, especially the locals are boasting about, called Francesinha. However, be aware that it's important to pick a really good restaurant to try the sandwich, if it's not well made you'll probably hate it, like we did at first because it was cold and mushy. The meat and the fish is, however, the best! Try the Espetadas, meat skewers as well as the Bacalhau, the cod. 

Porto is known for it's excellent seafood

Few tips for port wine tastings:

- Do 2 or max. 3 tastings a day, otherwise you'll be quite tipsy by the end of the day
- Walk up the hill to the more authentic, traditional wineries
- no need to pre-book a tour, just walk in. You might have to wait for a while in case you’re interested in a tour around the winery also (recommended!) but you can taste some port while waiting.

Visit at least the following wineries

- Caves Croft, Rua Barão de Forrester, 412, 4400-034, Vila Nova de Gaia

- Caves Sandeman, Largo Miguel Bombarda, 3 , 4400-222, Vila Nova de Gaia

- Caves Grahams, R. Rei Ramiro 514, 4400 Vila Nova de Gaia

During a longer trip you can easily have your base in Porto and travel around the surrounding areas especially by car as car rental is very cheap and the service is great. Being located in the North of Portugal, you can explore the beautiful yet windy coast and it's beaches, the nearby towns and villages that will blow you away in their beauty, drive up to the Douro valley for the wines and take a trip to Spain to visit the famous Santiago de Compostela which is only 2,5h drive away from Porto.

Bewildered horses in the mountains somewhere near the borders of Portugal and Spain

right across the ancient Via Nova Romana.

Great places to visit nearby in Portugal are Guimaraes, Braga and Coimbra.

You can also easily fly to Azores or Madeira.

Ponto da Rosto, Madeira, Portugal

We go on and on about combining destinations and Porto is one of the greatest destinations for a multi-location trip. Have a 2 week holiday? Book 5 days in one city, 6 in another one and three in the third one. It's cost efficient, you see more and this will make the holiday feel much longer than staying in one place.

On the cost efficiency I have a good example here;

From central Europe you can fly to Porto for 50-150 euro's, from Nordics and Baltics 200-350.

You can combine this and fly to one of the Portuguese islands for about 40-70€ (Transavia, Ryanair) and 90-120€ (TAP Portugal), which is a great deal! There are several airlines flying daily to Madeira and Azores from Porto.

Flights from further Europe to the islands are about a double in cost. It really pays off to combine!