We landed in Zakynthos a couple of days ago and are still in exploration mode. Here are a few orientation tips if you consider this Greek island for you next ‘two plus’ beach getaway:
Continue reading “First impressions of Zakynthos – toddler friendly beaches and calm seas”
We arrived in Jeju by plane from Busan. We booked the tickets about two weeks before but there were planes leaving literally every 10 minutes so if you are more of a ‘spur of the moment’ person, there will be a seat for you.
Continue reading “Jeju Island, Korea – All about navigating the Olle Track with a toddler”
A full day itinerary concentrating in and around Teguise, in the heart of Lanzarote. You should consider doing this itinerary on any day of the week except Sunday. On Sundays there is a big and rather touristic market taking place in Teguise old town that detracts from the peacefulness and serenity of the place.
Continue reading “Pirate stories and wine tastings in Lanzarote’s heartland”
From Seoul station, a fast KTX train takes you to Gyeong ju in about 2 h. Adult tickets are 45,000 won and children under 3 are free. There are trains pretty much every 30 min between Seoul and Gyeong ju and a prior reservation is not necessary.
Gyeong ju is dubbed as the Golden City, in commemoration of the golden relics uncovered in the ancient tombs dotted in the area. It is also a UNESCO listed heritage city with a laid back vibe and beautifully preserved temples.
We arrived in Seoul a few days ago, after a reasonably smooth but long flight from Istanbul. We had a good idea of the different options to reach the city but were rather unprepared for the post- flight exhaustion that followed a busy work week. So decided to make our life easier and splurge for a cab.
Continue reading “Family Travel in South Korea – 5 Fun experiences in Seoul”
If you like modern architecture and constructions that blend perfectly in their environment, you should consider visiting some of Cesar Manrique’s creations in Lanzarote. His influence on Lanzarote’s landscapes is still present today. In particular, by limiting the hight of buildings to that of the tallest palm tree and the billboard free roads.
This full day itinerary focuses on the North of Lanzarote. The first part of the day will keep the little ones on their toes. First with an open air exhibition of cactus of all shapes and sizes. Then, a visit of Haria village to walk on palm fringed old streets and run around in the pedestrian area. In the afternoon, the grown ups will take a peek in the life of the great architect Cesar Manrique in his house frozen in time and enjoy the beatiful pools and views in Jameos del Agua. Finally, the mirador will offer a unique view on Isla Graciosa, the island North of Lanzarote.
We did the itinerary from South to North.
1. Star at the Cactus Garden -Jardin de Cactus. This was actually one of the last works of Manrique. Jardín de Cactus has around 4,500 specimens of 450 different species, of 13 different families of cactus from the five continents. The green shade of the plants stands out against the blue sky and the dark volcano rock creating a striking explosion of colour that impresses most visitors. A small stream flows in the middle of the garden. Children can admire the huge red fish swimming in the small stream and will have fun looking at all the different cactus shapes. Access by stroller is quite ok for the ground level but you will not be able to climb on the terraces or visit the small windmill. Better have a carrier if the children are not yet walking. Entrance: 6 Euro per adult and children under 7 years are free.
2. Haria city walk and the house of Cesar Manrique. With the children still impressed by the original cactus garden but not yet hungry, hop off the car for a quick visit of Manrique’s house in Haria. This is the house where he spent the last part of his life and is a rather compact structure, accessible by stroller, except myaybe the outside studio area. If you plan to visit also the Manrique foundation in Tachiche, ask for a combo ticket (about 15 Euro). Once the kids start to signal they might soon get feed- up with this museum-house, step out on the streets of green Haria. There is a nice pedestrian area in front of the Haria cathedral where they can run around. You can also stop here for lunch or continue to Arrieta.
3. Stop for lunch in Arrieta. This small village is one of the best places to eat fish on the island. We parked the car and went in El Amanecer to put our name on the list at the bar for lunch. If travelling in high season, it is likely that some waiting time will be involved before a table becomes available. We were told of about 30 min so we used the time to check out the small, sandy and family friendly beach in Arrieta. If your wait is longer, you can take the opportunity for some beach games with the kids or a quick dip in the ocean. If you are not willing to wait too long, another good recommendation in Arietta where we ate on our last day is a no frills place, just after the village beach, called Casa de la Playa. Great catch of the day grilled fish and sea food. There were many locals when we went whcoh is always a good sign. Both restaurants recommended have high chairs.
4. Continue north to Jameos del Agua, another of Manrique’s original designs. He used the debris of a volcanic tube with lava flowing from Volcán de la Corona, on the north of the island and transformed it to a series of passage ways and pools. The entire place inspires peacefulness and harmony in the way nature and human creation came together. Birds echoe their songs in the lava caves. Small crabs shine like coins at the bottom of the internal lagoon, connected to the ocean. The place even has an original Auditorium, unique in the world due to its geological and acoustic features. On the practical side, do bring a carrier if the kids are not yet walking as there are several flights of stairs going up and down the cave. Entrance: 10 Euro for adults and children under 7 can go free.
