Now, when we were researching things to do on our trip, Luxembourg was the stop we knew the least about and had seen the least recommendations for. Our trip actually coincided with one of their national holidays, so a few of the more famous attractions were shut, as were a lot of the shops and restaurants. That said, we still managed to do quite a few things on our visit, even without the weather on our side.
So, in case you're also planning a trip, here are 5 things to do in Luxembourg City...
1. Explore The Old Town
Now, I didn't realise this at the time, but the fortress and old city centre of Luxembourg have been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites since the 90s. The old town is all built around an S-bend of the Alzette River and is absolutely a must-see when visiting Luxembourg.
2. Take The Panoramic Lift
Whilst strictly not a tourist attraction and rather a means of public transport for people who live in the bottom parts of the city, this is a great way to see more of Luxembourg. The lift is free and runs all day and for the vast majority of the night. It takes about 30 seconds from the top to the bottom and we never had to queue to get on it.
3. Stay In A Camping Pod
By far one of the highlights of our time in Luxembourg was our night in a camping pod. We spent two nights in Luxembourg, the first in the pod and the second in the campervan. Now, I don't think it'll take much thinking to work out which one was the better night's sleep... The camping pod was really cosy and just a fab (and reaaaaally affordable) experience. If you're looking for somewhere to stay, I highly recommend one of the pods at Camping Kockelscheuer.
4. Drink All The Battin Fruitée
One thing I discovered on our Europe Roadtrip was the joy that is European fruit beers. Now, I know we have a whole array of fruity ciders here in the UK, but the fruit beers are something else. For one, they're less sickly, two, they're pink and three, they're really affordable. We sat at this little bar for a good couple of hours just watching the world go by and drinking the local beer. Battin is Luxembourgish and well worth a try.
5. Eat An Ice Cream In The Square
A lot of our activities (and entire days) revolve around food and refreshment so of course, an ice-cream had to feature in this list. The ice-creams we had from Cafe Veneziano were really tasty, and as you can see from the photo, well deserved on a hot sunny day of wandering around. We sat in the square (I in the shade and Elliot in the sun, of course) and it was lovely.
Whilst this is by no means an exhaustive list of the best things to do in Luxembourg City, these were the highlights of our trip. Special shoutout to that raspberry beer, I miss you.
Have you ever been to Luxembourg?
Now, when we were researching things to do on our trip, Luxembourg was the stop we knew the least about and had seen the least recommendations for. Our trip actually coincided with one of their national holidays, so a few of the more famous attractions were shut, as were a lot of the shops and restaurants. That said, we still managed to do quite a few things on our visit, even without the weather on our side.
So, in case you're also planning a trip, here are 5 things to do in Luxembourg City...
1. Explore The Old Town
Now, I didn't realise this at the time, but the fortress and old city centre of Luxembourg have been recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage Sites since the 90s. The old town is all built around an S-bend of the Alzette River and is absolutely a must-see when visiting Luxembourg.
2. Take The Panoramic Lift
Whilst strictly not a tourist attraction and rather a means of public transport for people who live in the bottom parts of the city, this is a great way to see more of Luxembourg. The lift is free and runs all day and for the vast majority of the night. It takes about 30 seconds from the top to the bottom and we never had to queue to get on it.
3. Stay In A Camping Pod
By far one of the highlights of our time in Luxembourg was our night in a camping pod. We spent two nights in Luxembourg, the first in the pod and the second in the campervan. Now, I don't think it'll take much thinking to work out which one was the better night's sleep... The camping pod was really cosy and just a fab (and reaaaaally affordable) experience. If you're looking for somewhere to stay, I highly recommend one of the pods at Camping Kockelscheuer.
4. Drink All The Battin Fruitée
One thing I discovered on our Europe Roadtrip was the joy that is European fruit beers. Now, I know we have a whole array of fruity ciders here in the UK, but the fruit beers are something else. For one, they're less sickly, two, they're pink and three, they're really affordable. We sat at this little bar for a good couple of hours just watching the world go by and drinking the local beer. Battin is Luxembourgish and well worth a try.
5. Eat An Ice Cream In The Square
A lot of our activities (and entire days) revolve around food and refreshment so of course, an ice-cream had to feature in this list. The ice-creams we had from Cafe Veneziano were really tasty, and as you can see from the photo, well deserved on a hot sunny day of wandering around. We sat in the square (I in the shade and Elliot in the sun, of course) and it was lovely.
Whilst this is by no means an exhaustive list of the best things to do in Luxembourg City, these were the highlights of our trip. Special shoutout to that raspberry beer, I miss you.
Have you ever been to Luxembourg?
