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I don't think I have ever met someone who doesn't have Greece on their bucket list and it's not difficult to figure out why. The country is a traveler's dream come true! History, architecture, beautiful scenery, paradise islands, delicious food, perfect weather, what else is there to want? While I don't think it's possible to see everything there is to offer in one trip, and we definitely had some tough choices to make, I loved our Greece itinerary! We visited Greece in the height of summer, so our itinerary focused mainly on the islands, as being close enough to the sea at all times for a quick swim was our main objective. We also were going on a mostly budget friendly trip, so we traveled by train and ferries instead of flying from island to island. Choosing which islands to visit was a tough decision. There are so many and they all seem to have their own specialty or unique perk. Our goal was to see as much as possible in 14 days, but we also didn't want to rush and would rather fully appreciate each destination, so we settled on 4 islands: Paros, Naxos, Santorini and Milos. The reasons we chose these 4 are: they are easily reachable by ferry from Athens and close enough from each other that we wouldn't spend too much time on a ferry from one island to the other. They also seemed to be a good mix of authentic and touristic so we knew we would be immersed in the culture, but we would still have an easy enough time without speaking the language or hiring a private transport. Mykonos seems to be a perpetual disagreement online with half of the people saying it's a must visit and the other half saying it's a total disappointment. In the end, we decided not to visit as it is one of the more expensive islands and neither my friend and I are big into partying so we preferred putting our money elsewhere. Now that I have explained all of our decisions, let's get into our itinerary!  Athens - day 1We flew into Athens and arrived mid-morning. Our first day was supposed to be a simple settle-in day, where we would walk around the neighborhood of Plaka, buy some snacks, exchange money and try not to fall asleep until night-time. Thanks to Air Canada, it turned into an unwanted shopping spree, but we were thankful not to be missing out on anything since we had nothing planned for that day anyway. We spent the night in an Airbnb in Athens that we had reserved for two nights. For more information about Athens, you can check out this article.  meteora - day 2On day 2, we had booked a tour to visit Meteora out of Athens. We had to be at the train station at 8 AM so we woke up extra early to take the subway to the train station, and then the train to Kalambaka (which was included in our tour), where we would board a small bus that would take us around on a guided tour of the monasteries of Meteora. The tour was great, and I don't think we would have seen or done more if we had visited by ourselves. The heat was intense, but since we made frequent, but short stops, it wasn't a problem. We were able to enter three monasteries, but we also made multiple stops at view points so we could see the monasteries that weren't open for visits on that day (from what I understood, they rotate except for one or two that are always closed to the public). It was a huge day, especially being jet-lagged, but the train ride gave us some time to relax. We arrived back in Athens after 10 PM and still had to take the subway back to our AirBnb and pack for our early departure the next day.  paros - days 3-4 and 5We took an early ferry from Athens to Paros and arrived on the island at lunch time on day 3 of our trip. I loved Paros! Honestly, I would have stayed there for a whole week if I could have. It was mostly quiet, the beaches and villages were beautiful, transportation from one place to another was pretty easy compared to other islands we visited, and prices were good. It was great! The rest of day 3 was spent taking a bus to Piso Livadi, where we were staying, spending some time at the pool, and exploring that area. Staying in Piso Livadi was a dream. The beach is nice, the village is small, but there are plenty of restaurants, the area is quiet and relaxing, just what we needed after the crazy beginning of our trip (we still didn't have suitcases by that point). On day 4, we took the bus to Naoussa, one of the bigger towns of Paros. Naoussa is a beautiful traditional Greek-island village filled with cute oceanside restaurants, little alleyways full of fragrant flowers and little souvenir shops, terrasses with views on the bay and a small port with fishing boats. It's basically the Greek village of your dreams. We spent the morning exploring the streets and boutiques and the afternoon at the beach. The beach in Naoussa is a short walk from the main area of the village, but there are trees for shade, the water is comfortable and the waves are just big enough to rock you from side to side, plus it's a sand beach. We took the bus back to Piso Livadi for dinner and a quiet evening by the water. On day 5, we spent the morning at the pool before grabbing the bus back to the town of Parikia to take the ferry to Naxos.    