Welcome to my newest series – the Hostel Inspector. Each week I’ll be giving an in-depth post on a hostel I’ve recently stayed at. I’m promising truthful reviews, tips and all the information you need to decide whether this hostel is for you. This week the spotlight is on Greg & Tom Party Hostel in … Continue reading
Category Archives: Europe
The Ryanair Survival Guide: How to fly Ryanair without getting ripped off
Tired of getting ripped off by Ryanair? Here are the 10 most common mistakes people make when flying with Ryanair (and how to avoid them) For budget travellers, low cost airlines are the best thing since sliced bread. And no one does low cost like European super-cheap carrier Ryanair. I can split my travel life into two, … Continue reading
I love Lagos – a backpacker beach town mecca.
No, not that Lagos! I’m talking about Lagos, Portugal, a small, buzzing beach town on the Algarve coast that completely won me over with its pristine beaches, friendly locals and easy going charm. I love Lagos. Filled with backpackers (predominantly Australian – it felt like half of Australia had upped sticks and moved to Portugal … Continue reading
Sintra – Portugal’s answer to Disneyland
Sintra has that fairytale quality I associate with Disneyland. But unlike its more glossy counterpart, every turret, castle and park is old, authentic and beguiling. Portugal has the real life version of the thing. Sintra is the kind of place that Walt Disney wishes he could have made up. People love Sintra, and it’s not … Continue reading
Bar Poë – the best tapas in Granada
Bar Poë – I’d heard about this delicious little bar before I’d even arrived in Granada and duly set out to sample its wares. Sadly it was a Monday and it was closed. The following night I returned – and I’m so, so glad I did. Before I go on, let me promise you this … Continue reading
Wieliczka salt mine tours- Europe’s most underrated attraction?
Before I jump into the details, let me just say this, Wieliczka Salt Mine is one of the most underrated attractions in Europe. A little skeptical? Let me convince you that this little Polish town NEEDS to be on your itinerary. I never thought I’d fall in love with a mine. I hate being underground, I … Continue reading
Graffiti in Granada – and why you’ll love it.
Here’s something you probably don’t know about Granada. The city is covered, and I mean completely blanketed, in graffiti. But it’s not the tacky eyesore that you come to associate with shady underpasses and gang territory. Granada’s graffiti is completely bewitching. Graffiti isn’t the first thing that springs to mind when you think about the … Continue reading
An unexpected trip to Lisbon!
Portugal is a country that has never been particularly high on my travel radar. Located at the Westernmost edge of Europe and without the biggest presence on the travel circuit it’s a place that I’ve not given too much thought to. I visited the Algarve when I was much younger, but I don’t really remember … Continue reading
What to see in Seville, Spain
This month I finally managed to get over to Seville, a city I’ve been dying to visit for the best part of three years. After hopping on a cheap flight from rainy Manchester to the rather more sunny Madrid, I caught a high-speed Renfe train to Seville Santa Justa station. I booked my ticket back … Continue reading
Visiting concentration camps: Part I – Auschwitz-Birkenau
WARNING: This post contains images and information that some people might find distressing. About The term concentration camp conjures up a thousand distressing and horrifying images. Emaciated bodies, gas chambers, barbed wire fences, railway tracks and swastika-clad SS officers among them. I’ve always been fascinated by history, and studied it at university for my undergraduate … Continue reading