A roadtrip showcasing great wineries, medieval fortresses and the Caucasus

On February 6, 2018January 27, 2022 By CGKIn Europe, Georgia, RoadtripsLeave a comment

On our third day in Georgia, we had our Guide/driver ( see here how we found him) waiting for us at the hotel and started our tour of the Eastern part of the country.

First on the list was a visit to the David Gareji monastery. It is located in a semi-desert area in the South East of the country and close to the border with Azerbaijan 🇦🇿. The drive from Tiblisi will take about 2h30. We stopped in the way at Telliani Valley (an important exporter of Georgian wines) for a quick tour of their factory and some wine sampling.

We followed the concrete road for about 50 km East of Tiblisi and an unpaved road after that, all the way South. If you self drive, you should get a good map and clear indications as there are not many signs once you leave the main road. Do pack water and some snaks as this is going to be a long day hiking in the border area and other than a toilet, there is limited access to food or water once you get there. It was only us and a National Geographic vehicle when we arrived but in Summer it should be quite popular.

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A long week-end in the Sun in October: try Montenegro

On October 20, 2017June 3, 2018 By CGKIn Europe, Montenegro, Unesco World Heritage SiteLeave a comment

This was the second long week-end in 2017 spent on a girls trip. The first girls trip of 2017 was in June in Malaga and I loved having the opportunity to visit the Picasso Museum, eat great food and generally have adult conversations with my friends. I hope to share my impressions of Malaga in a future post.

After my return from Malaga, I had a quick look at potential low cost flights from either Brussels or Paris towards another sunny destination that many of my friends recommended: Montenegro. I found Transavia taking off from Paris Orly. I was aiming for an escape in the end September, to avoid the crowds. If you are thinking about going in the same period, keep in mind they only fly directly till Ocotber to Tivat ( part of the Summer schedule). I found a flight for less than 200 Euro and convinced two friends to join in.

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Back in Portugal – 3 days at the beach and a taste of Lisbon

On September 25, 2017February 3, 2018 By CGKIn Europe, Nature, Portugal, Unesco World Heritage SiteLeave a comment

I have been to Portugal a few times already. First, about 8 years ago, I travelled with my best friend to Porto and Lisbon. I have then spend a couple of week- ends in Lisbon with friends. And of course, the Azores in 2011. But in the August of 2017, looking for possible destinations for a sort jaunt from Brussels, I stumbled on the coastal town of Sesimbra. It is then that Mr happened to mention he was never to Portugal. The decision was made. He received a trip to Portugal as his birthday present.

As Lisbon was my husband’s treat, I kept it for the end. Upon arrival we rented a car and drove down to Sesimbra, about one hour south of Lisbon. Potuguese colleagues recommended it for the nice, wide beach, fresh seafood and being popular with locals mostly. As we were travelling mid-August, there were bound to be people on holidays, so any tips to less travelled places were well appreciated.

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Tenerife- in search of the ‘real’ island in our first family vacation

On May 20, 2017February 18, 2018 By CGKIn Europe, Islands, Nature, Spain1 Comment

I travelled well into my pregnancy, with the last trip to Puglia when I was about 7 months along. We also had a gorgeous ‘babymoon’ to Sri Lanka and Maldive that I shared on the blog. Still, after giving birth, I was again eager to discover someplace new and I started looking for a destination that we could share as a family in early April 2016. Friends were travelling at the same time to Tenerife so we decided to tag along.

It was not a package holiday but we did take it easy as regards accomodation and went for half board. We did not know how the baby will adapt (4 months at the time of travel) and preferred to make sure there will be some easily reachable food in case he decides to act up just as dinner draws close. We also rented a car (with a car seat) to give us some flexibility to explore the island.

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Best 5 restaurants for traditional Romanian food in Bucharest

On August 27, 2015January 25, 2018 By CGKIn Europe, Romania, Urban landscapeLeave a comment

I know Bucharest well as I used to study there before moving to Brussels. Now still, I often travel back and forth between the two every other month or so. Living abroad, I learned to appreciate a good Romanian restaurant, not only for surprising the occasional friend after a long sight-seeing day but also to indulge in some tasty cooking myself.

As with many Eastern European capitals the food scene is constantly evolving but there are a few places that have been now around for some time and I consider them to be a reference when looking for a good traditional meal. Spoiler alert, this post will make you hungry and maybe even make you reach for a credit card and book a flight to Bucharest.

So here it is:

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Two days in Vilnius – a week-end break for the meat and outdoor lover

On May 3, 2015January 25, 2018 By CGKIn Europe, Lithuania, Urban landscape1 Comment

Vilnius is not a top vegetarian destination. Lithuanians do meat and they do it very well. So get ready for a very meaty week-end, washed down with delicious local beers. But before we get to the food, let me tell you a bit about everything else that made me add Vilnius to the travel list.

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Live from Brindisi – Sun and gelato

On August 15, 2014January 25, 2018 By CGKIn Europe, ItalyLeave a comment

This is my first blog post from the road. On this occasion, the
road starts at Brindisi and should lead to Positano, in the span of about a week. Also, the plan is to move from one place to another by train rather than car and therefore avoid getting stressed by widespread lack of parking in the small Italian cities of the South.

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Short break in Slovenia – Things to see in 48h

On August 10, 2014January 25, 2018 By CGKIn Castles, Europe, Nature, SloveniaLeave a comment

A short plane ride away from Brussels you will find …many interesting and diverse destinations. Probably one of the advantages of this small Western European country. Staying true to our wanderlust, in January 2014, we hopped on an ADRIA plane to visit friends in Ljubljana. Despite the delays usually associated with traveling during winter in Europe (always catching airports by surprise, it seems, although it tends to come during the same 3-month period every year) we had a smooth 1h15 flight to Slovenia’s capital. And we are glad we did as Slovenia is truly a winter wonderland.

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Un peu d’air frais – Short break in Normandie

On August 22, 2013September 4, 2018 By CGKIn Castles, Europe, France, Unesco World Heritage Site1 Comment

Last week-end, encouraged by the very nice weather forecast, we decided to jump in the car and explore a bit in the North of France. With no prior bookings we decided to head to Deauville and Mont Saint-Michel for a short break.

We were initially set for Le Havre to watch the big ships sail into port. As we arrived there, the rain started to fall and ruined our plans for a short stop and lunch. Despite warnings from booking.com and Agoda that the town is fully booked, we decided to continue to Deauville in search for accommodation.

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