naxos - days 6 and 7We arrived in Naxos at the end of the afternoon and had to go to the airport to collect our luggage (finally!) so we arrived at our AirBnb in Agios Prokopios in the late afternoon. We dropped off our luggage, finally changed out of the clothes we had been rotating through since we arrived in Greece, and went out for dinner along the beach and even stayed for sunset. Agios Prokopios has one of the best beaches on Naxos, and we were so tired from the beginning of our trip that we spent all of day 6 at the beach. It was glorious! There are many beach clubs that offer lounge chairs and beach umbrellas, but there are also free sections and the sand was very comfortable. The only thing you have to know that we learned the hard way is that the ferries pass by this beach far far away, but make big waves. So about 15 minutes after the ferry is gone, there is a set of big waves that crash on the beach and will steal all of your belongings in their paths. When you see the waves coming, make sure you grab all of your stuff and carry it to safety or hold it until the waves have receded. Fortunately, it only happens once or twice a day! On day 7, we were already leaving Naxos. We took the bus early to Naxos town and left our luggage in a locker at the port so we could explore the town for a few hours. We walked to the castle for breakfast, strolled around the streets and went to Portara for some pictures. We took the ferry in the early afternon and made our way to Santorini.   santorini - days 8-9 and 10We arrived in late afternoon in Santorini and took the bus to our hostel in Karterados, then had a quiet evening near our hostel. On day 8, we rented a quad bike to visit the island and went to Akrotiri and red beach, to Estate Argyros for a wine tasting, to the black beach of Perissa and to Imerovigli for sunset. I loved the visit of Akrotiri. It was super interesting and so different from what we had seen in Greece so far. The beaches of Santorini were disappointing and you can see why here, but with the heat, the swimming breaks were important. The tasting at Argyros was not cheap, but we had a private visit of the estate and winery, tasted 4 wines with their food pairings and had a great time! All in all, a full, but amazing day. On day 9, we took the bus to Fira and then a different bus to Oia and spent the early morning exploring the streets of Oia before they got too crowded. We then went to Ammoudi Bay for a swim and came back to Oia to buy some food and find a great spot for sunset. On day 10, we lounged by the pool all morning and then took the bus back to the ferry port to go to Milos. For all the information on Santorini, check out this article.  milos - days 11-12 and 13We arrived in Milos just in time for dinner and made our way to our hotel in Pollonia. On day 11, we had purchased tickets for a full day boat tour and I have no regrets! That was probably my favorite day of the whole trip! You can check out this article for the full information. On day 12, we visited a bunch of beaches on Milos. Honestly, after the beaches we had seen the day before on the boat tour, I guess my expectations were high, but I wasn't impressed by the beaches on the North side of Milos. Sarakiniko was pretty, but the water was gross and even Papafragas was pretty, but had a lot of trash. It was still a good day and we did manage to find a few places to go for a swim. Having some kind of transportation and not having to rely on buses would have been a godsend on that day though! On day 13, we relaxed at the beach for the last time and made our way to the ferry port in Adamas to go back to Athens.    athens - day 14We arrived in Athens pretty late and took the subway to our second AirBnb. On day 14, we visited the Acropolis early in the morning as they had closed it in the afternoons because of the heat the last few days and we didn't want to miss our chance. We spent the afternoon at the Acropolis museum which was great and air conditioned, and spent the evening walking around Plaka before having dinner on a terrasse with a view of the Acropolis. A wonderful last day in Greece!  what you need to know before building your itinerary1. Ferry days are a lot! The days where we were taking the ferry from one island to the next took a lot out of us. We had to pack everything, take an early bus to the ferry terminal in case the bus would be late or full, carry all of our luggage in the heat, wait up to an hour for the ferry in the shade, but no wind or air conditioning so it was HOT, climb aboard the ferry at the same time as 100 other passengers or more that were pushing us around, go to the back of the ferry to put our luggage away, fight the hordes of people back to the front of the ferry to show our ticket and climb to the upper levels, find a seat, freeze in the air conditioning for up to 3 hours and then do everything in reverse once we docked. Greek ferries equal craziness. People bring enormous quantities of luggage, the employees are yelling left and right, people have crying kids and strollers that they need to carry in their arms up the stairs once they get on the ferry, they sell more tickets than there are places on board, it is a zoo. Going back, I would visit less islands and spend more time actually enjoying the ones we were visiting. I enjoyed every island we visited, but the ferry days were a pain and I feel like we wasted so much time in transit.  