Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
I found Annelies online whilst searching for brunch places in Berlin and as soon as I saw the pictures I KNEW we had to visit.
Whilst it might be a bit out of the way of the main touristy part of the city, conveniently it's not too far from the East Side Gallery if you're planning on making a trip over that way.
Annelies don't take any reservations, hence the queueing outside in the cold. (I'm sure it would be much more pleasant in the summer haha!) We were told it would be a 30-40 minute wait, but seeing as a) we'd already trekked over there, b) there aren't loads of other places around, and c) we'd committed to those pancake buns, we just sat and got on with it. We ended up waiting about 45 minutes but let me assure you, it was absolutely worth it. Even if we couldn't feel our fingers or toes.
The staff were really friendly and the atmosphere in there is really chilled. There are a few different things on the menu including some outrageous buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs on sourdough, and granola. But, for us, it had to be the Sausage, Egg and Cheese Sandwich. It's €13 of pure deliciousness. A sausage patty, American cheese, an egg omelette, and spicy mayo all in a sesame pancake bun. Wow.
Elliot and I absolutely scoffed the whole thing and both couldn't get over that pancake bun?! If only all breakfast sandwiches came in that, I'm looking at you McDonald's...
If you're looking for a brunch place to head to in Berlin then definitely check out Annelies! A solid 10/10 and if there was one in Salisbury I can guarantee Elliot and I would be frequent visitors.
I found Annelies online whilst searching for brunch places in Berlin and as soon as I saw the pictures I KNEW we had to visit.
Whilst it might be a bit out of the way of the main touristy part of the city, conveniently it's not too far from the East Side Gallery if you're planning on making a trip over that way.
Annelies don't take any reservations, hence the queueing outside in the cold. (I'm sure it would be much more pleasant in the summer haha!) We were told it would be a 30-40 minute wait, but seeing as a) we'd already trekked over there, b) there aren't loads of other places around, and c) we'd committed to those pancake buns, we just sat and got on with it. We ended up waiting about 45 minutes but let me assure you, it was absolutely worth it. Even if we couldn't feel our fingers or toes.
The staff were really friendly and the atmosphere in there is really chilled. There are a few different things on the menu including some outrageous buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs on sourdough, and granola. But, for us, it had to be the Sausage, Egg and Cheese Sandwich. It's €13 of pure deliciousness. A sausage patty, American cheese, an egg omelette, and spicy mayo all in a sesame pancake bun. Wow.
Elliot and I absolutely scoffed the whole thing and both couldn't get over that pancake bun?! If only all breakfast sandwiches came in that, I'm looking at you McDonald's...
If you're looking for a brunch place to head to in Berlin then definitely check out Annelies! A solid 10/10 and if there was one in Salisbury I can guarantee Elliot and I would be frequent visitors.
After our swim at Henschotermeer Lake, we drove to the eighth and final stop of our Europe Road Trip: Amsterdam. We parked up in our pitch on the campsite and then got the tram straight into the center. After a wander around we headed to Bar Italia for pizzas and beers. If you fancy an Italian meal whilst in Amsterdam, the pizzas were pretty tasty!
The next day we got the tram back into the center and went straight into a bakery for a pastry. We then wandered and wandered and wandered, and saw a fair amount of the city center. We had a quick lunch at Wok to Walk and then headed for the Heineken Experience. I'll be honest, I wasn't too sure what to expect from it as someone who isn't that fussed by Heineken but it was genuinely brilliant. It was really interactive, there was loads to look at and the bar at the end is really cool. There are also quite a few fun photo opportunities too. Even if you're not a big beer fan it's absolutely worth doing!
Being right near Museumplein, it was only right to have a walk around and see all of the museums. We stopped for some chips and a sit down before heading back to the campsite for a BBQ and a drink at the bar.
The next morning we had a leisurely start to the day, got the tram, and then got on a boat ride near the train station. Priced at €13, it took us all around the canals and lasted about an hour. It was a great way to see more of the city and also hear a bit more about the history of the area. It's absolutely worth doing if the weather is good.
We then wandered around the Flowermarkets, had an English breakfast for lunch, and enjoyed just sitting out in the sun. After a bit more wandering we found a cool ping pong bar, had a cocktail, and spent an hour or so watching the world go by.