5. Follow the road to Mirador del Rio, on the tip of the island. Carved into the summit of a 474-metre-high cliff on Lanzarote’s northern tip, the Mirador is almost invisible from the outside. Once you step inside, you find a maze-like sequence of tunnels, with huge windows overlooking the strait between Lanzarote and La Graciosa Island. Entrance fee: 5 Euro per adult.
If you like Cesar Manrique’s works, set aside another half day for the Fondacion Cesar Manrique in Tachiche and Museo Lagomar in Nazaret. They are both great sites although accessibility wise not too easy if you have reduced mobility. There are quite a number of steps and narrow passages. A carrier is recommended.
We combined the Fondacion and the lavish Lagomar house with half a day at the beach as the LO was getting a bit annoyed at the grown ups taking him from house to house and up and down an innumerable number of steps. I will include a short list of our favorite Lanzarote beaches in a separate post.
Happy travels!
After a failed attempt to visit the National Park on our very first day on the island, we came back prepared. And we are glad we did! The views were great, showcasing the power of nature and changing through a variety of colours from yellows to deep black. The photos barely do it justice. This national park is truly unique in the world.
Most important is to come early and preferably in the beginning of the week. Avoid Sundays, particularly during peak season (Catholic Easter Week and July to August). The entrance to the park opens around 9 AM. You buy your ticket (children under 6 enter free) and continue driving for another 5 min till you reach a marked parking. We arrived shortly before 10 AM and everything worked smoothly. No queuing.
You will leave your car and board a special bus that takes you on a panoramic drive through the park. Buses leave when filled, there is no set timetable. Depending on the arrivals, you might have to wait 10 min or so before the bus is ready to leave. Do get a seat at the window to enjoy the views and keep the little ones entertained. It is not possible to leave the bus during the drive that will last about 40-50 min. You can use the toilets at the restaurant before boarding the bus.
Take a warm pullover or jacket, especially if visiting first thing in the morning. The difference in temperature can be huge between the first hours of the morning and mid-day. Also, a small bottle of water might come in handy if you do not want to buy one at the restaurant.
After the bus tour ends, do not leave immediately. Just in front of the bus parking there is a semi-circular viewing area where you can take wonderful pictures of the lava fields and crater. Walk till the end of the viewing platform and you will see a grill that works with the underground heat.
In the middle of the viewing platform, park staff demonstrate every 15-20 min the power of the heat coming from underground. They put water in one of the heat evacuation pipes. The water comes back to the surface as steam, in an a motion that looks a bit like a geyser. Small kinds were greatly entertained by this phenomenon!
Finally, have a coffee (and get warmed up) in the circular lobby of the Restaurant designed by Cesar Manrique. You do not need a reservation to visit this part of the restaurant. It is opened in the morning, as early as the first scheduled bus departure. It is recommended to book if you would like to have lunch on the premises.
As a side trip from in the National Park you can take a camel ride. The Echadero de los Camellos in Parque Nacional de Timanfaya is easy to find by car, it’s on the main road from Yaiza LZ-67 as you approach the visitor attraction. Simply turn into the large car park when you arrive where you can see the camels lined up and waiting patiently for their next passengers. There’s no need to book, you can simply turn up at any time between 09:00 and 16:00 for a camel ride. It costs €12 per camel. The camel ride takes around 20 minutes. We skipped it but many (older) kids seemed thrilled after the experience.
The last bus departure in Spring is at 17h. The park closes at 17h45. We left the park at 11.30h and car queues were forming both before the park entrance and to get into the parking.
Enjoy your visit and let me know if you have more tips.
Happy travels!
Transfagarasan, the name of the road that links the South part of Romania with Transilvania was made famous in Western Europe by the British TV show Top Gear where it received the title of “best road in the world”. But even before gaining this notoriety, it was considered one of the most spectacular roadrips in Eastern Europe for its hight and beautiful views. Tourists from all over the world are now going to Romania to drive this 90 km stretch of road that goes up to an altitude of 2000 km and crossing the Southern section of the Carpathians.
Continue reading “Driving the Transfagarasan, an epic Romanian roadrip”
Sydney was our first stop in our six week Australia itinerary (check it out here) . We spent a couple of days recovering from jet lag and celebrated the New Year 2017 ahead of all our family and friends, overlooking the Opera House and worldwide famous fireworks.
