Malta

 

I think Malta is the most beautiful place I have ever been.  I can’t wait to go back with Bran someday.  I went in 2007 with my family and I really can’t give any recommendations because we just explored the city on our own. The pictures don’t do it justice!  It is rare to find a Med cruise that stops here.  I think it is something like 20 miles long and that’s it.  My impression is that it is a place where the very affluent buy ridiculous homes and yachts and rent them out or people live there part of the year.  What a dream!

 

  

Savona/Genoa, Italy

Genoa

I’ve been to Genoa twice now but actually haven’t spent as much time here as other ports.  Pretty much everything is centered in downtown and can be explored independently without an excursion.  It is just a fun Italian city to walk around and get the vibe of what living in Italy might actually be like (as opposed to the even more tourist-centric cities like Roma).  You can rent scooters for 40-50 euro per day per person at GM Motor Center.  I’d encourage you to eat on the ship that day to save $$

We went to Il Gelato which was delicious and the cafe there had paninos and other reasonable small bites if you want, too.  To get there, walk down the pier and take a right basically the first time you can at the main road and it is down on your right.  It’s one of the closest things to the ship.

Centro Storico is the 16 euro per person museum card if you’re interested.  We were not 🙂

Mediterranean Cruise

Should you go on a Mediterranean Cruise? Uh, ABSOLUTELY YES. RIGHT NOW.

Cruising is my favorite way to travel and cruising in Europe is the best and CHEAPEST way to get around.  I’ve been on two cruises in the Mediterranean and one in the Adriatic (which is East of the Med).  Each time I’ve taken a different cruiseline and each time it’s been fantastic.

The first time, we went on the Costa Concordia, which tragically sank thanks to a fool of a captain (the same one who was the captain when we went apparently).  It was a beautiful ship and it was the best trip I had ever been on at that point in my life.  We went to:

• Rome (Civitevecchia)
• Genoa, Italy
• Palermo, Sicily
• Barcelona
• Palma de Mallorca
• Tunis, Tunisia
• Malta

The island of Malta is still probably my FAVORITE place in the world and not many of the cruises go there. The whole island is 20 miles or something crazy. The stop in Tunisia was neat because we were able to get a glimpse of Africa on our European vacation.

In 2011, Brandon and I took a long trip in between graduating from school and beginning full time work.  We hit the following ports in the first cruise which was through Royal Caribbean:

• Rome
• Genoa
• Cannes, France
• Barcelona, Spain
• Palma de Mallorca
• Ajaccio, Corsica

The next week we took a Norwegian Cruise Line ship for the first time to:

• Venice, Italy
• Split, Croatia
• Athens, Greece
• Dubrovnik, Croatia
• Izmir/Ephesus, Turkey

I highly recommend both NCL and RC. We have almost always cruised with RC in the past so we were skeptical but we actually found that the RC cruise out of Rome was not AS enjoyable because we were some of the only english speaking people on the boat. This is fine if you’re going for a week but we had already had a month in Europe and, to be completely honest, the volume of the Italians was starting to get to us 😉  In general, we just felt we have different values as far as child rearing and hygienic values go… I love Italian culture on vacation but this taught me that I would probably never want to live in Italy.

There are pros and cons to both…

NCL

• My time dining – Ideal if you want to be able to get back on the ship from port whenever you want and not have to be back for a strict dinner time.  There is normally a wait to sit at the main dining rooms between 6-8 but they give you a free drink voucher to sit at the bar and wait.  However, you don’t get the same serving staff every night.
• Gratuities are automatically charged to your room which means they are evenly distributed rather than you getting to give more to the servers that do a better job.
• The staff on the rest of the ship is not nearly as attentive; one of the things that made us notice this is that we looove spending time in the hot tubs relaxing after dinner and the NCL ones were piled with kids.  It was frustrating because there was never any room and they were supposed to be adults only (splash-free) and the staff would come over and not actually implement the rule.  Oh well.
• The ship is more colorful and fun; RC is a little more formal.
• There are many more specialty restaurant options ranging from $10-$30 I think; Our favorite is the all you can eat sushi we had for only $15pp
• NCL had people from allll over instead of 90% italians; many people from Northern Europe, Canada, etc.  The Italian-filled RC cruise was only because it left from Rome – this is obviously not typical of RC cruises in other regions of the world.