At each of the stops on our trip, we tried to taste at least one local dish. So, when in Holland? Bittenballen. We stopped at a random little takeaway on the corner of one of the streets and bought a few to try. In case you've got no idea what I'm on about, according to Google Bittenballen are made from a thick meat stew that is refrigerated, rolled into balls, breaded, and then fried. (Trust me they're better than they sound!) We really enjoyed them and would definitely have them again.
Next up on our quick little Amsterdam tour was W Lounge for a beer in their rooftop bar - a last-night essential! I won't go into this in too much detail as I've got an entire blog post on the bar but if you just fancy a beer, the prices aren't too unreasonable!
For dinner, we then went to Nude Burger and had some deeeeelicious burgers. I'm talking a solid 9/10 sort of good. We both had a 'Tasty Jack' and shared a 'Tater Tot Mix'. We then had one final tram back to the campsite for an early night before travelling back home early in the morning.
So, there we have it, our entire 2022 Europe Road Trip. Considering the whole trip was planned very last minute, I can't believe how well we pulled it all off. 8 stops and 5 countries in 10 days. Not bad going, hey? Thank you Queenie for the time off over the platty joobs and thank you to the van for doing us a solid and working like a beauty the entire time! Where to next, eh?
2 & A Half Days In Amsterdam, Holland - Europe Road Trip Stop 8
27.8.22 • campervan, europe roadtrip, holland, travel
After our swim at Henschotermeer Lake, we drove to the eighth and final stop of our Europe Road Trip: Amsterdam. We parked up in our pitch on the campsite and then got the tram straight into the center. After a wander around we headed to Bar Italia for pizzas and beers. If you fancy an Italian meal whilst in Amsterdam, the pizzas were pretty tasty!
The next day we got the tram back into the center and went straight into a bakery for a pastry. We then wandered and wandered and wandered, and saw a fair amount of the city center. We had a quick lunch at Wok to Walk and then headed for the Heineken Experience. I'll be honest, I wasn't too sure what to expect from it as someone who isn't that fussed by Heineken but it was genuinely brilliant. It was really interactive, there was loads to look at and the bar at the end is really cool. There are also quite a few fun photo opportunities too. Even if you're not a big beer fan it's absolutely worth doing!
Being right near Museumplein, it was only right to have a walk around and see all of the museums. We stopped for some chips and a sit down before heading back to the campsite for a BBQ and a drink at the bar.
The next morning we had a leisurely start to the day, got the tram, and then got on a boat ride near the train station. Priced at €13, it took us all around the canals and lasted about an hour. It was a great way to see more of the city and also hear a bit more about the history of the area. It's absolutely worth doing if the weather is good.
We then wandered around the Flowermarkets, had an English breakfast for lunch, and enjoyed just sitting out in the sun. After a bit more wandering we found a cool ping pong bar, had a cocktail, and spent an hour or so watching the world go by.
At each of the stops on our trip, we tried to taste at least one local dish. So, when in Holland? Bittenballen. We stopped at a random little takeaway on the corner of one of the streets and bought a few to try. In case you've got no idea what I'm on about, according to Google Bittenballen are made from a thick meat stew that is refrigerated, rolled into balls, breaded, and then fried. (Trust me they're better than they sound!) We really enjoyed them and would definitely have them again.
Next up on our quick little Amsterdam tour was W Lounge for a beer in their rooftop bar - a last-night essential! I won't go into this in too much detail as I've got an entire blog post on the bar but if you just fancy a beer, the prices aren't too unreasonable!
For dinner, we then went to Nude Burger and had some deeeeelicious burgers. I'm talking a solid 9/10 sort of good. We both had a 'Tasty Jack' and shared a 'Tater Tot Mix'. We then had one final tram back to the campsite for an early night before travelling back home early in the morning.
So, there we have it, our entire 2022 Europe Road Trip. Considering the whole trip was planned very last minute, I can't believe how well we pulled it all off. 8 stops and 5 countries in 10 days. Not bad going, hey? Thank you Queenie for the time off over the platty joobs and thank you to the van for doing us a solid and working like a beauty the entire time! Where to next, eh?
