What we didn't do 

We pretty much covered the top things to do in Prague during our time there. If you'd like to find out more, I would suggest conducting research on trip advisor about museums etc. 

A list of things we did 

Went up a view tower to see views of the city 

Walked across the bridge 

Visited the John Lennon Wall 

Strolled around Prague Castle and looked at some more city views 

Explored Old Town Square 

Went to the Drunken Monkey Pub Crawl 

Got a Cable Car up to Petrin Tower 

Saw the Astronomical Clock 

Rented a paddling boat and paddled in the river 

Visited St Vitus Cathedral 

Have you ever visited Prague?
What was the highlight for you? 

Hey Guys.

I hope you are all doing well.

You might have thought that I ran out of cities to review, but I managed to do a lot of travelling when I got time off during my internship in my third year of university.

Amsterdam, the capital of The Netherlands is easily the most chilled out place I've been to. I don't know if it was the coffee shops, the lovely little alleyways or the cute little bridges, but I seriously felt so relaxed during my visit. I went to Amsterdam for my 22nd birthday and I am secretly hoping that I can go on an equally as lovely trip for my 23rd. Amsterdam is an extremely accessible destination as it is a relatively short plane ride from Dublin or most places across the UK and if you book tickets far enough in advance you should be able to snag some for about 60 euros with Ryanair. 

If you're considering Amsterdam as your next destination of choice, then you might want to read about the highs and lows of this place further down!! 

Positives 

Lots to do - Amsterdam offers heaps and heaps of things to do from the Van Gogh Museum to The Sex museum and more. Read further on to find out what tourist attractions are on offer here! 

Beautiful - Amsterdam is just beautiful, offering unique Dutch styled buildings and cute little bridges by the river. 

Chilled Out Vibe - Amsterdam was definitely one of the most casual and relaxed places I've been to. It really helped me to relax and enjoy myself while there. 

Lots of places nearby - I love a good day trip when I travel and there are lots of nice places close by if you want to taste more dutch culture. The Hague and Delft are two beautiful cities which don't take too long to get to. Rotterdam is also another option which we considered, but in the end we decided not to go. I personally thought that the Hague was a bit too relaxed for my liking, but in my opinion would be very appropriate for a family or an older couple. However, I loved Delft. I thought it was absolutely beautiful and it is a great option if you'd like to spend a day outside of Amsterdam. 

The Chips - I don't know if it because people tend to get the munchies on a getaway to Amsterdam, but there are lots of these chip places around the streets of Amsterdam and they are seriously divine. Basically, you get a cone-shaped bag/container of chips with a delicious sauce of your choosing. They are seriously the best chips I have ever had. I have heard that there are similar chips in Belgium. 

Negatives

Expensive - I personally thought that Amsterdam was quite expensive compared to a lot of places I've been to. We definitely paid our fair share of visits to supermarkets for dutch picnic supplies. When we were looking for a place to stay, we found that a lot of the options which were close to the centre of Amsterdam were super expensive. Instead, we opted to stay in Zandam which was about a 45-minute bus journey away.  The Air BnB we ended up staying at was filthy and horrible and the money we'd spent on transport probably made up the difference between staying there and in Amsterdam. Travel can be expensive and in general, it should be expected. 

What we didn't do 

Visited the windmills -Something I have big regrets about not experiencing was definitely the iconic windmills of Amsterdam. Windmills, originating in the Netherlands is a very fundamental part of Dutch culture and I wish we had an extra day to see authentic windmills in operation. 

Got an IAMSTERDAM Card - If you're all about visiting the attractions, getting an IAMSTERDAM card can save you a lot of money. Unfortunately, we didn't know about these cards until it was too late and it wasn't worth our money. Do a bit of research and try to organise getting one before you visit. 

Anne Frank House - Unless you've been living under a rock your whole life, you'll know who Anne Frank was and that the Anne Frank House is a very popular tourist attraction in Amsterdam. Anne Frank is one of the most discussed Jewish victims of the Holocaust and is most renowned for writing a series of diaries during that awful period. I would have loved to visit, but unfortunately, queues for this attraction are massive and one must plan months in advance to secure tickets. 

