A Bank Holiday in Madeira

Oh Madeira, you stole my heart. From the moment we set foot in this beautiful jungle adorned with levadas, black beaches and picturesque villages, I was enamoured. Madeira’s natural beauty is simply breath-taking, so much so you’ll find yourself overwhelmed by its irresistible charm.

It’s hard to believe we only visited because a friend decided to celebrate her birthday here. How grateful I am for that decision. With only 5 days to explore, I can’t wait to be back.

Are you also looking for the perfect destination for your next bank holiday escape? Look no further! Here are our plans for the ultimate getaway.

DAY 1: Soak up the morning sun with a good hike, then celebrate with wine

The best way to start they day is by hiking the highest peaks in Madeira (~1.800m height!) for sunrise. That is, from Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo.

You might be questioning why you should rise early on the first day of your holiday to embark on this adventure, but the answer is simple: it's nothing short of magical, especially for those with a taste for adventure. The hike, while of medium difficulty, offers breathtaking vistas of the mountains of Madeira. You will be walking in the sky! However, if you have a fear of heights, it's best to steer clear, as there are steep steps involved.

We did the hike on our own and drove to the starting point in Pico do Arieiro, then after we completed the hike we walk to Achada do Teixeira where a taxi was waiting for us to drive us back to our car (45-min drive back, and 70e later). There’s certainly other ways to do this as an organized tour, but we liked the spontaneity of just deciding when to do it.  

We were back in Funchal at around 4pm, where we treat ourselves to some delicious food and our first set of Madeira wines at Blandy’s Wine Lodge, a staple in the island that should not be missed. It is now my favorite digestif after dinner.

DAY 2: Morning Yoga in Casa de Levada followed by a day at sea

It’s a gorgeous Saturday at Casas de Levada, our beautiful stay for the long-weekend, and I couldn’t be happier. This place is gorgeous, every corner has been thought after with care and love, and it shows. Big concrete flooring is mixed with warm woods and rugs, a traditional kitchen and big windows that open up to our terrace overlooking the sea, the levadas, and the infinity pool beneath us.

After a yoga session held by one of our friends, we proceed to cook our breakfast (it’s Spanish tortilla day) before driving to the beach for today’s activity: a boat ride through the Atlantic Sea. Whale spotting, swimming and snorkelling await us, but not without some bubbles, snacks and a banging soundtrack to make it a killer day. If keen, we toured with On Tales, and they were fantastic.

After a long day at sea, there’s nothing better than coming to your hotel for aperitivo by the pool.

DAY 3: 4x4 Adventure Day Touring UNESCO Forests and Black Beaches

We thought our experiences couldn’t possibly get any better at this point, but we were wrong. All thanks to Green Devil Safaris, who generously treated us to the wildest 4x4 ride I’ve ever experienced. We roamed through cascading waterfalls, narrow cliff roads and rugged paths (watch out for those who have back problems, this is a hell-of a bumpy ride!!) until our journey led us to heavenly heights, above the clouds.

And as if that weren’t enough, our guide then led us to Laurisilva of Maderia, a very eery Laurel Forest worthy of its UNESCO heritage status. It felt as though we were stepping into a scene from a landscape painting. Truly magical.

Like any good story, our end finishes by the beach, this time a volcanic beach in Seixal. Black sand and wild waves make for the perfect conclusion to our adventure, where we watched the sun dip below the horizon, painting the sky blue as we head into the night.

DAY 4: Funchal by day, Local Festivities by Night

Sadly, our adventures are coming to an end, but not without visiting Funchal, Madeira’s capital. We are headed to Monte Madeira by cable car. Up in the mountains two fantastic activities await for us: a visit to the Tropical Gardens (a must), and the Toboggan Ride on a traditional wicker basket. Yes, you heard it right.