RC

• Set dining time – you get to know your wait staff and they get to know you and your preferences; no wait to get a table
• More formal and less specialty dining restaurants (the 2 are pretty wonderful but they come at a price; $25-30pp for Portofino or Cagney’s Steakhouse)
• For us this particular cruise had way less English speaking guests but, like I said, this could just be because of the exact port and itinerary
• Reward system is great!  We continue with RC over and over because they have great service and give their loyal guests many extra rewards
• The classic games like Newlywed Game and Quest were in Italian on this one so they had smaller english speaking versions of a couple things
• Gratuities can be included by default but you can easily choose to give gratuities by cash instead (in the Med they will accept US dollars on the cruises because they are still American cruise lines)

• Both have great night life/game shows
• Both are very clean
• Rooms on both ships are about the same size but depending on the boat (and not the cruise line) you will find some are more updated than others
• Food was great and about even between the two

Since the ports are obviously unique and not your typical European vacation cities, I would do a Western Mediterranean cruise first!!!

If you find a cruise for less than $100 per day, it’s a good deal! And cruising is THE way to travel in Europe because it is so inexpensive and much more relaxing because you still have the comfort of keeping your things in your room while you move to different cities.  Best of all, you are traveling while sleeping.  No lines, no rolling your suitcase to every new city, far less chance of a delay than a plane or train, no sitting in close quarters or finding gum under your seat… I implore you to cruise if you’re going to any of the southern European countries.  And let me know when you do!!!

 

  

And, you get to make new friends!!  We enjoyed getting to know these sweet people that have a similar passion for travel.

Cambridge

Cambridge was adorable.  I loved getting to see the university, shop around, and drink tea on the hour.  This is an easy day trip from London.  It was about an hour by train from Hitchin.  I’ve heard really good things about the boat tours but we didn’t choose to do that due to the rain.  We loved hopping around the little shops – there were a few especially great chocolate shops.  We were there for a farmer’s market which was really neat but I’m not sure how often that happens.

We ate lunch at the Eagle’s Pub which is one of the oldest restaurants.  It was yummy and a great atmosphere.

We took a cab (10 minutes maybe?!) from the train station into the city but walked a very long way back from where we ended up.  We also took a bus at one point for a quick trip.  Transportation was kind of expensive but very easy to figure out.

If you have any extra time in England, I definitely recommend taking the train to Cambridge!

Split, Croatia

We had such a blast in Split, Croatia!  Not only was it an absolutely beautiful city (full of life, unique architecture and yet still surrounded by nature), it did not feel infested by tourists like many other ports AND we had no idea what to expect when we got there!  Both Dubrovnik and Split were incredible because we thought they would be the “whatever” stops on our trip and they ended up EXCEEDING all expectations (or lack thereof). We also got to enjoy this city with some friends that we met on the NCL cruise.  We visited the markets, ate gelato  (anyone surprised?!) and spent a few hours sitting on one of their main streets people watching and soaking up our last few days of this once in a lifetime trip.  The buildings are so neat and the “boardwalk”-like strip along the sea is drop dead gorgeous.  There are plenty of adventures you can take here, too, but we chose to save some $$ that day and explored on our own.  If we go back to what they call the Dalmatian Coast some day (and I really hope we do), I want to take one of their infamous kayaking tours!

Athens, Greece

HAPPY DAY!

  

Here’s the unfortunate truth…  Athens is pretty disappointing.  When we went to Athens for the day on our Adriatic Sea cruise in 2011, I had built up Athens to be the beautiful white buildings with blue domes over the mountainside and the ancient monuments.  However, that is not Athens!  That is the Greek Isles; Santorini, etc.  Athens does have the Acropolis and the Parthenon and that’s about it.  I’m glad we were only there for a day.

The best thing to do is to pay the fee for a hop on hop off bus pass (I want to say $20pp).  It comes with an automatic audio tour as you’re moving around the 15+ spots.  There’s a red line and a blue line and I think if you have a full day and you’re going to pay for the bus anyway that it’s worth it to do a full loop of each.  It’s fun to get off at the Acropolis and walk up to see everything closer up but we did not spend another dime on getting closer to the monuments.  When you walk up the hill, keep in mind that the food and drinks up there will be stupid expensive.  Just like water bottles by the Colosseum or drinks at a Broadway show, this is not worth it!  Make sure you are not hungry or thirsty before arriving at the Acropolis stop.

We did not eat or drink out in Athens except to try ice cream since that was my little tradition and it was by no means memorable.  We were not appetized by anything we saw.  The whole city just seemed dirty and overwhelmed with tourism.  The ruins were really cool to see but I am so glad this was a cruise port and that we did not fly all the way to see the city of Athens.  The Greek Isles, on the other hand, that would be worth a trip in itself!  Mykonos & Santorini are up on our list.  Athens is not worth a detour if you’re debating one.  Regardless, we had a fun day together!!  And it was good to know what some of Greece actually looks like.  I had the wrong images in my head!!

 

Cannes, France

The French Riviera did not disappoint. It was a much more quiet and much less tourist-y city compared to the other cruise ports.  We actually got completely lost here and tried getting directions from several people who only spoke French.  I choose not to think of that experience as a fail of our directional capabilities.  Rather, it was a good sign that we were truly soaking up the culture to the point where we got lost in amusement.

