Interrail adventure #5 | FLORENCE

This post has been long in the making and I am really sorry. I've been ridiculously busy and stressed hence couldn't find time and sadly passion to write a blog post. To be honest I just couldn't find the will power to do anything.. #fallblues
Anyways I'm so excited to be writing another interrail post and even more so because it is about the city with the most incredible views I have ever experienced. Trust me.

We stayed two nights in beautiful Florence. On the first afternoon we decided to stay in the city centre and explore the big cathedral 'Il Duomo' as well as the markets. The architecture was breathtaking and the markets had everything imaginable made out of leather. Oh and there was a massive food market with the most amazing dishes!

Il Duomo

Il Duomo's ticket office door

The freedom gate

Santa Maria Novella

Santa Croce

The next day was reserved for all the beautiful views Florence has to offer. We got up extra early because our first stop was the Piazza Michelangelo which is on top of a hill just outside Florence. We were still soaked by the time we made it to the top because at that point Europe was right in the middle of a heatwave. However it was SO worth it! You have to see this yourself one day.

Before the horror that is thousands of stairs

Aaaand after

Il Duomo in his whole glory

The famous house bridge 'Ponte Vecchio'

Chinese wall?

After that we made our way to see the Ponte Vecchio close up and it is SO CUTE. I mean, you can live on this bridge.

Ponte Vechhio

Venice?!

Definitely Venice... confusing

Aaaand then my sister really wanted to see the Pitti Palace that used to house the grand-dukes of Tuscany and later of the King of Italy. We bought a ticket to see the famous Boboli Gardens, which stretched over an immense area and took us hours to explore. Again the views were an absolute highlight.

Dream garden right there

When you don't have a hat but a large map... #budgetproblems

We have no idea what these statues are supposed to represent.

Literally no idea.

Chilling with my friend.

this is a GARDEN...

After that we had dinner which was a disappointment as we were given a massive cover charge. Make sure you ALWAYS ask BEFORE you eat about additional charges. On the bright sight we had an incredible sunset and found the cheapest ice cream in Florence. Believe me when I say this: I have never ever had an ice cream this delicious before. It tasted 200% like chocolate mousse + had the creamiest consistency ever. Go there when in Florence! (Gelateria la carraia)

Cotton candy skies

These are the beauties I was talking about.

That concludes our time in Florence. It was an overwhelming two days with stunning views and tons of new experiences. Have any of you been to Florence before?

Also stay tuned for the next part of my Interrail adventures in the probably most famous city in Italy. Any guesses? ;)

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Interrail adventure #4 | VENICE

ITALY!! Here we come. Pizza, Ice cream and Pasta = heaven on earth... I think the food was one of the main reasons we wanted to spend most of our time in Italian cities ;) Jokes aside, I really love Italy for many reasons and having been to Venice before, there was no doubt we had to go again. Venice is my all time favourite city with it's romantic canals and beautiful architecture. It is the easiest city to just walk around in and the little vintage/mask shops complete the experience. Oh also, Venice sells the best (expensive) clothes I have ever seen!

We stayed two nights in a super cute B&B in one of the side streets, a 15minutes walk away from the station. On the first day we focused on exploring the outer half of the island. The main aim was to get a feel for the city and to see the St.Marco square, the most famous (and busy) square in Venice. The architecture is stunning and there's more pigeons than people there (watch your food).

Ready to explore

The canals + gondolas

Marzipan fruit are THE thing to eat in Venice

Piazza San Marco

The companile

After we headed towards the Canal Grande and tried to find the Rialto bridge which sadly is under construction and looks less than impressive. We did find tons of cute little streets tho.

When a water blob on the camera blurs your face...

Canal Grande

Dream houses right there!

For dinner we had a massive piece of takeaway pizza that was only 4Euro. Restaurants in Venice are incredibly expensive, especially the ones near the attractions. I'd recommend getting something takeaway or looking in small side streets for restaurants. Always ask for cover charge so you don't have any bad surprises! We went to bed quite early as we were super tired from all the travelling.

The next day started off with a session of exploring the less touristic parts of Venice. We discovered some tiny alley ways and the most beautiful architecture. Surprisingly we landed at the military base of Venice, where you have one of the best views of Venice's 'skyline'.

What we believe is the military base..

"Garden goals"

Trying and failing to look good

We also tried to (unsuccessfully) get a look into some of the beautiful churches, as you have to cover up your shoulders and legs to get in.

Anyway, we went on to explore the inner part of the island, walking over the (more or less functioning) Rialto bridge. I had set into my mind to see the famous Santa Maria della Salute, which took way longer than expected as we walked right past it :D In case I haven't mentioned it yet, Venice is a massive maze. Don't think you'll find the thing you're looking for. Well, instead we found delicious ice cream for 1.50 Euro and an almost 360 degree view of the sea at the furthest east point of the inner island.

Fave mask I've seen

This view tho!!