Last night, Elliot and I tried out one of Celeplate's new recipe boxes. This recipe box was gifted but there was no obligation to post about it. We enjoyed the food so much, however, that I absolutely had to share our experience, particularly as the flavours weren't anything we'd tried before.
We tried the Modern Seoul box by Burgogi which consisted of; the Bulgogi Burger, the Galbi Burger and a portion of Chunky Chips. Now, I know these names won't mean a lot, so they were essentially a cheeseburger and a steak sandwich just with a variety of different Korean flavours.
The box retails at £29.90 and the box is well insulated. When it arrived at the flat, everything in the box was still chilled. It's also worth noting that all of the packaging included in the box is recyclable and the ice packs are reusable too.
The entire meal took us about 30 minutes to make and we devoured it in a lot less time than that, that's for sure. We cooked the chips in the oven for about 25 minutes and then pan-fried the meat for about 4 minutes, so it certainly was a quick dinner.
The instructions included are easy to follow and before we knew it we had our Korean burgers sat before us waiting to be tried.
Now, of the two, the Galbi Burger was by far our favourite. Consisting of steak, jalapeño mayo, Korean slaw, Buljang sauce and spring onions it was absolutely delicious. The meat was so soft and full of flavour, and to be honest, I wish the box had 2 of this one in it, it was that tasty.
The Bulgogi Burger, which consisted of Ssamjang mayo, Korean slaw, 2 beef patties, American cheese, Yuzu pickle and Buljang sauce, was tasty too. It's essentially a pimped up cheeseburger and the beef patties in this one were really tasty. The only thing that didn't get my vote was the pickle, but that's not a surprise as I don't tend to like any sort of pickles...
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience cooking, assembling and eating these Korean-inspired burgers. This made a great change from a standard Friday date night meal out and the food genuinely was brilliant.
Last night, Elliot and I tried out one of Celeplate's new recipe boxes. This recipe box was gifted but there was no obligation to post about it. We enjoyed the food so much, however, that I absolutely had to share our experience, particularly as the flavours weren't anything we'd tried before.
We tried the Modern Seoul box by Burgogi which consisted of; the Bulgogi Burger, the Galbi Burger and a portion of Chunky Chips. Now, I know these names won't mean a lot, so they were essentially a cheeseburger and a steak sandwich just with a variety of different Korean flavours.
The box retails at £29.90 and the box is well insulated. When it arrived at the flat, everything in the box was still chilled. It's also worth noting that all of the packaging included in the box is recyclable and the ice packs are reusable too.
The entire meal took us about 30 minutes to make and we devoured it in a lot less time than that, that's for sure. We cooked the chips in the oven for about 25 minutes and then pan-fried the meat for about 4 minutes, so it certainly was a quick dinner.
The instructions included are easy to follow and before we knew it we had our Korean burgers sat before us waiting to be tried.
Now, of the two, the Galbi Burger was by far our favourite. Consisting of steak, jalapeño mayo, Korean slaw, Buljang sauce and spring onions it was absolutely delicious. The meat was so soft and full of flavour, and to be honest, I wish the box had 2 of this one in it, it was that tasty.
The Bulgogi Burger, which consisted of Ssamjang mayo, Korean slaw, 2 beef patties, American cheese, Yuzu pickle and Buljang sauce, was tasty too. It's essentially a pimped up cheeseburger and the beef patties in this one were really tasty. The only thing that didn't get my vote was the pickle, but that's not a surprise as I don't tend to like any sort of pickles...
Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience cooking, assembling and eating these Korean-inspired burgers. This made a great change from a standard Friday date night meal out and the food genuinely was brilliant.
Okay, I'll admit it, we might have cheated on the fourth night of our Europe Roadtrip. We maybe didn't sleep in the van... Instead, we stayed at Camping Kockelscheuer in one of their pods and it was so cosy. We'd planned to stay at the campsite anyway, and seeing as we had two nights in Luxembourg it seemed rude not to, considering we were literally there already.
They call the pods their 'wine barrels' and at a measly £40 per night, they really are a must-do. The price includes use of all of their facilities and for us, a sleep in a real bed, which we were lowkey very pleased about. In the pod is a bed at the very back and there are benches and a foldaway table in the front. There is also a large picnic bench out the front, but unfortunately, it did pee down with rain whilst we were there. That said, the weather did make our stay in the pod all the more cosy.
Linen and pillows weren't included in the base price, but seeing as we had all of our own stuff with us anyway, we just used our own pillows and sleeping bag. But, if you wanted to use theirs it was very reasonably priced. Despite being nothing other than a cylindrical shed, the pod was a really fab experience and I'd highly recommend it.
