Europe / Georgina Does

Europe

Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts

A mini guide to Hafjell, Norway

Wednesday, 9 March 2022

Southern Norway is not somewhere I'd heard much about but with a wedding invite in hand, we booked our trip to Lillehammer. Turns out, this little town isn't quite as unknown as I originally thought; not only did it host the 1994 winter Olympics but there's a whole Netflix series named after it.

We stayed in Hafjell, which is a village and a ski resort in Lillehammer and it was the most amazing experience. Our four-night stay became quite the magical trip.

Getting to Hafjell

Hafjell is a 15-minute drive from Lillehammer station, or two and a half hours from Oslo. I'd recommend hiring a car like we did because taxis are very expensive in Norway and it wasn't an easy place to walk around.

From Oslo, it was an easy ride and a beautiful route, sprinkled with snow. We even took a couple of accidental, on purpose wrong turns to explore the countryside!

Where to stay

We, along with the rest of the wedding party, stayed at Nermo. It had won yearly awards for best ski resort hotel so we had high hopes.

Our deluxe room was dark and woody with an alpine vibe and a modern bathroom. It was also very spacious which was perfect with ski gear coming in and out.

The big fireplace in reception was warm and welcoming; and with lots of comfy seating. We arrived a day before everyone else so we spent the first night there, catching up with the bride and groom over a bottle of prosecco.

Where to eat

Bryggerikjelleren

Once a few more people had arrived the next day, we drove into Lillehammer for dinner at Bryggerikjelleren.

In the arches of the old brewery, dark walls and another roaring fireplace transformed this cold, beer cellar into one of the more extravagant restaurants in the area.

We started with cocktails (as always) and went for three courses. The menu is mainly steak although there were a few other dishes - and pizza if you ask - although there seems to be a secret menu for that.

Favn

Another place we ate at a couple of times was called Favn. Located on the mountain, just across from the top of the gondola, this one had a great view out over the mountain.

It was the perfect place to take a break from skiing. I enjoyed the seafood bisque so much the first time that we went back again before we left. It was very rich, but I love warming soup when I'm skiing.

What to do in Hafjell

Go Skiing!

Hajfell is a ski resort and for beginners like me, it was perfect. We hired skis, boots and a helmet and spent a few days up on the mountains whilst I practised on the greens and blues.

Location wise, it was a 5-minute drive from the hotel which was super easy.

Dog sledging

This was such a joyful experience. The sun was shining, the dogs were excited and the views were immense.

Highly recommend.

Northern lights

I'm not sure this is a fair recommendation because I was told that people have lived there for 50 years and not seen the northern lights; but on the night of the wedding, we were very lucky to see green and blue dance across the sky. It was a magical end to the most brilliant day!

Tuesday, 15 October 2019

Having just got back from sailing the med on a Royal Caribbean cruise, I thought sharing my average day on board could be an interesting topic. It seems fairly obvious that most people think you have to be over the age of 60 to book all inclusive cruises but from my experience, that usually isn't the case.

I won't lie, this last cruise, it absolutely was the case and it wasn't ideal. But, that doesn't mean there's nothing for young people to do on cruise ships. The Independence of the Seas has all sorts of fun stuff for younger people from an ice rink to an arcade and even a newly added escape room.

It's very easy to laze around on a sunbed all day if that's what you enjoy; the buffet is just next door to the swimming pool and the soft serve ice cream machine but that isn't our style and our days were packed full from beginning to end.

Breakfast

From a huge buffet on the top deck to a served breakfast in the main dining room, like all of our meals on board, there were lots of options. I did get up for food for the first few days, but soon discovered it was the easiest time for me to skip a meal (you'll understand why by the end of this post) so my day usually started by meeting my parents after they had had breakfast at around 9.30am.

Explore on Land

Arguably, the best part of a cruise holiday is that you wake up in a new place almost every day. We did a 12 night Spanish Mediterranean tour which consisted of 8 stops and 4 days at sea so when we were docked, we got up early and went to explore. Sea days were the perfect excuse for a lay in.