Back in the 19th century, these were created as a means of public transport by the population of the parish of Monte, in efforts to get down to the city of Funchal more quicky. These sledges are hand-made from wicker and wood and are pushed by two drivers, who use special boots with thick rubber soles as brakes to control the vehicle. Not going to lie I was a bit skeptical at first, but it turned out to be a very fun ride.

If this is not your cup of tea, but afternoon tea in a relaxed manor is, then head to the Belmond Hotel for the epitome of luxury on the island. For just 39euros, you’ll be in a stunning historical palace, nestled amidst the tranquillity of a tropical jungle. Here, you can indulge in delectable, sweet treats that are sure to tantalize your taste buds.

Night time hit, and we found ourselves in the valleys in the middle of the island, in a cutsie little town, amidst local festivities. What a great way to finish our long-weekend away: beers for a euro, and fresh meat and veg in the grill, cooked by us!

DAY 5 (EXTRA): Paragliding and Goodbyes           

We were luck to have an extra day tagged to this bank holiday, and so we took the opportunity to say goodbye to this beautiful island with a bang: Paragliding! If you are brave enough to do it, then Madeira Paragliding are your guys. Treat yourself to a lovely lunch at Casa da Pedro or Sol Poente before heading to the airport to go home.

Absolute bliss.

TCB xx

Turkey For First Timers: A 10-Day Odyssey Through Istanbul, Cappadocia, and the Turquoise Coast

Embark on a transformative journey through Turkey's rich tapestry of culture, history, and natural wonders with our curated 10-day itinerary.

As first-time visitors to Turkey, we sought to immerse ourselves in its diverse offerings and uncover its hidden gems. Spanning three captivating destinations, this itinerary guarantees an unforgettable adventure through Istanbul, Cappadocia, and the Turquoise Coast. Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

DAY 1-3: Start the trip in Istanbul, unveiling the essence of this vibrant city

Stepping foot in Istanbul is like stepping into a world where adventure lurks around every corner, and the air is thick with the essence of multiple cultures converging. We were tired after a long flight and taxi ride, but upon arrival, our first instinct was to immerse ourselves in the city's vibrant energy, and what better way to start than by witnessing the mesmerizing hues of the sunset?

A ferry ride became our gateway to this magical experience. No need for elaborate tour bookings; a simple hop onto the ferry from Galata Kulesi to the old town, where majestic mosques stand tall, was all it took. The cost was negligible, payable only in cash, yet the experience was priceless. However, if boats are not your jam, a stroll across the bridge also offered glimpses of locals engaging in the age-old tradition of fishing for miniature shrimp in the Bosphorus waters.

For an authentic Istanbul experience, we recommend a stay of at least 2 to 3 nights in the Karakoy/Beyoglu area. Despite its touristy nature, this district pulsates with life and offers just the right blend of upscale charm. Indulge in a delightful dinner at Aheste, followed by drinks and dancing at Kiki. And for a truly surreal experience, visit Hagia Sophia around 3am when serenity reigns, and the absence of crowds allows for an intimate exploration of this architectural marvel.

Karakoy also boasts a thriving cocktail scene, alongside great local designers and vintage shop treasures. Among our finds were second-hand Ganni pieces and a stunning denim top from 313.

If time permits only one touristy endeavour, let it be a walking tour culminating in a visit to the awe-inspiring Basilica Cistern (and get online tickets to avoid queues on the day!).

DAY 3-6: Journey into the surreal landscapes of Cappadocia

From the bustling streets of Istanbul, we embarked on a short flight to Cappadocia, a land where dreams take flight amidst otherworldly landscapes. While more eco-friendly routes exist, our time constraints led us to opt for a swift plane journey of less than 3 hours. It will certainly be more expensive than a bus ride, but it has its advantages.

In Cappadocia, our senses were overwhelmed by the sight of towering rock formations and the opportunity to partake in unforgettable experiences. If this is what you are after for your Turkey trip, then read more here and here.