The showers and toilets at the campsite were by far the best of the entire trip, so if you're not usually a fan of traditional camping, don't let that side of it all put you off. The only thing to note is that there are no cooking facilities etc in the pod, so if you're not taking a campervan, you'll need to make other arrangements for meals and teas & coffees etc. That said, there is an on-site bar and restaurant which was very busy. We didn't eat there but we did have a drink, and it was also very well priced! The staff were also really friendly and very helpful if and when we needed them.
Have you ever stayed in a glamping pod?
Camping Pods at Kockelscheuer Campsite, Luxembourg - Review
• accommodation, europe roadtrip, luxembourg
Okay, I'll admit it, we might have cheated on the fourth night of our Europe Roadtrip. We maybe didn't sleep in the van... Instead, we stayed at Camping Kockelscheuer in one of their pods and it was so cosy. We'd planned to stay at the campsite anyway, and seeing as we had two nights in Luxembourg it seemed rude not to, considering we were literally there already.
They call the pods their 'wine barrels' and at a measly £40 per night, they really are a must-do. The price includes use of all of their facilities and for us, a sleep in a real bed, which we were lowkey very pleased about. In the pod is a bed at the very back and there are benches and a foldaway table in the front. There is also a large picnic bench out the front, but unfortunately, it did pee down with rain whilst we were there. That said, the weather did make our stay in the pod all the more cosy.
Linen and pillows weren't included in the base price, but seeing as we had all of our own stuff with us anyway, we just used our own pillows and sleeping bag. But, if you wanted to use theirs it was very reasonably priced. Despite being nothing other than a cylindrical shed, the pod was a really fab experience and I'd highly recommend it.
The showers and toilets at the campsite were by far the best of the entire trip, so if you're not usually a fan of traditional camping, don't let that side of it all put you off. The only thing to note is that there are no cooking facilities etc in the pod, so if you're not taking a campervan, you'll need to make other arrangements for meals and teas & coffees etc. That said, there is an on-site bar and restaurant which was very busy. We didn't eat there but we did have a drink, and it was also very well priced! The staff were also really friendly and very helpful if and when we needed them.
Have you ever stayed in a glamping pod?
Whilst we were in Luxembourg on our Europe Road Trip, we had possibly one of the best pizzas I've had in a looooong old time. Our trip to Luxembourg coincided with one of their national holidays so a lot of the shops and restaurants were actually closed when we visited. Luckily, I found this out a few days in advance and so had plenty of time to scroll through Google Maps and find somewhere that was a) open and b) had availability whilst we were there. Fairly quickly into my dinner research, I found Partigiano, and as soon as I saw the photos of the food, I knew we HAD to go there for our meal. The decor was stunning, an absolute millennial dream. Paneling, pampas grass and alllllll of the plants, it's fair to say they know their market. The staff were all really friendly and in terms of location, Partigiano is very near the train station, so a pretty convenient place to find! So, the food... Our pizzas were both delicious and far exceeded our expectations. They were so light but also really filling, and just everything a good pizza should be. But the best part? For one of the most expensive places on our trip, we actually had one of the most affordable meals AND it was delicious. What a win. We paid €37 for the two pizzas and two large beers, which doesn't sound that cheap, but compared to everywhere else was an absolute steal. Great food, great vibes, great decor, great location, and a great price. If you couldn't already tell, I highly recommend visiting Partigiano in Luxembourg for dinner. It was everything we'd hoped for and more, and after some dodgy pork we'd cooked in the van the night before, it was even tastier...
Whilst we were in Luxembourg on our Europe Road Trip, we had possibly one of the best pizzas I've had in a looooong old time. Our trip to Luxembourg coincided with one of their national holidays so a lot of the shops and restaurants were actually closed when we visited. Luckily, I found this out a few days in advance and so had plenty of time to scroll through Google Maps and find somewhere that was a) open and b) had availability whilst we were there. Fairly quickly into my dinner research, I found Partigiano, and as soon as I saw the photos of the food, I knew we HAD to go there for our meal. The decor was stunning, an absolute millennial dream. Paneling, pampas grass and alllllll of the plants, it's fair to say they know their market. The staff were all really friendly and in terms of location, Partigiano is very near the train station, so a pretty convenient place to find! So, the food... Our pizzas were both delicious and far exceeded our expectations. They were so light but also really filling, and just everything a good pizza should be. But the best part? For one of the most expensive places on our trip, we actually had one of the most affordable meals AND it was delicious. What a win. We paid €37 for the two pizzas and two large beers, which doesn't sound that cheap, but compared to everywhere else was an absolute steal. Great food, great vibes, great decor, great location, and a great price. If you couldn't already tell, I highly recommend visiting Partigiano in Luxembourg for dinner. It was everything we'd hoped for and more, and after some dodgy pork we'd cooked in the van the night before, it was even tastier...