2. Your budget will make your comfort level vary a lot. Greece is definitely possible on a budget, especially if you travel during low or shoulder season. But I'm not going to lie, there is a large difference between staying in a caldera villa with a pool in Santorini and staying in a hostel in a smaller village. There is a large difference between paying for taxis everywhere or hiring a driver, and taking public transportation everywhere. If I was planning this trip again, I would lower my expectations about the amount of things we could do, especially using public transportation, which was unreliable on some islands or ran only a handful of times everyday. Switching islands less would also have lowered our frustration at waiting for the bus with our luggage in the heat.  All in all, I adored my trip to Greece. It is one of the most beautiful destinations I have visited so far and I would go back without hesitation. The boat tour of Milos and the town of Naoussa were two of my favorites on this trip, but there are so many beautiful places to see in Greece and so many interesting things to do that anyone will find something to their liking. Learn from my mistakes and don't think you can do it all, but enjoy every moment spent in this gem of a country. other articles you might enjoy
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27/12/2024 0 Comments know before you go: Athens, GreeceNo matter where you are heading in Greece, Athens will probably be where you take your first step off the plane and it has too much to offer to run away to the islands without planning a few days to explore the capital. From its archeological wonders and history to its food and cute neighborhoods, you will need, at the very least, two days to visit Athens, but it could easily be more. Keep reading for my best tips on visiting the city.  where to stayAthens is actually pretty cheap, even in the height of summer, considering the price of accommodation elsewhere in Greece. We easily found small appartments for rent for about 100 CAD (in 2023) that were walking distance from the Acropolis. Of course, there are luxury accommodations as well, and the neighborhood of Plaka is more expensive, but a 10-minute walk from the main touristic areas, you'll find plenty of places to stay if you are looking for budget options. Since most of the attractions are located in the same general area, it is worth staying there, even if you find a cheaper accommodation farther out of the city center. You will end up spending what you are saving on your commute anyway, so it isn't worth it. Make sure you are a walkable distance from the Acropolis and your visit will be super easy.  what to do
 Acropolis Museum: The Acropolis Museum is such a must in my opinion. Not only does it contain the real monuments as the ruins of the temples on the Acropolis are mostly replicas, but it also explains the full history of Athens, how it was build and why they chose this location. You can also see the statues from up close since they were installed at eye level instead of on the roof of the temples. The visit is really interesting and there are multiple levels so I would plan at least 2 hours to have time to enjoy it properly. The ticket also gives you access to the ruins of old Athens located underneat the museum which was also fun to see.   Plaka: The neighborhood of Plaka, which is right next to the Acropolis, is the pretty and touristic part of Athens and is worth discovering. Yes there are plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants and it's not exactly authentic, but the streets and houses are so beautiful. There are flowers and trees everywhere and you sometimes stumble upon ruins. There are cats walking around freely and the atmosphere is calm yet festive. It's just a nice place to get lost in and to aimlessly walk around. If you do want souvenirs, it's also one of the cheepest places as the prices are way higher on the islands.  Dinner with a view: While staying in Athens, you have to eat on a terrasse with a view on the Acropolis at least once. The prices are reasonable, the restaurants are all really cute, the food is great and the view is just magical. I can't recommend it enough!  how to get aroundPublic transportation in Athens was so easy and convenient, I think renting a car or even taking cabs would have been a waste of time and money. From the airport, the train took us directly to the city center for 8 euros. After that, we took the subway to the train station and ferry terminal, but with AirBnbs being so cheap in the city center, there is no reason to look for a place further away and we were a 5-10 minute walk to the Acropolis and almost every other attraction.  