Oh and we also found the Santa Maria della Salute just around the corner there 😂

For dinner we had seafood risotto which was perfect! When it got dark we walked towards the Canal Grande again to get some nice shots of Venice in the dark. It was a great end to our visit there.

When you can't hold the camera still...

Goodbye Venice

Venice was by far one of my favourite cities, the accommodation was nice and the city is stunning. We had planned to take a gondola but 80 pounds for one hour is way too expensive.
Anyways we had an amazing time and I'd recommend everyone of you to go there sometime. Stay tuned for the next part of my interrail adventures - we're staying in Italy.
Please follow me on bloglovin and comment your thoughts about Venice!

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15 things I love about London

About 4 years ago my family and I made the big decision of moving to England. We moved into a house just out of London and I slowly but surely fell in love with the city. Not being used to the amount of people that go through London on a daily basis, it took a while to adjust but now I wouldn't want to be without it.
Here are 15 of the things I adore most about London:

1. The Architecture
London's buildings are from a range of different time periods. You can find century old houses just casually standing next to high tech skyscrapers. It is fascinating and makes the city incredibly interesting (and photo worthy). There's an endless range of the most beautiful buildings, from the Houses of Parliament to the Natural History Museum to the Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication. I could go on forever!

2. There's always something going on
A quiet day in London? No way! The next event or festival is just around the corner and it is definitely worth visiting. London never rests. It can seem kind of exhausting but it actually just means it never gets boring.Moreover it throws the best parties (that are enjoyed by the whole world, e.g. the Olympics). London never does anything half way, it always gives 200%.

3. The city never sleeps
This links to my previous point. This city never ever sleeps. If you want some company in the middle of the night, just go into central London. My favourite thing about this point isn't that great for the environment (light pollution) but especially when you live just outside of London, the night sky will always have a red tint. It never goes completely dark as the city literally glows. It looks stunning!

4. The people
Over 8 million people. About 270 different nationalities. London is one of the most diverse cities in the world. It is amazing to walk along the streets and see people from all over the world enjoying London. People from here are crazy, just like the city they always have something going on and it's amazing. Also I have never been anywhere else and heard the word 'sorry' that many times in one day, politeness at its best!

5. Over 300 different languages
This again links to my previous point, but I just had to mention it separately. The people in London speak in over 300 different languages! Can you imagine what it is like sitting on the tube? It's amazing. Picking up fragments of a conversation in a foreign language and wondering what they could've said keeps you from falling asleep. Speaking another language is part of London and everyone accepts it.

6. Shopping
I couldn't not mention shopping. Malls over malls, never ending shopping streets and the biggest range of shops ever. From fancy shopping in Liberty to cute little stands in Camden, you have everything your heart desires!

 7. River Thames
Because not every city has a river flowing right through it! It gives London that special touch and makes it even more beautiful than it already is. The Thames stands for London, just as the Queen stands for England ;)

8. Museums
The variety of different museums is incredible. All of them are filled with breathtaking exhibitions that are definitely worth seeing. If you visit London without visiting one of the museums here, you haven't actually visited London :D

9. Art Galleries
From museums to art galleries, London has it all. Every week there seems to be a new art exhibition that is just as beautiful as the one before. As an Art scholar it is very close to heaven. I recently visited the Frieze Art Fair and it was one of the best yet. I have never ever seen such a wide range of different artists from all over the world in one place!

Spot me?

 10. Graffiti
And moving on from art in galleries to art in the streets of London. You can find the beautiful work of street artists everywhere in the city, but my favourite ones are at Southbank!

 11. Tourist Attractions
Obviously stunning, not just for tourists. I believe you can never get enough of places like the Tower of London, London Eye, Big Ben or the shard! They are the things that represent London, that are pictured in every tourist guide everywhere around the world. I cannot talk about London without giving them the credit they deserve!

12. Parks
I could go on about this forever, have even written a blogpost about this point. The parks. In London you are never very far away from the next oasis of greenery and it is fascinating. One minute you are on a busy high street, the next in a peaceful park with swans swimming in a lake. My all time favourite is Hyde Park  (I dedicated a whole post to this beauty).

13. Fashion
If you ask someone what the fashion capitals are, they will list you Paris, Milan, New York and (guess what) LONDON! Walk the streets and you will know why. Many fashion trends found their starting point here and the biggest designers search the city for inspiration. London fashion week is world famous and a highlight in the fashion industry every year. My fashion style has changed drastically since I've moved here and not for the worse. I have become far more confident in clothes and am often inspired to try new things.

14. Food
From street stands to posh restaurants, London has it all. Even though Britain might not be known for good food, you cannot deny the fact that London offers incredible culinary experiences. From Jamie Oliver to Paella at Covent Garden, you will never be without food. And who doesn't love food?

15. The community
Last but by no means least is London's community. Londoners stick together. Always. It's the foundation of everything else that makes this city one-of-a-kind. 


And that's it :) I really hope you enjoyed reading this, leave a comment telling me what you love about your city!
Love you lots!

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