.jpg "A Day & A Half In Luxembourg - Europe Road Trip Stop 4")
Now, Luxembourg isn't somewhere I'd heard much about. Have you? It wasn't somewhere we were desperate to visit but seeing as it wasn't too far from our other stops it seemed like a great opportunity to tick off another country.
To preface this, our trip to Luxembourg actually coincided with one of their bank holidays so a lot of the shops etc were actually shut when we visited. That said, we still managed to fill the day and a half we had there so all was not lost but we may not have had the full experience.
On our way to Luxembourg, we stopped at another Belgian town called Bouillon which actually looked a lot like Dinant. It was, however, absolutely chucking it down with rain so our visit was fleeting to say the least. We had a beer at a very nice bar called Bom and that was about it.
A Day & A Half In Luxembourg - Europe Road Trip Stop 4
We made it to Luxembourg, checked into our pod for the night (full post coming soon), and then headed into Luxembourg City on the bus. One cool thing about Luxembourg is all of the public transport is totally free. Just get on, get off, get on, get off, to your heart's content without paying a penny. The bus took about 15 minutes to get into the city and once we were there everything was very much within walking distance.
On that first afternoon, we just sort of wandered, had a pint, and bought a few snacks from a very pricey supermarket in the city center. We'd already bought food to make dinner so headed back to the van to cook that and had a very quiet evening. This whole camping malarkey is actually pretty tiring.
After a lazy morning in the pod, breakfast sat out the front of it, and then lunch by the van, we headed back to the bus stop. We got the bus into the city and then just wandered some more. We then went on the panoramic lift down into the residential bit of the city. This isn't a tourist destination by any means, it's a free service provided for the people who live in the lower part of the city to travel up to the top. That said, if you're in Luxembourg it's a great way to see a bit more of the city, particularly as it's free.
We had an ice cream and then stumbled across a photography exhibition at a pop-up gallery and wandered around that. All of that walking called for more refreshment so we found the main strip of bars and chose one to spend an hour or so at. We were sat out the front, watching the world go by and downing the local beers. A pretty good afternoon if you ask me and the drinks were actually very reasonably priced.
After some pretty extensive research the day before, I'd found a restaurant called Partigiano that I loved the look of and had booked for dinner. Let's just say it didn't disappoint. Again, another full review coming soon. I'm still dreaming of that pizza.
Now, I wouldn't say there is an awful lot to do in Luxembourg and it's not somewhere I'd rush back to, I definitely feel like I've had my fill. There are loads of shops and places to eat and drink but besides that, there aren't lots of other things to do. We wandered the old town, went in their cathedral, and sort of felt like we'd seen a lot of it.
A Day & A Half In Luxembourg - Europe Road Trip Stop 4
6.7.22 • campervan, europe roadtrip, luxembourg, travel
Now, Luxembourg isn't somewhere I'd heard much about. Have you? It wasn't somewhere we were desperate to visit but seeing as it wasn't too far from our other stops it seemed like a great opportunity to tick off another country.
To preface this, our trip to Luxembourg actually coincided with one of their bank holidays so a lot of the shops etc were actually shut when we visited. That said, we still managed to fill the day and a half we had there so all was not lost but we may not have had the full experience.
On our way to Luxembourg, we stopped at another Belgian town called Bouillon which actually looked a lot like Dinant. It was, however, absolutely chucking it down with rain so our visit was fleeting to say the least. We had a beer at a very nice bar called Bom and that was about it.
A Day & A Half In Luxembourg - Europe Road Trip Stop 4
We made it to Luxembourg, checked into our pod for the night (full post coming soon), and then headed into Luxembourg City on the bus. One cool thing about Luxembourg is all of the public transport is totally free. Just get on, get off, get on, get off, to your heart's content without paying a penny. The bus took about 15 minutes to get into the city and once we were there everything was very much within walking distance.
On that first afternoon, we just sort of wandered, had a pint, and bought a few snacks from a very pricey supermarket in the city center. We'd already bought food to make dinner so headed back to the van to cook that and had a very quiet evening. This whole camping malarkey is actually pretty tiring.
After a lazy morning in the pod, breakfast sat out the front of it, and then lunch by the van, we headed back to the bus stop. We got the bus into the city and then just wandered some more. We then went on the panoramic lift down into the residential bit of the city. This isn't a tourist destination by any means, it's a free service provided for the people who live in the lower part of the city to travel up to the top. That said, if you're in Luxembourg it's a great way to see a bit more of the city, particularly as it's free.
We had an ice cream and then stumbled across a photography exhibition at a pop-up gallery and wandered around that. All of that walking called for more refreshment so we found the main strip of bars and chose one to spend an hour or so at. We were sat out the front, watching the world go by and downing the local beers. A pretty good afternoon if you ask me and the drinks were actually very reasonably priced.