As a sidenote, if you are planing to participate in the New Year festivities in Sydney, go to your chosen area early. The local administration organises several public viewing areas but the best ones will get filled up at about lunchtime. We even saw peple setting up tent in the morning. The good thing is that once they are filled, they will be marked as complete in interractive maps around the city so you do not need to head in that direction. We prepared for a long wait, packed some food, water and diapers in the stroller and arrived at about 8PM in the area located in front of the Museum for Modern Art. The area closed soon after we entered. At about 10 PM there was already a short firework program for ‘families’ but most people stayed for the big event at midnight.
After the fireworks are over, if you are with a stroller, you will need to wait until most of the area clears before you can head to the exit. It did get very crowded once everybody headed for the exits and hurried home. The amount of people on the streets can be overwhellming, as tens of thousands are trying to reach the metros and busses. Luckly our aparthotel was within a decent walking distance (about 40 min) from the Opera House. The LO happilly fell asleep in the stroller immediatelly after the fireworks ended. Side note ended.
Back to our favourite child friendly attractions in Sidney here is the top 6 (one for evey day of the week):
1. Taraonga Zoo – entertainment for whole family on this purposely built zoo island. We bought the tickets online to avoid the queues. You also get a small saving from the price ( aprox 20%). The quickest and easiest way to get to Taronga Zoo is by public transport. The Zoo is located 12 minutes from Circular Quay by ferry or a short bus/train trip from the city or North Sydney. With over 4000 animals to see and 20 Keeper Talks and Shows a day, you’ll need some prior organisation to get the most out of your day at Taronga. They do provide an app that will make navigation easier and show all the updated info on the events taking place. Elevators and ramps are located around the site, allowing those with limited mobility and strollers to traverse the Zoo. The Sky Safari cable car can accommodate stroller and you should definetely do the ride as it offers a different perspective. We loved the picnic tables scattered around and brought our own snacks and water.
2. Sea Life Aquarium in Darling Harbour – is one of the world’s largest aquariums – with over 700 different species and 13,000 animals in an impressive six million litres of water. It is also home to the world’s largest variety of sharks and rays, as well as Australia’s most famed marine animals, including dugongs and tropical reef fish. Only recently they have included a penguin microclimate where you have access via a raft. Temperatures are sub-zero as they try to re- create Arctic atmosphere. They also have a handy stroller parking before you board the train. Penguin colony aside, the underwater world of Shark Valley, an ocean tunnel walk-through is impressive for both kids and adults.
3. Stroller-friendly walk through the royal botanical gardens –
It’s a botanical and cultural oasis that’s perfect for a picnic and an afternoon of imaginative play amongst the plants, flowers and bushes. A great way to get around is to take a ride on the Choo Choo Express mini train service. You also get a different perspective of the Opera House.
4. The Beach – Sydney has access to a number of great beaches. With a toddler, head for calm waters and shade. Little Manly Cove (Stuart Street, Manly 2095) has a shark net and changing facilities. Another nice beach in Manly is Shelly Beach (Bower Street Manly 2095). This is an excellent beach for families, being quite sheltered, small and at a safe distance from the road. There is even some shade on the beach itself. With older children, you can head to Bondi where they can also take surf lessons. No shade on Bondi Beach and can get pretty crowded at week- ends. We hauled a shade tent from Europe that came in handy to protect the baby under the hot Summer Sun. Appropriate sun screen is a must. We also bought a full UV protection swimsuit for the baby. See our pre-trip preparation tips here.
5. The Chinese Garden – A visit to the Chinese Gardens in Darling Harbour is a wonderful option for young kids. Parents will love it too as it provides an escape from the busy city and traffic noise. It’s a magical oasis of waterfalls, lakes and exotic plants. Don’t miss the chance to feed the beautiful Koi fish at 11.30am daily! Then enjoy some treats and tea at the tea house. Some of the pathways are rocky and steep and therefore not pram-friendly so take a carrier instead if possible.
6. Powerhouse Museum ( suitable for 5 years + and grownups that want to play)-Located in the old Ultimo Power Station building adjacent to Darling Harbour, the Powerhouse Museum is the flagship venue of Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (MAAS). Its unique and diverse collection spans science, technology, design and decorative arts, engineering, architecture, health and medicine, fashion and contemporary culture. It is a dream come true for every little explorer. They have regular educational events and workshops for kids and it is worth checking the program if you plan a visit.
These were our favourite places in Sydney to visit with a toddler but they were definitely enjoyed by the adults as well.
Anything we missed? Make a mention in the comments.
Happy travels!
As we are based in Brussels, Antwerp is often our ‘go to’ short getaway. I like how compact and cosy the city center is. You can reach the Central Market in about 20 min walk from the train station. There are nice restaurants and a great coffee culture. Even if the weather is less great (what we call the Belgian microclimate ) there are great places to spend a few hours indoors as well.
Continue reading “A Sunday with wild animals and cava in Antwerp, Belgium”
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A family with a serious case of wanderlust
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A family with a serious case of wanderlust
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