Whilst for us doing the Hot Air Balloons was magical, you can still have an incredible and unique time in Cappadocia without doing this experience. Visiting the Goreme Open Air Museum or hiking the Love Valley, Pasabag or the Rose Valley is breakthtaking and definitely worth your time there. We also took this time to experience the Turkish Hamam at Kelebek, which was delightful.

DAYS 6-8: Touring the Turquoise Coast, where Land meets Sea

After our sojourn amidst Cappadocia's rocky vistas, we craved the warmth of the coast, and so we flew to Antalya. The distances in Turkey are huge, and when you are tight for time, this is your only resort.

Antalya's allure extended beyond its pristine beaches. It’s a warm city with lots to offer! We found great coffee and aperitivo time at he Palmen Haus, and savored the freshest seafood at Ayar Mayhanesi, beneath the open sky.

We only had a day at Antalya, and I wish we had more. I think it could be a place where, given the time, you could stay for a few nights. We didn’t have such pleasure, and took our rental car on our way to Kas. Diving enthusiasts like myself will find Kas to be a haven for underwater adventures. I seized the opportunity to obtain my PADI Advanced Open Water certification, exploring sunken treasures beneath the waves. Kas is a small village but it is perfect to relax and unwind in the most beautiful and blue turquoise waters.

In Kas, our culinary escapades led us to Helios for sumptuous Turkish breakfasts, Biiist for a perfect cup of coffee, L'Apero for evening aperitifs, and Demeti Kas for delectable grilled delights. Additionally, a memorable day excursion involved chartering a private boat, complete with a barbecue, to secluded turquoise coves—a true epitome of luxury on a budget.

For history buffs, a visit to Myra Antik Kenti offered insights into ancient civilizations amidst breathtaking ruins.

DAY 8-9: A Visit to Pammukkale, nature’s masterpiece unveiled

You don’t really need more than a day in Pammukkale, but it is certainly worth the stop. The surreal beauty of the naturally formed salt pools juxtaposed against the remnants of an ancient Roman village left an indelible impression. Despite the scorching temperatures, wandering amidst these ethereal landscapes felt like traversing a realm suspended between fantasy and reality. This is your picture perfect postcard!

DAY 10: Goodbye Istanbul

Our journey culminated in Istanbul, where we savored our final moments with a spa visit and a sumptuous dinner at Lokanta 1741, marking the end of an unforgettable exploration through the heart of Turkey.

There’s so much more to explore, we can’t wait to be back.

TCB xx

Iceland Wonderland

We just came back from a visit to another world, or how other humans call it, Iceland.

I must admit, I didn’t know what to expect about this trip. I am not the usual nature adventures girl and so I was a bit skeptical at first. But boy, was I wrong.

Iceland surpassed all my expectations. In fact, I am in love! In love with a country that has everchanging landscapes, other worldly scenery and yet, very empty cities. Full waterfalls and many glaciars still thriving. High winds and colourful rainbows. How could one expect to see so much in such little time? We had planned 5 nights and 6 days in Iceland, and we would do it all over again.

Come with me on this itinerary through the South of Iceland, and replicate it whenever are ready. Shall we?

DAY 1 - THE THINGVELLIR RING ROAD

‘Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise’ , said Benjamin Franklin once upon a time. He was right.

To enjoy these holidays the most, an early start is recommended. There will be a fair bit of driving everyday to get from one location to another, and so we suggest starting your day a bit earlier than your usual holiday to ensure you can pack in as much as you can.

07:30AM: A good injection of caffeine (or tea!) at Reykjavik Roasters and pair your hot drink with a pastry from Bread & Co is highly recommended before you are set to start your drive.

First stop: Thingvellir National Park (~50min drive from Reykjavik). After a very windy roadtrip to the start of the so-called ‘Ring Road’, you’ll land yourself at the national park. In here you can take the Almannagja walk through continental plates, where North American and Eurasian plates are actively moving apart. There are a few walks you can take from the visitor center, we took the footpath to the waterfall Oxararfoss (~45min roundtrip) and it was lovely.