Our next stop after Cologne was Henschotermeer Lake in Holland. When planning the road trip route on Google Maps, Elliot spotted this lake and we 100% knew we had to visit. It's not too far from Amsterdam and was a brilliant place to spend the morning.
We'd stopped at Lidl on our way and picked up some bits for a picnic. I'm talking fresh bread, houmous, butter, crisps, cheese twists, cucumber... It was a real al fresco setup.
We were then on a weekday so, besides a few school trips which came and went, we had the place to ourselves. The lake itself is massive and the walk around it is 2.5km long.
Now, whilst the lake looks like paradise, I've got to be honest it was rather chilly. As someone who's swum in the Cornish Sea in the winter, I think I'm justified in saying this was cold. I lasted a bit longer in there than Elliot did but I can't say I swam very far.
There were a few toilet blocks dotted about as well as some food trucks that were closed whilst we were there. It's worth mentioning that you have to buy your tickets (€3.25 each) and car parking (€7) online before you get there. There weren't any staff there when we were there, just big electric gates that scan your ticket's QR code.
You could very easily spend an entire day here so if you're planning a trip to Holland, this would be a great place to stop.
A Morning at Henschotermeer Lake, Holland - Europe Road Trip Stop 7
25.8.22 • campervan, europe roadtrip, holland, travel
Our next stop after Cologne was Henschotermeer Lake in Holland. When planning the road trip route on Google Maps, Elliot spotted this lake and we 100% knew we had to visit. It's not too far from Amsterdam and was a brilliant place to spend the morning.
We'd stopped at Lidl on our way and picked up some bits for a picnic. I'm talking fresh bread, houmous, butter, crisps, cheese twists, cucumber... It was a real al fresco setup.
We were then on a weekday so, besides a few school trips which came and went, we had the place to ourselves. The lake itself is massive and the walk around it is 2.5km long.
Now, whilst the lake looks like paradise, I've got to be honest it was rather chilly. As someone who's swum in the Cornish Sea in the winter, I think I'm justified in saying this was cold. I lasted a bit longer in there than Elliot did but I can't say I swam very far.
There were a few toilet blocks dotted about as well as some food trucks that were closed whilst we were there. It's worth mentioning that you have to buy your tickets (€3.25 each) and car parking (€7) online before you get there. There weren't any staff there when we were there, just big electric gates that scan your ticket's QR code.
You could very easily spend an entire day here so if you're planning a trip to Holland, this would be a great place to stop.
When we planned our Europe Road Trip we didn't really have any set plans for any of the cities we were stopping in. Elliot and I are both quite go with the flow sort of people and on the agenda was just a wander, food, and drinks. This worked for us and we had a brilliant time. But, if you're someone that prefers to plan out their trips, here are 5 things to do in Cologne...
1. Beer and Bratwurst
This had to be number one, right? We made sure we had beer and bratwurst in both of the German cities we stopped at and both times we were not disappointed. There are lots of different restaurants and bars around - we had this in one of the squares not far from the old Fish Market.
2. Visit The Fish Market
Speaking of, you must visit the Fish Market for *that* Cologne photo. It's a small square with these colourful buildings and a number of cafés and eateries. I'm sure there's some interesting history to it but I must admit that I was there just to snap a picture.
3. Go In The Chocolate Museum
This far exceeded my expectations and I'd recommend it to anyone. There was a tropical garden you could walk around, a working factory, people making chocolates, free samples, interactive exhibits as well as lots of information boards to read.
4. See the Cathedral
It's 157m tall and an impressive piece of Gothic architecture. According to Wikipedia, the construction began in 1248 and it opened in 1880. Since 1996 it's been a World Heritage Site and is absolutely a must-see if you're in Cologne. You can also climb the South Tower for a better view of the city.
5. Visit Delirium Bar
With over 30 different beers on tap, fab decor, and young, friendly staff, this place is a must if you're a craft beer fan. I tried a mango beer and enjoyed it that much that I had another. Elliot tried a couple of their IPAs and loved those too. Whilst a little bit pricier than the other bars in Cologne, it's definitely worth it.
So, there we have it, 5 things to do in Cologne. If I were to add another it would 100% be browse the homeware shops. They were all full of lovely things and I definitely could have bought one of everything. Who wants to sign my petition to bring a lot of these European shops to the UK?