After some pretty extensive research the day before, I'd found a restaurant called Partigiano that I loved the look of and had booked for dinner. Let's just say it didn't disappoint. Again, another full review coming soon. I'm still dreaming of that pizza.
Now, I wouldn't say there is an awful lot to do in Luxembourg and it's not somewhere I'd rush back to, I definitely feel like I've had my fill. There are loads of shops and places to eat and drink but besides that, there aren't lots of other things to do. We wandered the old town, went in their cathedral, and sort of felt like we'd seen a lot of it.
After a lazy morning in Bruges packing up the campervan, we drove to Dinant, also in Belgium. We'd seen loads of incredible photos of it online and considering it was basically on our way to Luxembourg anyway it was a bit of a no-brainer. The drive took about 2 hours from Bruges and when we got out of the van we were greeted by the hottest day of the entire trip by far. (The van itself said 35° when we got back in it after our wander around the town, sheee)
An Afternoon In Dinant - Europe Road Trip Stop 3
There are quite a few free car parks in Dinant however, unsurprisingly, they were all full when we got there about midday. There is loads of street parking around and luckily Elliot is a braver person than I and confidently parallel parked the van in the smallest space ever on a busy road, first time.
Our first stop (after I'd slapped on the SPF 50+) was some lunch by the river. There are lots of restaurants along the waterfront and we just picked the one that had an empty table as we walked past - I can't say much deliberation went into where we ate. We shared a pizza and both devoured a Fanta Limon in about 20 seconds flat. The food was tasty but by no means the best we had on the trip, it was more just a nice place to sit and take in the views.
We then wandered around and took a load of pictures - it was so picturesque! On our way to the Citadel, we had a quick look around Notre Dame de Dinant which was pretty impressive. Now, the main event, the Citadel...
The tickets are €11 each and include a cable car to and from the Citadel from the main street. Now, I hadn't done too much research into the Citadel and was sort of expecting a very quick walk around and for that to be that. But no, how wrong was I. There were so many things to look at, lots of interactive bits and the views from the top were incredible. The history was also really well explained and we both came away feeling we'd learned a lot but not in a stale, stuffy museum sort of way.
If you're travelling around Belgium and looking for somewhere a little less touristy then I would absolutely recommend Dinant. I wouldn't, however, recommend the campsite we stayed at in Dinant but that's a story for another day. Let's just say we both opted not to shower (after the sweatiest day of the trip) because the showers were that grim and just opted for a baby wipe instead...
After a lazy morning in Bruges packing up the campervan, we drove to Dinant, also in Belgium. We'd seen loads of incredible photos of it online and considering it was basically on our way to Luxembourg anyway it was a bit of a no-brainer. The drive took about 2 hours from Bruges and when we got out of the van we were greeted by the hottest day of the entire trip by far. (The van itself said 35° when we got back in it after our wander around the town, sheee)
An Afternoon In Dinant - Europe Road Trip Stop 3
There are quite a few free car parks in Dinant however, unsurprisingly, they were all full when we got there about midday. There is loads of street parking around and luckily Elliot is a braver person than I and confidently parallel parked the van in the smallest space ever on a busy road, first time.
Our first stop (after I'd slapped on the SPF 50+) was some lunch by the river. There are lots of restaurants along the waterfront and we just picked the one that had an empty table as we walked past - I can't say much deliberation went into where we ate. We shared a pizza and both devoured a Fanta Limon in about 20 seconds flat. The food was tasty but by no means the best we had on the trip, it was more just a nice place to sit and take in the views.
We then wandered around and took a load of pictures - it was so picturesque! On our way to the Citadel, we had a quick look around Notre Dame de Dinant which was pretty impressive. Now, the main event, the Citadel...
The tickets are €11 each and include a cable car to and from the Citadel from the main street. Now, I hadn't done too much research into the Citadel and was sort of expecting a very quick walk around and for that to be that. But no, how wrong was I. There were so many things to look at, lots of interactive bits and the views from the top were incredible. The history was also really well explained and we both came away feeling we'd learned a lot but not in a stale, stuffy museum sort of way.
If you're travelling around Belgium and looking for somewhere a little less touristy then I would absolutely recommend Dinant. I wouldn't, however, recommend the campsite we stayed at in Dinant but that's a story for another day. Let's just say we both opted not to shower (after the sweatiest day of the trip) because the showers were that grim and just opted for a baby wipe instead...
Patisseries so good they deserved their own blog post? Oh, yeahhh. After our boat ride around Bruges, we were wandering back towards the center when we stumbled across Carpe Diem. We were both absolutely gasping for a drink so were keen to go in somewhere anyway but when we walked past this place we were 100% sucked in by the patisseries in the window.