There were some awesome stops, surprisingly, a few that we hadn't been to before but my two highlights were Lisbon; we hired a lady in a tuk tuk to show us around before stopping off for a whole load of pastel de natas, and Ibiza where we climbed to the top of the island to look over the ocean before climbing back down to the habour for a well deserved paella.

The good thing about it being accessible for the older generation is that everything is super easy. The ship docks, you walk off the gangway and then you're ready to go! You can join a coach tour and get picked up from there or go off and do whatever you fancy.

Lunch

Only a small part of our day was spent on shore, we usually got bored after a couple of hours and couldn't wait to get back on the ship to eat some more.

Activity

After lunch was my favourite part of the day and usually when we'd find ways to entertain ourselves on board. Sometimes I'd head to the gym but I'd usually save that for windy days at sea; so on sunny days at port my brothers and I would head to the top deck to go on the Flowrider.

On this particular day, I went straight from the gym and with lack of preparation, jumped on in my sports bra and shorts. Definitely recommend a sturdy top and I have had some flyaway bikini tops in the past!

After that, it was time to grab my headphones; and sometimes a frozen cocktail, and find somewhere cosy to curl up for the rest of the afternoon.

Get Glam

Time to head back to the room to get ready for the evening! To my mum's despair, most nights I went for dinner super casual in a sweater and shorts. There were 3 formal nights on our voyage and although we didn't get to fancy for those, I did step it up from the loungewear. Some people get really dressed up in floor length ball gowns and suits!

Dinner

The buffet was open but we would always go to the main restaurant which was spread across three floors and this was where our eating got totally out of hand.

On one of the first nights, my brother couldn't decide which starter to order so our waitress said she'd just bring him both. From then on, we got into the habit of ordering any dish that sounded good which meant while everyone around us was having a normal three course dinner, we would have anywhere between 4 and 7 courses turn up for each of us. Think NY steaks, lobster tails, lamb shanks and duck breast mains, it was all very rich and decadent!

Drinks & Show

By this point, the ship had set sail again and the internet connection was gone for the night. We did struggle but it was a good thing because it meant we didn't spend all our time glued to phones. Buying onboard wifi was extortionate so we only did that on days at sea.

My dad liked to go and watch the show after dinner and if it sounded good, we'd go with him. Otherwise it was a matter of grabbing a cocktail and chilling at one of the many bars around the ship for an hour or so.

Games

Back together after that, we usually spent the rest of the evenings playing cards and drinking cocktail after cocktail in the sports bar.

Failing that, I took the odd night to go back to the room early and watch Netflix in bed!

*Collaborative Content

Sunday, 3 February 2019

Before I left to go traveling, Soho was where I spent all of my time. I worked there, I went out after work there and I went back at the weekends too, so when an email came through asking me how I'd choose to spend a day in the area, it was the perfect opportunity for me to reconnect with my favourite part of town.

Getting There

Soho covers the area between Oxford Circus, Tottenham Court Road and Picadilly Circus stations meaning it's is easily accessed from the Central, Northern and Picadilly lines.

If you're not a local, I'd recommend staying in one of the many hotels in Soho; you'll be able to walk out of your front door, right in on the action.

Gym

I started my day with a trip to the gym as it's something I've really been enjoying lately. I never know what part of London I'm going to be in so instead of signing up, I just pick up a day pass as and when. Fitness First have well equipped gyms all over London and it was super easy to just purchase a day pass. Their Kingly Street one was in a great location just behind Kingly court and very close to Oxford Street station.

Healthy Lunch: Detox Kitchen

The Carnaby Street and Kingly Court area is a must visit if you're in Soho and that's where I spent most of my day. Just outside of the gym was a very well placed, healthy restaurant: The Detox Kitchen.