Have you ever been to Cologne?
When we planned our Europe Road Trip we didn't really have any set plans for any of the cities we were stopping in. Elliot and I are both quite go with the flow sort of people and on the agenda was just a wander, food, and drinks. This worked for us and we had a brilliant time. But, if you're someone that prefers to plan out their trips, here are 5 things to do in Cologne...
1. Beer and Bratwurst
This had to be number one, right? We made sure we had beer and bratwurst in both of the German cities we stopped at and both times we were not disappointed. There are lots of different restaurants and bars around - we had this in one of the squares not far from the old Fish Market.
2. Visit The Fish Market
Speaking of, you must visit the Fish Market for *that* Cologne photo. It's a small square with these colourful buildings and a number of cafés and eateries. I'm sure there's some interesting history to it but I must admit that I was there just to snap a picture.
3. Go In The Chocolate Museum
This far exceeded my expectations and I'd recommend it to anyone. There was a tropical garden you could walk around, a working factory, people making chocolates, free samples, interactive exhibits as well as lots of information boards to read.
4. See the Cathedral
It's 157m tall and an impressive piece of Gothic architecture. According to Wikipedia, the construction began in 1248 and it opened in 1880. Since 1996 it's been a World Heritage Site and is absolutely a must-see if you're in Cologne. You can also climb the South Tower for a better view of the city.
5. Visit Delirium Bar
With over 30 different beers on tap, fab decor, and young, friendly staff, this place is a must if you're a craft beer fan. I tried a mango beer and enjoyed it that much that I had another. Elliot tried a couple of their IPAs and loved those too. Whilst a little bit pricier than the other bars in Cologne, it's definitely worth it.
So, there we have it, 5 things to do in Cologne. If I were to add another it would 100% be browse the homeware shops. They were all full of lovely things and I definitely could have bought one of everything. Who wants to sign my petition to bring a lot of these European shops to the UK?
Have you ever been to Cologne?
After Cochem, we (I say we, it was definitely only Elliot) drove to Cologne. After our Berlin trip was cancelled last Christmas, thanks COVID, we were both really excited to visit a large German city as part of our trip.
We arrived at the campsite late afternoon and after checking the times for public transport realised that getting into the city for dinner just wasn't feasible. We'd found a brilliant pitch at the campsite, right on the Rhein, and didn't want to risk taking the van to the shop and losing our spot. So, we decided to walk.
Lidl was about 30 mins away from the site. We got there, bought all of the ingredients for pesto pasta with creme fraiche as well as plenty of snacks. As we leave the shop, it starts raining but we don't think much of it, we've both got a raincoat on. Anyway, about 5 minutes into our 30 minute walk it starts BUCKETING down with rain. I'm talking soaked the whole way through sort of rain. Our paper bag full of shopping has disintegrated before our eyes. Now, this wouldn't have been too bad if we were in a hotel for the evening but alas not. We then spent the rest of the evening cooped up in the van accompanied by the smell of our wet, soggy clothes and trainers. Deeeeelicious.
The forecast for the next morning was much better so we set an early alarm and got up and out as fast as we could. We took the bus and then a tram into the city, had a wander around the shops and then stopped for a pastry. One thing to note about Cologne is that the homeware shops are miiiiles better than the ones we have here. I genuinely could have spent hundreds in each of the shops.
After a bit more wandering we headed to the Chocolate Museum. Now, I wasn't too sure what to expect but we genuinely both thoroughly enjoyed it. We paid €16 to get in and were pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. There was a tropical garden, a working factory, people making chocolates, free samples as well as lots of boards to read and things to look at.
It'd just started to rain when we left the museum, so we headed for some lunch. Another bratwurst and beer? Of course. we then wandered around even more shops and then went to Delirium cafe. This was one I'd found on Google Maps and it was fab. They had 30 different beers on tap and I was very fond of the mango one I had. The decor was really cool and is somewhere that's 100% worth checking out if you're in Cologne.
On our way back to the tram we stopped in Lidl for some bits for dinner. Yes, we were absolutely playing a game of how many Lidl bingo. I think we almost managed to go to one in every city, lol. We then had a very chilled dinner back at the van (sheltered from the rain) and had an early night. Whilst we did manage to see a lot of Cologne, I think we'd have seen even more if the weather had been better!