After this we drive to Strokkur and the Gullfoss Falls (~50min drive). Walk around this active geothermal area and wait for the geysers to erupt. You’ll likely see Strokkur (the Churn) erupt but might have to wait some time to see Geysir (the Gusher) spit its load. Worry not, these tends to take place every 10 minutes, so it is not much of a wait!

From there you can take a short drive (~10) to Gulfoss Falls, or ‘Golden Falls’. You get quite an impressive and up-close view to this waterfall, and on a rainy day, you will see a rainbow! The view is quite breathtaking as the waterfall has a 21 meter drop.

It is now time for lunch time and we suggest the famous tomato greenhouse Friedmar as our preferred choice. This is a lovely family run restaurant inside the greenhouse that produces ~40% of iceland’s tomatoes. Needless to say the whole menu is inspired in tomatoes: tomato beer, tomato cocktails, tomato soup and tomato mains. All paired with free flowing excellent bread. You are in for a treat! Pro-tip: book your slot before hand to ensure you have a table ready for you. It’s quite a famous spot. We booked the 3pm slot which was perfect to give us enough time to sightsee before eating.

After lunch, you can drive to the Kerid Crater before your last and most exciting stop of the day. A hike to the natural hot springs of Reykjadalur. Note that this hike takes 2 hours roundtrip so plan your time accordingly. It’s worth the walk, don’t miss it.

It’s now time to head home for the day. Our recommendation is to stay in Selfoss, and if you are looking for where to stay, we highly recommend SKOLO apartment. There’s a lovely bakery nearby (GK Bakery) where you can buy bread and pastries in the morning and a great restaurant if you want to go out for dinner called Tryggvaskáli

DAY 2: WATERFALLS DAY

Start your day by driving to Urridafoss (~15min) before you get to Seljalandafoss (~45min), a waterfall of 60meters drop that you can walk through. Gljufrabui is also a 10 minute walk away and it is fun if you want to get yourself into the canyon to see it at its full glory.

A short 25-min drive will then land you on Skogafoss, my favorite waterfall of the day and the entire trip. I really hope you go on a sunny day as the rainbow that can see whilst taking in the view is otherworldly. Climb up the starts to see the drop from a different angle and endure in a hike through the canyon. Even if you don’t want to walk too much, we encourage you to take a few steps away from the waterfall as the views from the canyon itself are quite breathtaking.

Recommended spot for lunch (next to the Skogafoss): Mia’s Country Van Fish & Chips was probably the most incredible fish & chips I’ve ever tried. That good.

We are now on the road again on the way to Vik. It’s coffee time at the SKool Bus Café, which we recommend you stopping by even if you don’t drink coffee. They have other drinks and this spot is very original.

We spend the sunset at Sand Beach, a black beach with basalt columns and cliffs that oversee the Hálsanefshellir Cave. If you pay enough attention to the water you may even see some seals saying hi to you.

Time to head back home for dinner & sleep: Our recommendation either of these two lovely cottages in Kirkjubajarklaustur (this one and this one). These are a bit secluded but nevertheless magic and on the way to Skaftafell. Pro-tip: these home have a BBQ so make sure you buy some food (and everything you need in general) in Vik (that’s the closest supermarket, ~50min) before driving to the house.

DAY 3 - GLACIER TOURING, HIKING AND CLIMBING

You’ll have to wake up early to make everything happen, but we recommend that you try to do it all.

07:00AM Drive to Jokulsarlon Glacier (~2h). Whilst this may sound like a boring drive, we loved it. The landscape changed at least 3 times whilst we were driving so we were certainly entertained as we listened to tunes along the way.

First stop: Diamond Beach, a black sand beach that has the remainders of some of the icebergs from Jokulsarlon glacier. Given the clarity of the ice, they resemble diamonds.