I grabbed a baked salmon and lentil and kale salad for lunch.

Shopping

I don't think there's been a day when I have gone into town and not looked in a few shops before I came home. With Oxford Street being one of London's most famous shopping areas, I hit up the shoe shops in search of a new pair of Converse.

Mission Accomplished.

If you are heading home on a train, don't forget about rush hour! I decided to head home at about 3pm to ensure a nice calm journey because I know from prior experience just how crazy it gets after 5.30pm. Beware, they often close Oxford Street station due to overcrowding. If you don't fancy heading home that early, then stay out until a bit later on; it's the perfect excuse for a couple of happy hour cocktails!

The spending money was gifted by Hotels.com, but all views are my own.

Friday, 5 January 2018

A few days after returning home from Asia, I was off to The Netherlands to explore again with Stena Line! Last time we travelled in the summer on a mini road trip but this year we explored more of The Netherlands in the wintertime and today I wanted to share with you my highlights from the trip! I'm going to try really hard to not make them all food related but I cant promise anything.

Sailing to Holland Onboard Stena Line

Like I said, I've taken a ferry to Holland a few times in the past (both with my family and on press trips) and it's a style of travel that I really enjoy. Firstly, having cruised for most of my childhood with my family meant I now feel really at home traveling on a boat. As my mum always says, it means that your holiday starts as soon as you step on board which is something you can't say about flying to a destination. Like last time, we got a rail and sail ticket straight from London to the boat where we boarded, dropped off our bags and headed to dinner; which we finished off with an apple crumble and a glass of fizz - now that's my kind of journey.

Departure was just as easy and is literally, just a matter of walking off of the boat, getting our passports checked and getting into a taxi to the hotel.

Ferris Wheel in The Hague

The Hague was our first stop and after a day exploring the city we headed to Scheveningen (the seaside!) just in time for sunset. The pier itself is all glassed in so even though it was cold, it was still a lovely place to be. At the end of the pier, was a ferris wheel! Again, this would have been really lovely had the weather been in our favour but even though it wasn't, it's still made it to my list of highlights because a ferris wheel in stormy winds was just quite the experience! All wrapped up warm and squashed into a pod; we had a beautiful red and orange sunset, the views back over The Hague and a good laugh in between squeals!

Seeing The Girl With The Pearl Earring

During our walking tour that day, we went to a couple of art museums. I'm not usually a big fan of museums but Mauritshuis in The Hague, which is currently home to the famous painting was more like a big manor house than a museum! I was super excited to be able to go and see such a famous painting in real life. Its much smaller than I had expected!

Canal Ride Through Utrecht

The next morning we were off to Utretch and I really did enjoy walking through the quaint streets. It's such a picturesque place during the day but a canal ride as it started to get dark was definitely my highlight of our time in the town. When it's cold, and it was, it is a wonderfully warm, comfortable and relaxing way to see the place. I loved looking up at the brick bridges, the foodie stores (we picked up alot of cheese between us during our time there) and the bikes that lined the railings watching as daylight turned to fairy lights.

Dutch appletart
I've always been a fan of a cake break but whilst I was in Holland, I was particularly excited for our little stops in between activities because every cafe that we stopped in was serving Hollandse Appeltaart! Apple seemed to be a bit of a running theme right?! Similar to an apple pie but much simpler - a crumbly, almost short crust tart with a simple apple, sugar and a cinnamon filling which was always served cold. I always had mine with a cup of mint tea so I could pretend a cake break was actually a healthy thing to do.

Euromast

Our last stop was Rotterdam and heading to the top of the Euromast was a great way to see the city especially whilst it was blanketed in snow. It was just a short water taxi ride from our amazing hotel - the SS Rotterdam where we stayed the night before so we were there within minutes of leaving the warmth of the lobby.