what you need to knowLike I said previously, the heat and the crowds in the summer are quite intense. If you can visit in the spring or the fall, it would probably be better. Otherwise, I found Athens to be a very simple city to visit. Finding directions and using public transportation was easy, the attractions didn't require any advance booking or complicated instructions to follow. We were able to communicate in English or French easily everywhere we went. Honestly, one of the easiest places I have visited in a while. I also found myself feeling really safe in Athens. We had to walk around and take the subway at night a few times and I didn't feel uncomfortable at all.  While Athens was definitely not our main reason to visit Greece, I found I really enjoyed my time in this city. Did I convince you to add a few days in Athens to your Greek itinerary? other articles you might enjoy
Visiting Iceland is pretty much like visiting a new country everyday. That is how much the scenery changes from place to place, and the activities vary greatly according to the region. Of course, there is so much to see and do that, in our two-week trip, we had to make a lot of decisions and prioritize the things we most wanted to do and I am so happy with the way this trip turned out. Since Iceland is a big circle, there are basically two ways to plan your road trip: you can go clockwise or counter clockwise. We opted to go clockwise as the western and northern parts of Iceland weren't going to be the main part of our trip, so we would be stopping less frequently and driving for longer distances while in that area. It seemed logical to us to get the most driving done earlier in our trip since we would be less tired and more impressed by everything around us so the road would appear to go faster. I have to admit that the shorter distances at the end of our trip were incredible as we were able to see multiple attractions in the same day and we were pretty tired after two-weeks of hiking, so it was easier. I did get used to the quieter regions though and it was a shock when we got to the busy southern part of Iceland. Anyway, I don't think there is a bad way to go around, it just depends on what you prefer. This is the itineray that we did, but it could easily be shortened if you only had 10-14 days. Honestly, I wouldn't try doing the whole ring road in less than 10 days since you would only have time for the drive and not enough to actually stop at any of the sights. You could also add many days as there is so much to see and do in Iceland!  day 1 - reykjavik
 day 2 - sneafellsnes peninsulaSneafellsnes peninsula is one of the reason we decided on a full two-week trip. It is not on many itineraries, but it is so beautiful. We stopped for a hike at Glymur waterfall (more info on that here), took some pictures at the stone bridge and Budakirkja (the black church), and then drove to Kirkjufell where we were spending the night. It was a long driving day, but I wouldn't have changed it. We unfortunately didn't have time to visit the cave of Vatnshellir, but the view along the whole drive was incredible. Waterfalls, glaciers, lakes, the ocean, it was all beautiful and we could have stopped for pictures every minute.    day 3 - Grundarfjordur to HumavatnshreppurWe started the day at the most photographed waterfall in Iceland: Kirkjufell. We then drove all day to our AirBnB in Humavatnshreppur. We of course stopped along the way at every viewpoint, waterfall, crater, pretty bend in the road, etc. We ended the day at our AirBnB where our hosts had a ranch with maybe fifty horses and we made new friends. Icelandic horse are just so stinking cute! They are tiny, with long bangs and lashes and they seem so gentle.    day 4 - Akureri and myvatn areaThe next day, we quickly drove past Akureri to make our way to Namafjall, Leirhnjukur and the active area around lake Myvatn. This was one of my favorite days in Iceland. We saw lava fields, walked around mud holes that bubbled and smelled of sulfur, saw craters and so much more. It is one of the most unique areas in a very unique country. There aren't many places in the world where you can see so many geothermal features in one place. I have been to Yellowstone also and this felt completely different. We drove back to spend the night in Akureri and enjoy the atmosphere of the second biggest city in Iceland.   day 5 - Husavik, asbyrgi and dettifossWe started the day at Godafoss waterfall which is basically a smaller version of Niagara Falls, but in a much cooler landscape. And then we made our way to Husavik, a small port town known for its whale excursions. We didn't go on the boat tour as we have seen whales many times in Canada in similar excursions and we had to make choices. There was no way we could see everything in two weeks. The village of Husavik is so pretty though. You can see glaciers accross the bay and some of the boats seem to have been inherited from Vikings. I also wish we could have driven to the northernmost point in Iceland, but we chose to visit Asbirgy canyon and Dettifoss. Both were impressive, though not my favorite parts of Iceland.     