Rijksmuseum - By far, one of Amsterdams most iconic museums, the Rijksmuseum is located in Museum Square in Amsterdam. It is a Dutch national museum dedicated to both Dutch art and history. 

A list of things we did 

- Spent a day in The Hague 

- Spent a day in Delft (and got the best Brunch) 

- Roamed the Streets of Amsterdam 

- Visited a Coffee Shop 

- Explored the Red Light District

- Climbed to the view tower in one of the churches in the Red Light District 

- Hung Out in Vondel Park 

- Visited the Sex Museum 

- Played with cats at the Pussen Boots 

- Visited the A'DAM Lookout 

- Saw Art at the Van Gogh Museum 

- Explored the shopping mall in Amsterdam 

- Rented a paddle boat 

- Purchased a denim jacket at a street market 

- Sat on the Bench from The Fault in Our Stars 

- Hung Out at Museum Square 

- Took a picture of the IAMSTERDAM letters 

Have you been to Amsterdam?
What impression did you have? 

Hello Lovelies,

I hope you're having a great day!

Today I am back with another travel review post and for those of you who have been enjoying them, expect more to come. In May, my boyfriend Adrian and I who are in a long distance relationship met up for a break in Barcelona in May once my exams were finished. Interestingly, Barcelona is about the midway point between Ireland and Malta, so was an ideal place to meet. Today's post is going to reflect some of my thoughts on this destination as a whole and may help you if you're thinking about heading there.

Barcelona is the capital and largest city in Catalonia, Spain. It is also the second most populous city of Spain with a population of approximately 1.6 million in the city's centre. Barcelona is a beautiful city boasting of unique architecture from the famous Antonio Gaudi. Located near the coast and in close proximity to the Costa Brava, Barcelona is the ideal destination for a combination of a city break and a sun holiday.

Read on to see what else this fabulous destination has on offer.

The Positives 

Blanes and other lovely towns on the Costa Brava in close proximity - Not only is Barcelona a beauty, but it is close to other pretty towns and villages along the Costa Brava. After 3 full days exploring Barcelona, we felt that we'd seen most of the sights and decided to head to Blanes which is beautiful. At the time we were there, the beach was pretty quiet and a lot more relaxing than the bustling busy beach of Barcelona. There were also some stunning sights to be seen from the Castillo de San Joan.

Very Well connected city - I thought that Barcelona was very well connected with either buses or trains going almost anywhere you'd want to go, without too much walking. We'd recommend getting a 10 journey pass which lasted us our whole trip and allows you to travel on any of the undergrounds or buses. 

Loads of beautiful architecture - Barcelona boasts of many gorgeous architectural structures including the ongoing Sagrada Familia, the Santa Maria del Mar and the structures in Park Guell. It seriously gives Barcelona a bit of a quirk. 

Affordable supermarkets - Barcelona had a lot of affordable supermarkets where we picked up goodies for picnics etc. So it's a great alternative if you want to save on fancy meals out. 

Nice Tapas restaurants and cocktail bars - Being on a budget, we didn't eat out too much, but when we did go out, we came across a nice tapas restaurant and lots of places with superb cocktails. We definitely missed on lots of food stop potentials on our trip!








The Negatives 

Very touristy beach - Honestly, there is not much from Barcelona that I can complain about. Besides, it was my first getaway after finishing exams, I could hardly complain, could I? The one negative I have noted from Barcelona is that the main beach Playa de Barceloneta was extremely packed with tourists. Because of that fact, people were coming over to us and everyone else offering services, whether it was giving you a cocktail or a hair braid. The constant chanting of "Cerveza, Beer, Water, Aqua" definitely stays in my head everytime I think of Barcelona.

As well as this, there were jellyfish in the water so not much opportunity for swimming. I definitely wanted a bit of a swim about and a day trip out of town was definitely on the cards. 

What we didn't see 

I feel like we did a good job at seeing a lot of the main sights of Barcelona. However, we didn't manage to go to any museums. Some of the things that Barcelona has to offer which we didn't get the chance to visit include the following... 