Dinner On The SS Rotterdam

Talking of which: This one earned it's spot on this list for two reasons. Firstly, the whole boat experience was pretty cool and a very unique thing to do in the city. We stayed the night on board in cabins which were just the same as any cruise ship I've been on in the past. And the second reason? Dinner here was a highlight for me was because it was the first time I'd eaten a three course meal by myself which is kinda surprising considering I've just been one a three month trip around SEA solo.

Let me explain how that came to be on a group press trip. I seem to had been particularly struggling with the snow in the Netherlands so whilst the rest of the group headed out to dinner, Sophie the lovely PR with us said I could chill out and eat on board if I preferred; which I definitely did. I headed up to the lido where the staff sat me down on a lovely table looking out over Rotterdam which was all lit up. A good WiFi connection and a lovely warm atmosphere meant I had no problems enjoying a meal for one. Plus there was a chocolate sphere on the menu so I had to stay for dessert.

Escape Rooms
It was pretty snowy again on our last day so we were all pleased to have a fun activity to do indoors; plus it was the first time I'd ever done an escape room too. We completely failed - the guy ended up giving us 15 minutes extra and then telling us the last answer because we just couldn't work it out but I still had an awesome afternoon!

Eating Oliebollen

Of course alot of my highlights involve food but this time it's a local Dutch treat that I wanted to share with you. Oliebollen are huge balls of dough that have been cooked in oil hence the name. They are rolled in icing sugar and traditionally eaten on new years eve. We saw them all over Rotterdam - although it was sort of that time of year; anyway we picked a them up at a little stall on the street and ate them as the snow was falling around us.

The aim of the game is to get the icing sugar everywhere and I seemed to do a better job of it than anyone else as the rest of the group were in fits of giggles with what they described to me as an icing sugar beard; I didn't care though. I was so cold and food takes me to a happy place so I just focused on the fluffy dough in question.

The snow was really starting to fall heavily by then so we spent our last few hours in Rotterdam in a cosy little pub eating meatballs and drinking mulled wine before heading back to the hook of Holland to get on the ferry back to London!

Stena Line offers twice-daily, seven hour return crossings between Harwich and the Hook of Holland. Return fares start from £148 for two adults and a car. Return fares for a family of four start from £178. www.stenaline.co.uk/ferry-to-holland.

Rail and Sail option starts from £55 one way, ferry travel and train. Stena Line’s Dutchflyer rail-and-sail service allows customers to take any Greater Anglia service to Harwich, and then on to any Dutch city of their choice.

Where we stayed:

ROTTERDAM: The SS Rotterdam

UTRETCH: Star Lodge Hotel

THE HAGUE: The Hague Carlton Ambassador Hotel

Thanks to Stena Line, The Visit The Hague, UTRETCH Marketing and Rotterdam Partners for hosting me on this trip!

Sunday, 19 November 2017

Well known for its consistent heat, the man made beach and of course Las ramblas, you can see why Barcelona is a very popular destination, but there is also lots to see outside of the city center. If the hustle and bustle of this busy city can get a bit much, especially when your in holiday mode, I've put together a list of things to see and do that are all within an hour of the madness so you could easily pop out for the afternoon or even book in an overnight stay if you fancied.

Visit Monstraat
Whilst mountains aren't usually something I would recommend for fun, in fact I really thought I wasn't a fan of any mountain activity (apart from eating), I really enjoyed my day in Monstarrat. Firstly, it was the first time I've been up to the top of a mountain and it was hot so that gave the whole afternoon a whole other edge and secondly, the train ride up there was an experience in itself, I felt like I was on a real life thunder mountain in regards to the mountains and the views (not the crazy rode part) At the top, we took a walk around in the sunshine, watched a school boy choir sing in the huge monastery, had a local lunch and then got the train back to the station.

Segway ride in Sitges
Segway tours are such a fun thing to do. With the sun out, our evening tour was still pretty warm and a great alternative way to see a place. Don't worry if you've never done it before, I hadn't but our guide was great and went through it individually with each of us before we set off; plus our route was super simple although there was some time to play sound once we got to the park. It's really easy, although riding a segway can actually get pretty exhausting too so an hour was the perfect amount of time.