day 6 - myvatn area and egilsstadirOn our last day in the Myvatn area, we went to Grjotagja and its caves full of warm and blue waters, and then spent some relaxing hours in the warm waters of Myvatn baths. Myvatn baths is a smaller, still under construction, version of the Blue Lagoon. Though it is smaller and not as mainstream as the Blue Lagoon, it is just as blue and just as fun. The main differences are that Myvatn is much quieter, quite a bit cheaper, but doesn't include the mask and cocktail that comes with the package at Blue Lagoon. We then drove to Egilstadir for the night.   day 7 - seydisfjordur and faskrudsfjordurOn day 7, we drove to the town of Seydisfjordur. The road there was amazing. There were a lot of waterfalls, the fjord was impressive and I loved the history of the town which used to be completely cut off from the rest of civilisation during the winter months. We then drove around a few of the eastern fjords to our AirBnb in the heart of the fjords, of course stopping along the way everytime we saw something interesting.  day 8 - the eastern fjords to hofnThis was our only rainy day of the trip and, honestly, it was the best day for rain as we had planned on driving most of the day, only stopping when we saw something interesting, but we didn't have much planned. We did end up visiting the viking village that was pretty underwhelming in my opinion. It could be a great tourist attraction, but it was very expensive and not well maintained at all. It used to be a movie set, but was just left there to rot. We spent the night in Höfn.  day 9 - diamond beach and jokulsarlonDay 9 was also one of my favorite days in Iceland. Diamond beach, although very crowded, was incredibly beautiful. More so than you think looking at the pictures. It seems strait out of Frozen. We then spent part of the afternoon on a zodiac tour of the lagoon that was so much fun. For more info on the zodiac tour click here. We saw some seals and saw icebergs fall from the glaciers, it was great!     day 10 - glaciers, skaftafell and road to vikWe started the day going back to diamond beach for a quieter time enjoying the scenery. I 100% recommend going early in the morning or in the evening so you can peacefully enjoy the view. We then headed to Skaftafell national park and stopped on the way for glacier pictures. We then visited Fjadrargljufur canyon which is absolutely beautiful!    day 11 - reynisfjara, plane wreck and vikA lot of day 11 was spent at Reynisfjara beach. Although the waves are treacherous, the view is stunning and the beach is beautiful and fun to walk. We also walked to the plane crash. Honestly, if you are short on time, you could easily skip it. We went to get some photos, but it is a long walk and there isn't much left from the crash. We went back to Vik for the night and really enjoyed the atmosphere of the small town. The restaurants all seemed great and the streets were animated and fun.   day 12 - all the waterfalls on the way to selfossDay 12 went by so fast! We seemed to be stopping every 15 minutes and there was so much to do! We started with Skogafoss that offered us this beautiful rainbow, than headed to Seljavallalaug swimming pool (it's in such a nice landscape, but one of the pipes bringing the hot water seemed to be broken and the water was very murky so we didn't end up swimming there), to Irafoss and to Seljalandsfoss and Gljufrabui. We spent the night in Selfoss and were treated to some auroras in the evening.     day 13 - golden circleThe golden circle is probably made of the most popular attractions in Iceland since they are closer to Reykjavik and can be easily visited in a day by hiring a tour. Most people stopping in Reykjavik on cruises will take this excursion. Honestly, I really loved the geysirs, but the rest was nice, but not great after seeing everything else Iceland has to offer. I would have been disappointed to only see this part after coming all the way to Iceland. Anyway, we went to Kerid crater, Gullfoss, Strokkur geysir and Thingvellir, the places where the two techtonic plates meet. That was also pretty neat and I enjoyed watching the people who were diving in the crevace in between the two techtonic plates.    day 14 - Hveragerdi and road to keflavikThis was our last day of road tripping before heading back to Keflavik. We were completely exhausted, but still visited the town of Hverargerdi for its geothermal features and to visit a natural hot spring. The hot spring was an abosulte highlight of the whole trip. It was called Reykjadalur and you have to work for it as it is about an hour hike uphill to the hot spring, but it is so worth it. The trail brings you to a shallow spring with multiple bassins where you can sit, relax, soak in the hot water and look at the sheep walking around. Although it was quite popular, it didn't feel crowded and we easily found a spot were we could be by ourselves. There are also little walls for privacy where you can change. Don't be like me and bring plenty of water and snacks because after being in the hot water for a while I almost fainted...  