After a leisure walk in the beach, see the glacier up close with a zodiac boat tour. Whilst amphibious boat tours are also good, the zodiac is the only tour that will get up close to the glacier and icebergs and you’ll be pretty much alone during the trip. We used Arctive Adventures and loved it. Pricey ($95) but worth it. Also this experience must be booked few weeks in advance or else it will be fully sold out.

Following the boat tour we drove for ~30min to meet the guys from Troll Expeditions, which took us on a 4h journey through the Vatnajokull glacier, which sits on top of a volcano. We decided to take the hiking and climbing tour and it was one of the most memorable activities from the trip. Even if you don’t climb, this is highly recommended (and must be booked in advance as well!).

If you still have energy for more, then we suggest a 2hr hike to Svartifoss, an spectacular waterfall with basalt columns.

Recommended dinner spot: Systrakaffi

We came back to our lovely secluded cottage to sleep (same as the night before).

Pro-tip: If you have extra time, you can extend this journey into two days. There are a few canyons and waterfalls along the way that we missed. And quite a few trails on the Svartifoss area.

DAY 4: RELAX AND UNWIND

We had heard about the abandoned plane and after many friends visits and disappointments, we decided to skip it. Instead, we spend our morning searching for hot springs and yummy food. We drove back to the ring road and visited Hrunalaug Hot Spring ($10 entry), the cheapest and most local Hot Spring. It use to be an old barn to wash sheeps. Now people get bath in it instead.

Whilst this place is super cute and worth seeing, we felt the water wasn’t as warm as our previous hot springs in Reykjadalur. Nearby there is also Secret Lagoon ($30 entry), one of the oldest geothermal pools with a spouting geyser. This place also has showers and a bar, so depending on what you fancy may be better suited.

If you want a fancier experience, then you also have Laugarvatn Fontana with a spa, though feels more like something you could get anywhere else. We nevertheless visited this spot and ended up going on a small visit tour of the facilities where they show you how they make Rye bread from the hot volcano soil. This is not a must, but if you are nearby is a cute experience.

Our last stop before we went back to Reykjavik was the hike to Bruarfoss. There are two ways to get there: the official is a 3hr hike that goes from the official bruarfoss parking through several waterfalls until you get to bruarfoss. The unofficial goes from a residential area and takes ~30min road trip. In order to do the lazy route we took you just need to type “bruarfoss” on google and it will drive you to a residential area. You will have to park your car unofficially and just start walking. It probably is less pretty than the official route but if you are pressed for time it will get you to the waterfall quickly.

Dinner time was served at Rok back in Reykjavik. However, Kol also had great following whilst we were there.

Celebrate the beautiful days in nature with a Rye bread icecream from Café Loki and a nightcap at Vedur. Live music and whiskeys are also served at Dillon.

DAY 5: CULTURE DAY IN REYKJAVIK

Another leisure day with an infusion of entertainment included. Our top picks:

• Breakfast at Sandholt. You will literally want to eat everything on the menu (and on show at the bakery!)

• Walk through the hip streets of the city center, stopping by Hallgrimskirkja (the striking concrete church) and walking through rainbow street Skólavörðustígur

• Take in the latest exhibition at Reykjavik Art Museum (Hafnarhus, modern/ contemporary art) and stop by Fischersund, an scent shop set up by artist and musician Sigur Ros.

• Lunch at Mat Bar for a change in cuisine (it’s Middle Eastern!)

• Drive your way out of the city for some furry fun at Höfuðstöðin, where you can see Shoplifter’s installation that debut at the Venice Biennale in 2019. You can also have drinks after the exhibition in their little café.

• Treatyourself for dinner at Tides at The Edition Hotel or alternatively BRUT, a wine bar cum restaurant also worth stopping at.

We departed early in the morning the after day 5. Sad because it was time to go, but greatful for all the beautiful memories.

TCB xx