Now, there was a bit of a language barrier here and we did seem to cause some confusion but we managed to get a couple of patisseries and ate them sat in their courtyard in the sun. One was a lemon meringue pie style patisserie and the other was some sort of strawberry tart. I wish I could give you their real names but unfortunately, a) my memory isn't that good and b) nor is my Dutch/German/French.
None of the patisseries had any prices on them so we weren't too sure what we were letting ourselves in for given the cost of eating out generally in Bruges. But, luckily, we were very pleasantly surprised when the bill for 2 sprites and the 2 patisseries was €16. In any other situation that sounds a lot, but given the cost we found of eating out whilst we were there, this seemed more normal!
As you can see from the photos, everything in there was truly spectacular and I would have loved to have tried one of everything. The fruit ones in particular looked incredible.
If you're looking for a nice place to sit and have a sweet treat in Bruges then I highly recommend going to Carpe Diem. It's not too pricey, the courtyard area is really nice and the patisseries are soooo good.
Patisseries so good they deserved their own blog post? Oh, yeahhh. After our boat ride around Bruges, we were wandering back towards the center when we stumbled across Carpe Diem. We were both absolutely gasping for a drink so were keen to go in somewhere anyway but when we walked past this place we were 100% sucked in by the patisseries in the window.
Now, there was a bit of a language barrier here and we did seem to cause some confusion but we managed to get a couple of patisseries and ate them sat in their courtyard in the sun. One was a lemon meringue pie style patisserie and the other was some sort of strawberry tart. I wish I could give you their real names but unfortunately, a) my memory isn't that good and b) nor is my Dutch/German/French.
None of the patisseries had any prices on them so we weren't too sure what we were letting ourselves in for given the cost of eating out generally in Bruges. But, luckily, we were very pleasantly surprised when the bill for 2 sprites and the 2 patisseries was €16. In any other situation that sounds a lot, but given the cost we found of eating out whilst we were there, this seemed more normal!
As you can see from the photos, everything in there was truly spectacular and I would have loved to have tried one of everything. The fruit ones in particular looked incredible.
If you're looking for a nice place to sit and have a sweet treat in Bruges then I highly recommend going to Carpe Diem. It's not too pricey, the courtyard area is really nice and the patisseries are soooo good.
I know this is only stop 2 of our road trip (and there are plenty more countries coming up) but hands down I think Bruges was the best place we visited on our trip. As soon as we got there I absolutely loved it and I actually said to Elliot as soon as we got there that I think this will be my favourite place we visit, and wow, my first instinct wasn't wrong. After our beach walk in Dunkirk, we drove the hour over the border and into Bruges and parked the van up at the campsite.
A Day & A Half In Bruges | Europe Roadtrip Stop 2
We took the bus into the city center, which was super easy to use (we love public transport that you can pay via contactless) and just wandered to our heart's content. The buildings all look like ones you'd find in a Disney film and it helped that the weather was absolutely glorious too. After we'd explored a lot of the city on foot we stopped by one of the bars in the square for some refreshment.
Now, one particularly great thing to report about Belgium is their fruit beer. Ciders aren't really a thing over there but their fruit beers are a far better substitute. Hoegaarden Rosé is my new favourite beer and I am still trying to get over the fact that no pubs around here serve it. It's literally a beer for the girlies. It's pink, it tastes of raspberries, and if you served it in a martini glass you could palm it off as a cocktail.
The restaurant prices in Bruges are all quite pricey (that we saw anyway) with mains being about €20. However, a lot of the restaurants by the main tourist spots had set menus, and considering a lot of them were 3 courses for €25, they're actually worth checking out.
We had dinner in a restaurant in one of the squares and all three courses were delicious. I had a cheese croquette to start, then the local beef stew, and then apple tart to finish. To be honest, I was expecting the food to be a bit average considering it was one of the more affordable options in the city but it might even have been one of the best meals of the trip. I mean, it was the only 3-course meal we had but when you're essentially only paying €5 more for a starter and a dessert it's a bit of a no-brainer in my opinion.
The following day we had our full day in Bruges and the weather was just as glorious. We got an early-ish bus into the city again and then headed straight for a boat tour. It was a really pleasant way to see a lot more of the city and I always love hearing the funny little stories about certain houses or buildings. We paid €12 each for a 30-minute boat ride which, again, doesn't seem too unreasonable.
Now, not only is the beer great in Bruges but the shopping is too. There's a whole array of standard high street shops (H&M, Mango etc), independent boutique shops as well as lots of home decor shops. It truly was an easy way to spend an afternoon. The homeware shops, in particular, were really nice and nothing like what we have here. Imagine if you crossed Flying Tiger with Ikea and Zara Home. Affordable, scandi style pieces but at really affordable prices! Next time I'll be taking a holdall and absolutely filling it with mugs, vases and dried flowers.