I probably stepped into 30 different bakeries (Brandon was so sick of the habit by this point) and there was even a cute little farmer’s market.  The beach is fantastic.  You can go and sit straight in the sand for free but you just have to pay 20 euros or so for a chair and umbrella and service.  We ate on the ship that day and just tried some gelato and coffee while touring.  We found an exceptional little gelateria but I am sad to say I did not keep the name of it.  You could also rent mopeds but they were more expensive here than in Italy.

Cannes is clearly a vacation spot of the rich.  There were tons of yachts lined up at the harbor and expensive cafes.  We wanted to take the train over to Monaco or Monte Carlo as well (which is a reasonable cost and distance with how long we were docked that day).  However, the train lines were ALL canceled because apparently there was a tragic suicide on one of the railroads.  In America they would have probably hidden this as “technical difficulties” but in France they just told you out right at the ticket counter.

Especially since we missed seeing some other parts of the French Riviera, I’d love to return; especially during the Cannes Film Festival… it’s on my bucket list!

  

Edinburgh, Scotland

About

One of our favorite cities we’ve been to!  Edinburgh is unique with its dominating hilltop castle and traditional Scottish cuisine  contrasting with the funky, artsy culture of the younger generation.

The last time I was in Edinburgh, we went during the FRINGE Festival (which is the BEST time to go in my opinion).  Although Fringe festivals have spread across the world, this is the greatest of them all. There were over a HUNDRED venues featuring comedy and art shows, concerts, and plays all throughout the days and nights of the month of August.  We checked out a few comedy shows (which were disturbingly inappropriate but still hilarious at times) and we hope to go again one day so that we can attend the concerts and plays.  We visited Edinburgh with my grandparents and they were not quite as interested in the whole festival concept as we were.

The last time I went to Edinburgh (in 2011), my Granny and Papa showed us around the city because this is actually where they grew up.  They had my aunt there but moved to the States before my dad was born.  It was incredible to see the places that they lived and their account of how the city has changed so dramatically over the years.  They explained to me that they used to live on the Royal Mile and it used to be known as a “poor part of town.”  Ironically, now that street is filled with popular restaurants and pricey tourist shops.

There are a lot of picturesque walks to take through the city, and many different ways to get up and down from the castle to the Princes Street Gardens or to the many Fringe Festival locations.  Take a map with you and just explore without a plan!

Tips

• Honestly, even though it is a more expensive and crowded time to go, I say August is the best time to visit!!! Unless you hate the arts, young people, and great energy, the Fringe Festival makes the city vibrant and the weather was mostly fantastic.  This is how crazy the Royal Mile gets (the whole walk up) during Fringe time:

 

• You will likely get some rain but… it’s the UK!  Bring layers and buy an umbrella at the “Pound store” (like our “dollar store” – how fun is that?!)

• I was told that you must have reservations to eat anywhere in August but we did not find this to be true.  I think that all depends on the part of town.  If you’re trying to eat on the Royal Mile, good stinking luck.  If you head over to the “foodie” part of town right in city center behind Princes Street, you’ll be fine to find a table or have a short wait.

Foodie

• Brandon would have had fish and chips for every meal – find a pub for a great value.  They give very generous portions of fries and even of the fish at most places.  You could also try finding a more traditional fish ‘n chips shop (wish I could remember the name of one – they’re very hard to find now) that serves fish ‘n chips in newspaper.  My grandpa says that’s the way they ate it growing up so I guess there’s the added sentimental value added to that tradition for our family.

Here are some top recommendations from me and other bloggers around.  Some of these I haven’t tried myself yet:

• Maggie Dickinson’s – steak pie I’ve ever eaten
• The Fox Goes Free near Goodwood race course near Chichester
• The Tolbooth Tavern on the south Royal Mile
• Whiski Pub on the Royal Mile – the Haggis and Salmon are recommended (bluck, haggis!)
• The Elephant House – 7 pound plates of gourmet pizza, great desserts; open daily 8-23:00, seat yourself before 18:00 then it’s table service after that; cheap fast internet access; 2 blocks south of Royal Mile near National Museum of Scotland at 21 George IV Bridge, 0131/220-5355
• The Outsider – good fish and grilled meats and veggies; castle-view setting; reserve for dinner! 6 pound lunch plates, 11-14 pound entrees, daily 12-23:00, 30 yards up from Elephant House, 0131/226-3131
• Piemaker – quick, cheap and tasty, especially if in a hurry; meat pies and pastries; try the cherry!; most everything under 3pounds; Tues-Sat. 9-24:00; sun 11-18:00, Mon 9-19:00; 100 yards off the Royal Mile at 38 South Bridge 0131/556-8566
• The Old Bell Inn – 8 pound pub meals; daily until 24:00; food served 12-14:30 and 17-19; 233 Causewayside; 0131/668-1573
• Metropole Café – Starbucks-y; light bites for 4 pounds and simple meals for 7; daily 8:30-22:00; free wifi; 33 Newington Rd

Transportation

• There is an express bus service from the airport – Airlink 100 – to Edinburgh city centre
• Waverley Station is the main railway station
• We walked everywhere, even from our distant hotel except for when we went to Hollyrood Palace because it was raining

Don’t miss:

• The Castle, of course!  Try going during the changing of the guard (below is the stadium seating for the changing of the guard)

 

• Princes Street, Princes St. Gardens & the flower clock

  

• Palace of Hollyrood
• Pub meal
• Scott’s Tower – you can climb if you dare.