Picasso Museum - An art museum with some of the finest pieces from Pablo Picasso. 

Erotic Museum of Barcelona - This eye-opener of a museum informs all of sex history over the years. 

Barcelona Aquarium - Close to the Playa de Barceloneta, the aquarium boasts of a variety of mediterranean sea life. 

A list of places we went to 
- Park Guell 

- A cable car ride up to Tibidabo
- An afternoon exploring in Tibidabo

- Montjuic

- An Evening at Barcelona's Beach 

-  A visit to the Arch de Triomph 

- A visit to Casa Bastillo 

- Strolls on La Ramblas 

- Chilling out at Catalonia Square 

- A visit to Santa Maria del Mar including panoramic views of Barcelona

- A visit to Park De La Ciutadella

- A visit to the Sagrada Familia 

- A day in Blanes  

Have you been to Barcelona before?
What did you think of it? 

Hello Lovelies,

Today's destination which is up for review is Bergamo, somewhere we stopped off for a short weekend trip on our way back from Amalfi. Bergamo is situated in the northern part of Italy, a mere 40 km from Milan and 30 km from the beautiful Lake Como. 

The Positives 

Beautiful Relaxing City - When I first came to Bergamo, I didn't expect it to be as beautiful as it was. Once you take a ride on the cable car, there are stunning panoramic views to be seen from above. It really reminded me of Prague, with its the abundance of red thatched rooves. There are also lots of nice areas to sit and relax and embrace the atmosphere. The Piazza Vecchia is home to a variety of nice cafés where you can enjoy a delicious nibble while soaking in the architecture.

Fabulous Attractions - Coupled with the beauty of Bergamo, is the fabulous attractions on offer. The Duomo, the Santa Maria and the Capella Colleoni are beautiful architectural structures inside and out. It's definitely worth having a peak in while you're visiting. There is also a view tower nearby where you can pay 5 euro to reach the peak and witness fabulous views of the city.
 

Lots of Transport Available - The number of buses around Bergamo were very abundant, so there is a choice between walking and public transport if you're heading to the Citta Alta. We got a 24-hour pass on our last day which allowed us to use unlimited transport for the whole day. 

The Negatives 

There weren't many negatives associated with Bergamo, but I thought I would note the following two.

Airport -  I really didn't like the Milan Bergamo Airport. We had a late flight which ended up being delayed by about an hour and therefore spent a lot of time in the airport. The airport is kind of confusing and really easy to get lost in. 

Small -  In my opinion, Bergamo is quite small and you wouldn't need much more than a day there. Especially if you're into an action-packed trip. Bergamo in my mind seems a bit slower paced which isn't the most ideal for a trip. 

What we didn't see 

Art Gallery of Academia Carrara - This is an art museum in Bergamo which contains many works by famous Italian artists including Lorenzo Lotto, Palma il Vecchio and many more! 

- Saw Bergamo's Cathedral 

- Had lunch on the Piazza Vecchia - a glorious square in the heart of the old town which is framed by Patrician buildings and the city hall. 

- Visited a market in the Citta Alta 

- Went up a view tower called Campanone which stood over some fantastic views 

- Went up Higher to the Castello di San Vigilio which was even higher than the Citta Alta  

Overall, I thought Bergamo was a lovely town and had absolutely beautiful views. However, if visiting, I'd recommend staying for a maximum of a day or so and visiting some of the stunning areas surrounding such as Como and Milan. 

Have you ever been to Bergamo? If so, what did you think? What did you like and what didn't you like about this travel destination? 

Hey Guys,

Almost a year ago, I went to Prague to meet up with a friend of mine from America who had been doing a study abroad course there. I'd also invited my boyfriend Ad to come because my friend wouldn't have been free all the time as she was completing coursework. 

A large portion of our travel budgets goes towards food, which is why I feel it is really important to research places to eat as well as tourist attractions. Not only is Prague an absolute gem of a place with lots to do and see, but it also has some great places to eat at affordable prices. 

In today's post, I will be sharing four restaurants in Prague that I'd recommend paying a visit to when the time comes to fill your empty stomach!   

1. Restaurant U Patrona