In case I hadn't already made it clear, I really did enjoy my time in Bruges and would love to visit again. I'm thinking a Christmas market trip might be pretty cool, so there's one for the travel list. Bruges was clean, the transport was easy to use, the food was great (if a bit pricey on the whole) and the shops were fab. If you haven't been, I'd definitely recommend adding it to your travel bucket list!
I know this is only stop 2 of our road trip (and there are plenty more countries coming up) but hands down I think Bruges was the best place we visited on our trip. As soon as we got there I absolutely loved it and I actually said to Elliot as soon as we got there that I think this will be my favourite place we visit, and wow, my first instinct wasn't wrong. After our beach walk in Dunkirk, we drove the hour over the border and into Bruges and parked the van up at the campsite.
A Day & A Half In Bruges | Europe Roadtrip Stop 2
We took the bus into the city center, which was super easy to use (we love public transport that you can pay via contactless) and just wandered to our heart's content. The buildings all look like ones you'd find in a Disney film and it helped that the weather was absolutely glorious too. After we'd explored a lot of the city on foot we stopped by one of the bars in the square for some refreshment.
Now, one particularly great thing to report about Belgium is their fruit beer. Ciders aren't really a thing over there but their fruit beers are a far better substitute. Hoegaarden Rosé is my new favourite beer and I am still trying to get over the fact that no pubs around here serve it. It's literally a beer for the girlies. It's pink, it tastes of raspberries, and if you served it in a martini glass you could palm it off as a cocktail.
The restaurant prices in Bruges are all quite pricey (that we saw anyway) with mains being about €20. However, a lot of the restaurants by the main tourist spots had set menus, and considering a lot of them were 3 courses for €25, they're actually worth checking out.
We had dinner in a restaurant in one of the squares and all three courses were delicious. I had a cheese croquette to start, then the local beef stew, and then apple tart to finish. To be honest, I was expecting the food to be a bit average considering it was one of the more affordable options in the city but it might even have been one of the best meals of the trip. I mean, it was the only 3-course meal we had but when you're essentially only paying €5 more for a starter and a dessert it's a bit of a no-brainer in my opinion.
The following day we had our full day in Bruges and the weather was just as glorious. We got an early-ish bus into the city again and then headed straight for a boat tour. It was a really pleasant way to see a lot more of the city and I always love hearing the funny little stories about certain houses or buildings. We paid €12 each for a 30-minute boat ride which, again, doesn't seem too unreasonable.
Now, not only is the beer great in Bruges but the shopping is too. There's a whole array of standard high street shops (H&M, Mango etc), independent boutique shops as well as lots of home decor shops. It truly was an easy way to spend an afternoon. The homeware shops, in particular, were really nice and nothing like what we have here. Imagine if you crossed Flying Tiger with Ikea and Zara Home. Affordable, scandi style pieces but at really affordable prices! Next time I'll be taking a holdall and absolutely filling it with mugs, vases and dried flowers.
In case I hadn't already made it clear, I really did enjoy my time in Bruges and would love to visit again. I'm thinking a Christmas market trip might be pretty cool, so there's one for the travel list. Bruges was clean, the transport was easy to use, the food was great (if a bit pricey on the whole) and the shops were fab. If you haven't been, I'd definitely recommend adding it to your travel bucket list!
Back at the beginning of June, Elliot and I took our campervan for a jolly around Europe for the first time. Thank you platty joobs, for the time off, shoutout Lizzy! I mean, we'd been talking about doing this trip for a few months, we had the annual leave booked off but only finally booked it a few weeks before. Hello last-minute campsite finding & booking, GHIC ordering, and warning triangle purchasing.
I asked over on Instagram about my roadtrip content and the vast majority of you wanted short little roundups of each city we visited, so, your wish is my command. Here I am with our first stop Dunkirk...
A Wander In Dunkirk | Europe Roadtrip Stop 1
About half an hour from the Eurotunnel, we planned a stop in Dunkirk to a) break up the driving and b) see a little bit more of France than just the tunnel terminal. Now, we didn't have particularly long to hang around so we didn't make it to any of the museums. So, if you're looking for a particularly cultural account of Dunkirk, unfortunately, this isn't going to be the blog post for you. Sorry.
Now, if you, like us, have a campervan or are planning on driving in France, there's a huge free car park right by the beach. It's called 'Asseman Parking' on Google Maps and there were plenty of spaces when we got there.