day 15 - blue lagoonDay 15 was our last day before our flight back to Canada and we took full advantage to soak in the warm waters of the Blue Lagoon and sip on cocktails. The Blue Lagoon is so spacious that, even though it is without a doubt the most popular attraction of all of Iceland, it doesn't feel crowded at all. It was super relaxing and we took our time exploring the whole lagoon, getting algae masks and enjoying our drinks. What a perfect way to end a perfect trip!  Like I said, our itinerary wasn't perfect, but it allowed us to see and do what we most wanted and to maintain our energy levels. To be fully honest, Iceland can be a challenge physically. You have to walk a lot, mostly uphill, and the distances are longer than they seem on a map as the roads are so narrow and the speed limit so low. The conditions are also everchanging and we were lucky to have beautiful weather almost everyday, but the weather can turn very quickly and can make your plans impossible even with the best of intentions. My main recommandation is to plan for extra days in case of bad weather around the activities you most want to do if possible so you can switch the plan around if you need to. Also plan on easier days along the way. If, like us, you are active, but not a marathon runner, Iceland won't require particular training, but you will need rest days where you are still walking, yes, but not hiking or walking long distances. Our trip was in September and I ended up spending days in t-shirts where I could have easily worn shorts, and days in my winter jacket. Sometimes both happened on the same day. Plan for layers, hiking boots are saviors on the uneven terrain, and don't forget rain pants. If it ends up raining during your trip, you won't want to spend the whole time inside when you could be exploring. Let me know if you have any questions about Iceland in the comments below and I hope you enjoy your visit to the country of fire and ice! other articles you might enjoy
I love spending time in nature and always feel like a trip isn't complete without at least a small hike or some paddle boarding. While our trip to France included a lot of sight seeing and some swimming in the Mediterranean, it was important to me to incorporate some nature in our itinerary. The South of France obviously isn't lacking in opportunities for outdoorsy activities, and the Gorges du Verdon is just one of the possibilities we encountered, but what a possibility! The reasons we opted for this destination, other than its beauty of course, was the variety of activities on offer in just one place and the closeness to where we were staying in Valensole. Needless to say, I got what I was looking for and so much more!  start the day early with a hike in Basses gorgesWe headed to Basses Gorges (low gorge) early in the morning and arrived at about 9 AM, which was a blessing as it wasn't too hot yet for a hike, we were practically alone when we started and there were a lot more people on our way back to the car, and it allowed us to pack more stops into our day. Plus, like everywhere else in Provence, finding a parking spot in Basses Gorges wouldn't have been easy if we had arrived later. The hike starts just after the village of Quinson from Valensole. You can park before the bridge, by the road if you are lucky to find a spot or there is more parking space by the lake, if you turn left just after the bridge. The beginning of the hike is well indicated on Google maps, on the right after the bridge, there are some steps to climb, but then you follow along the river. If you want, you can do a loop and climb to the top of the mountain and come back around that way, but from what I was told, there aren't many view points at the top and, in this heat, we decided to just walk along the river to the end of the trail and back. It's about a 5 km hike and there are multiple staircases, narrow pathways and inclines, but the trail is well maintained, well indicated, and definitely not hard if you are a good walker. We spent the whole time in awe of the color of the river, the canyon walls and the general beauty of the landscape. We climbed back in the car after this hike, it wasn't even noon, and I was already satisfied with my day. We could have stopped there and it would have been enough for me.  drive to pont du galetas and stop at the Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon viewpoint on the wayThe most popular spot in the Gorges du Verdon is, whithout any doubt, the Pont du Galetas or Galetas bridge. It marks the entrance to Hautes Gorges (high gorge) and one of the best viewpoints on the canyon and the myriad of boats, kayaks and paddle boats floating on the river. On the way there, we were treated to some of the best lavender and sunflower fields in the region before driving by the viewpoint seen in the picture below, in the village of Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon. I definitely recommend stopping at this viewpoint to admire the view and take some picture as it is such a beautiful landscape and one of the rare places you can actually stop on the side of the road. The road after this point is very narrow and composed of many, many switchbacks up and down mountains.  