Two Nights In Cologne, Germany - Europe Road Trip Stop 6
21.8.22 • campervan, europe roadtrip, germany, travel
After Cochem, we (I say we, it was definitely only Elliot) drove to Cologne. After our Berlin trip was cancelled last Christmas, thanks COVID, we were both really excited to visit a large German city as part of our trip.
We arrived at the campsite late afternoon and after checking the times for public transport realised that getting into the city for dinner just wasn't feasible. We'd found a brilliant pitch at the campsite, right on the Rhein, and didn't want to risk taking the van to the shop and losing our spot. So, we decided to walk.
Lidl was about 30 mins away from the site. We got there, bought all of the ingredients for pesto pasta with creme fraiche as well as plenty of snacks. As we leave the shop, it starts raining but we don't think much of it, we've both got a raincoat on. Anyway, about 5 minutes into our 30 minute walk it starts BUCKETING down with rain. I'm talking soaked the whole way through sort of rain. Our paper bag full of shopping has disintegrated before our eyes. Now, this wouldn't have been too bad if we were in a hotel for the evening but alas not. We then spent the rest of the evening cooped up in the van accompanied by the smell of our wet, soggy clothes and trainers. Deeeeelicious.
The forecast for the next morning was much better so we set an early alarm and got up and out as fast as we could. We took the bus and then a tram into the city, had a wander around the shops and then stopped for a pastry. One thing to note about Cologne is that the homeware shops are miiiiles better than the ones we have here. I genuinely could have spent hundreds in each of the shops.
After a bit more wandering we headed to the Chocolate Museum. Now, I wasn't too sure what to expect but we genuinely both thoroughly enjoyed it. We paid €16 to get in and were pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. There was a tropical garden, a working factory, people making chocolates, free samples as well as lots of boards to read and things to look at.
It'd just started to rain when we left the museum, so we headed for some lunch. Another bratwurst and beer? Of course. we then wandered around even more shops and then went to Delirium cafe. This was one I'd found on Google Maps and it was fab. They had 30 different beers on tap and I was very fond of the mango one I had. The decor was really cool and is somewhere that's 100% worth checking out if you're in Cologne.
On our way back to the tram we stopped in Lidl for some bits for dinner. Yes, we were absolutely playing a game of how many Lidl bingo. I think we almost managed to go to one in every city, lol. We then had a very chilled dinner back at the van (sheltered from the rain) and had an early night. Whilst we did manage to see a lot of Cologne, I think we'd have seen even more if the weather had been better!
Known for its wine, Cochem is full of tourists and places to eat and drink. It also has a really impressive castle (which we, unfortunately, didn't make it to because of time restraints) and a cable car that takes you to a station 255m above sea level for views of Cochem (we didn't get to do that either).
So, what did we do? We had a wander around the shops, an authentic lunch of beer and bratwurst, and then had an ice cream sat overlooking the river. I mean, it doesn't sound like we did a lot but we still managed to spend about 3 hours or so exploring Cochem.
The second we got back into the van it started absolutely hammering down with rain (was that a warning of what was to come.... maybe).
In all honesty, I wouldn't plan a trip to Germany just to see Cochem, but, if like us you are passing by, it's definitely worth a quick stop!
A Morning in Cochem, Germany - Europe Road Trip Stop 5
19.8.22 • campervan, europe roadtrip, germany, travel
Known for its wine, Cochem is full of tourists and places to eat and drink. It also has a really impressive castle (which we, unfortunately, didn't make it to because of time restraints) and a cable car that takes you to a station 255m above sea level for views of Cochem (we didn't get to do that either).
So, what did we do? We had a wander around the shops, an authentic lunch of beer and bratwurst, and then had an ice cream sat overlooking the river. I mean, it doesn't sound like we did a lot but we still managed to spend about 3 hours or so exploring Cochem.
The second we got back into the van it started absolutely hammering down with rain (was that a warning of what was to come.... maybe).
In all honesty, I wouldn't plan a trip to Germany just to see Cochem, but, if like us you are passing by, it's definitely worth a quick stop!
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?
.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...
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