We parked up, then wandered straight down to the beach. We walked along the front, up to the memorial, and then back along the beach. We stopped in Sucré Salé for a beer and some chips (typical Brits abroad) and just made the most of being on holiday AND out in the sun. A campervan trip in England can't always provide the latter, hey.
Besides a quick stop at Carrefour for some suuuper cheap rosé, some crisps, and a couple of bakery items, I can't say we did anything else in Dunkirk.
I wasn't going to mention our fleeting visit in this blog post series, but, for a convenient, free, stop by the sea to break up the driving, I thought I'd mention it. If you're planning a similar trip to ours, it's definitely worth stopping at!
Have you ever been to Dunkirk?
Back at the beginning of June, Elliot and I took our campervan for a jolly around Europe for the first time. Thank you platty joobs, for the time off, shoutout Lizzy! I mean, we'd been talking about doing this trip for a few months, we had the annual leave booked off but only finally booked it a few weeks before. Hello last-minute campsite finding & booking, GHIC ordering, and warning triangle purchasing.
I asked over on Instagram about my roadtrip content and the vast majority of you wanted short little roundups of each city we visited, so, your wish is my command. Here I am with our first stop Dunkirk...
A Wander In Dunkirk | Europe Roadtrip Stop 1
About half an hour from the Eurotunnel, we planned a stop in Dunkirk to a) break up the driving and b) see a little bit more of France than just the tunnel terminal. Now, we didn't have particularly long to hang around so we didn't make it to any of the museums. So, if you're looking for a particularly cultural account of Dunkirk, unfortunately, this isn't going to be the blog post for you. Sorry.
Now, if you, like us, have a campervan or are planning on driving in France, there's a huge free car park right by the beach. It's called 'Asseman Parking' on Google Maps and there were plenty of spaces when we got there.
We parked up, then wandered straight down to the beach. We walked along the front, up to the memorial, and then back along the beach. We stopped in Sucré Salé for a beer and some chips (typical Brits abroad) and just made the most of being on holiday AND out in the sun. A campervan trip in England can't always provide the latter, hey.
Besides a quick stop at Carrefour for some suuuper cheap rosé, some crisps, and a couple of bakery items, I can't say we did anything else in Dunkirk.
I wasn't going to mention our fleeting visit in this blog post series, but, for a convenient, free, stop by the sea to break up the driving, I thought I'd mention it. If you're planning a similar trip to ours, it's definitely worth stopping at!
Have you ever been to Dunkirk?
On Friday I was invited down to the launch party for Pineapple Island's new clothing range. Now, if you've not heard of Pineapple Island they're a Bournemouth-based brand that sells beachy jewellery and now clothing and tote bags too. Their jewellery is all handmade in Bali and their new clothing range is printed in Winton, Bournemouth on either organic or recycled fabrics.
The photography for the launch was actually shot on Harlyn Bay, and anyone that follows me over on Instagram will know that Harlyn is a beach my family and I frequent quite often. In fact, we were there for our New Year's Day swim this year.
The launch party was a brilliant evening with shopping, a fashion show, drinks, and pizza from Forno. I absolutely loved the whole collection and I have my eye on a few of the t-shirts. I bought one of the beach bags on the night and we were also spoilt with a goodie bag of their jewellery to take home with us.
Not only are the pieces all gorgeous but the fact that they support over 100 people with jobs in Bali, and also print all of their clothing in Bournemouth, shopping from Pineapple Island sounds like a bit of a no-brainer to me. If you're looking for beachy t-shirts, vests or sweatshirts, I definitely recommend checking them out.
Bournemouth, UK
Pineapple Island's Clothing Launch - Bournemouth Based Brand
22.6.22 • Bournemouth, fashion
On Friday I was invited down to the launch party for Pineapple Island's new clothing range. Now, if you've not heard of Pineapple Island they're a Bournemouth-based brand that sells beachy jewellery and now clothing and tote bags too. Their jewellery is all handmade in Bali and their new clothing range is printed in Winton, Bournemouth on either organic or recycled fabrics.
The photography for the launch was actually shot on Harlyn Bay, and anyone that follows me over on Instagram will know that Harlyn is a beach my family and I frequent quite often. In fact, we were there for our New Year's Day swim this year.
The launch party was a brilliant evening with shopping, a fashion show, drinks, and pizza from Forno. I absolutely loved the whole collection and I have my eye on a few of the t-shirts. I bought one of the beach bags on the night and we were also spoilt with a goodie bag of their jewellery to take home with us.
Not only are the pieces all gorgeous but the fact that they support over 100 people with jobs in Bali, and also print all of their clothing in Bournemouth, shopping from Pineapple Island sounds like a bit of a no-brainer to me. If you're looking for beachy t-shirts, vests or sweatshirts, I definitely recommend checking them out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Social Icons