• Traditional Scottish cuisine: steak pie, meat pie, mince and tatties, scones, tea, fish ‘n chips,
• Miss: the ice cream!  Worst I had in all of Europe… and I tried ice cream and coffee at every stop to compare 🙂
• Afternoon tea – just do it!  Then do it again an hour later.  This is the castle view from a Starbucks on Princes Street!

• Fringe Festival
• Take a day trip to St Andrews if you can
• Indian food… Like in London, the Indian food is delicious here.
• The Hoff!  Okay, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll run into him there too.  But it was a funny place to run into him.  He and his girlfriend were taking pictures of themselves (see below) and I offered to take the photo for them.  He said he was fine (probably thinking I was a crazed fan when I couldn’t care less) and then proceeded to get chased all the way up the royal mile into a chapel when people began to notice who he was.  Funny memory!

Where to Eat in the Big Apple

Restaurants

•  #1 Recommendation for lunch/dinner: Angelo’s. It is off 57th and 7th and they literally make the best pizza we have ever had in our lives, even above anything we had in Italy. Try the pepperoni! I tried a weird white pizza last time I was there and it wasn’t nearly as good And I usually like white pizza.

• Patzeria Family and Friends –  An unbelievable Italian restaurant with the best service and it is family-owned. My family went almost every day the last time we were in town. It is located right next to the Belvedere Hotel.

   

• #1 Breakfast: Donna Bells Bake Shop – The best coffee, pastries and desserts…. Brandon liked the jalapeño or bacon biscuits an I love the peach coffee cake and, really, everything!! The address is 301 W 49th st.  The girl from NCIS is a silent owner apparently.  They brew Cafe du Monde coffee and every thing else is fresh and delicious.  They even deliver some of their treats across the country… but I would be broke if I got in that habit.

 

• Shake Shack is another classic that is really really popular in New York City but it is the busiest, craziest place and there is never any room to sit.  If you have kids, I have a feeling this would be an overwhelming place to have a meal.  It was worth trying for us but it is definitely not a place to go and sit and relax and enjoy company with other people because you have to get in and out of there so somebody else can use the seat. For me, the food was just good but I’m also not a big burger/milkshake fan so it’s not very fair of me to judge.

• Wo Hop is supposed to be an excellent restaurant in China town at 15 Mott St.
• Natsumi sushi is an amazing sushi place right next door to a decent hotel we stayed at a few years ago

• Little Fox Cafe – cute little coffee shop (they have yummy little food items too) in Little Italy.  The best mocha I’ve ever had!!  It’s a cute little place with a good vibe for studying.  Good find.

• Soup Kitchen http://www.therealsoupman.com
• Max Brenner’s – I’ve been to this restaurant in both Boston and NYC and it is unbelievable (if you’re chocolate-obsessed like m).  I’ve only ever had desserts and chocolate infused coctails but my dad also tried a sandwich when we went and he loved it.  *Warning*  You may drool when you look at the menu!  Or when you view this photo of the fruit covered and dark chocolate drizzled waffle with chocolate mini water balls and a small scoop of ice cream…. ugh!  Okay, now I’m drooling.

 

• Carmines – It’s one of the most well known restaurants in NYC.  It’s basically the original Bucca Di Beppo.  Big family sized portions of Italian.  And a very long wait!  It’s worth going once!  The classic NYC date night is hitting Carmine’s then a Broadway show so we were very fortunate to spend a night like that in March.  The food was good but it was a little too crowded and .  You can sit at the bar rather than wait for 90 mins (seriously) on a Saturday night.  But even the bar seats are nearly impossible to get.  So, get there plenty early and get your name on the list and go tour around or something close by if they’ll let you.

•  Frankie & Johnny’s – supposed to be the best steakhouse in town.  Really amazing food but the tables are way too close to each other so it is not at all a place to have a romantic date or maybe not even a business dinner.  Good food but pretty overpriced and small for me.

• McGee’s Pub – This is the pub that MacLaren’s Pub on How I Met Your Mother was named after!  There were tons of photos around of them because apparently the cast has actually been there a few times.  The food was really great, too!!