P.S. I was told that a building site on the seafront was the beginning of ME Barcelona so soon that'll be another reason to visit Sitges.

Beach club in Vilanova
Vilanova is a very quiet seaside town but as you venture out along the harbor, once you pass all of the yachts, you'll find La Daurada beach club at the end. This is where we had our welcome party and we were all told to wear white in traditional beach club fashion. Starting upstairs, we grabbed a glass of cava and drank it on the balcony before finding the cocktail bar and grabbing a seat downstairs on the beach front. There we watched the sunset which was really quite impressive. The sky changed from clear blue through an incredible range of oranges and reds whilst the live band played.

Drink wine in Vilafranca

If you're a wine lover, then this is the one for you. Vilafranca is the wine capital of Catalonia and we did lots of wine related activities during our day there. Firstly, there is the Vinseum where you can learn about wine culture if that's your kind of thing and of course it ends with a glass of wine. We also went to the most beautiful vineyard for lunch (the restaurant there was called Mas Rabell) where we were served 5 courses each paired with a wine. The food felt like there was a lot of thought put into it; each dish was very tasty and well presented too. Lastly, we went up to the bell tower of Santa Maria church whee you can see sweeping views all around. You have to book in your visit but you can opt for the sunset and with a glass of wine visit for just €5. Cheers!

See a human tower in Terressa
Human towers (or castellers) are a traditional spectacle in Catalonia and upon seeing my first one I can confirm they are very impressive. Time you're visit right and you'll be able to catch a public display that happens over most holiday and festivals but if not, like us you can go and watch the local team practice. Minyons de Terrassa, who we went to see were the first team in Spain to build a tower 10 people high. Pretty impressive!
Human towers are tradition in Spain & last night we watched the @visitaterrassa team train 😮 #BCNmuchmore #costabarcelonaweek @Spain_inUK pic.twitter.com/WuWqs7nz9Y

— Georgina Goodman (@GeorginaDoes) May 18, 2017

*Thanks to Costa Barcelona Week for hosting me

Monday, 14 August 2017

The Camino de Santiago del norte, The Northern Way, is a well trodden pilgrimage route, along northern Spain and as it turns out, 2017 is a holy year for it. Originally, pilgrims walked this route to reach a monastery but these days, people who enjoy walking take this route to see northern Spain and stop off to see and do things along the way. It's a bit of an adventure really.

I did a little section earlier this year, and spent four days exploring the route starting in Santandar and finishing at the monastery. Santander is a seaside town and reminded me a little of Brighton. We ate outside in the sunshine before taking a stroll the front with an ice cream and finishing up with a glass of cava at a beachside bar; My kind of afternoon!

Over the next four days, from Santander, we walked a little along the coast through the Oyambre national park. With beautiful green landscapes and a lovely stretch of very quite beach, I really enjoyed walking this part before we headed inland. There we visited a cave, El Soplao, although that's not really my style so I spent that hour outside in the sunshine. We also got a cable car to the top and explored picos de europa mountain range.

Of course there was also lots of food along the way. Cantabria is full of local culinary delights and as usual, I wanted to try them all. We ate Cocido montañés which was the perfect hearty lunch after a morning exploring in the cold!

My favourite stop of the trip had to be Potes; the cute little cobbled town that we reached just before our final stop. The old town was a lovely place to spend the morning wandering around I just love a town with a river running right through it. A very pretty place!

Our trip finished at the monastery. We walked through the door of forgiveness, as pilgrims had come to do in the past, and once inside was able to see the Lígnum Crucis. This metal cross houses the largest surviving piece of the cross that Jesus was crucified on.

After chatting with the priest, we took a group selfie to celebrate the end of our trip!

*Thanks to The Spanish Tourism Board for hosting me.

SLIDER