rent a kayak or paddleboat to explore hautes gorgesAlthough it was very crowded and, therefore, a challenge to navigate our kayak through the narrow gorge without bumping into other boats, I'm still glad we rented the kayak. Hautes Gorges is a beautiful area, with high canyon walls, gorgeous waters and plenty of caves or rocks where you could stop for a short exploration break. The amount of people cliff jumping made me a little uncomfortable as it narrowed even more our path with the kayak, but I enjoyed the view and the time on the water immensely.  relax and go for a swim at plage du galetas or plage de chabassoleThere isn't a lot of place to lie down in the sun, but there are some beach areas where you can relax, places where you can walk in and out of the lake, and even places to sit in the shade. After our hike and kayaking, we were ready for some R&R!  other activities you could tryThere are so many activities on offer in the Gorges du Verdon. We saw many people paragliding, you could explore Moustier-Sainte-Marie, which is the closest village to Hautes-Gorges and perched high in the mountains, you can go horseback ridding, it's possible to go rafting or rent an electrical boat and so much more. It really is a diverse area where everyone will find something they love.  One day was just enough time to make me fall in love with the Gorges du Verdon. I have a feeling I will see more of this destination in future trips, and I would jump at the chance to stay there for a longer amount of time. Are the Gorges du Verdon on your South of France itinerary yet? other articles you might enjoy
I just got back from two weeks in the South of France (end of June - beginning of July 2024), and the Provence region completely exceeded expectations. I was expecting lavender and sunflower fields, and sure I was expecting cute villages, but I wasn't expecting this level of originality and authenticity. Each village seemed to have its own soul and atmosphere. Although they were all undeniably French by their cuisine and architecture, they all had that little "je ne sais quoi" that made them different. To help you plan future vacations to the Provence region, I selected my five favorite villages and listed why you should visit, and included plenty of pictures just for you!  gordesGordes is a beautiful village built on a hillside in the Parc du Luberon. And I'm not the only one saying it is gorgeous, as it was named the most beautiful village in the world by Travel + Leisure. Not only is Gordes easy on the eyes, but the view on the surrounding landscape from its winding roads is a sight to behold as well. I felt like I had just stepped in Beauty and the Beast. Although the parking situation is quite messy and you have to arrive early, the best day to visit Gordes is during its market on Tuesdays. You will find shoes and pashminas, olives and fruit jellies, toys and souvenirs and plenty of other hand-made goods. You can also have a taste of multiple local specialties. We spent half a day in Gordes and the other half in Roussillon and I felt like I had seen everything that I was visiting for, but you could also visit the castle and surrounding wineries, or use Gordes as your home-base to visit the other villages of the Luberon.  There is a small rest stop just outside of Gordes with the viewpoint from the picture above. Honestly, I recommend getting to Gordes very early, especially on market days. When we arrived at the viewpoint, we were lucky and someone was leaving, but when we drove past it on our way out, there was a line of cars waiting for a place to park and it was causing a traffic jam all the way down the mountain. It would be completely worth the wait for this view in my opinion, but if you can avoid the hassle by arriving early, that's even better.  I still haven't decided if my favorite view was the landscape seen from Gordes or the view on the town of Gordes, but it was pretty everywhere we went. I loved exploring the crooked streets and looking at the houses covered in vines and flowers.
roussillonRoussillon was really special. Just like Gordes, it was built on top of a hill and offers a nice view on the surrounding fields. What made it different was its color. Roussillon was built near an ochre mine, so the houses were covered in the mineral, giving them this orange and red tint. I loved walking around the colorful streets, visiting the old church and admiring the view from the terrasse of the restaurant. The only downside of Roussillon for us was that we arrived early afternoon and had to park all the way down the mountain and walk about 1,5 km to the village. Uphill of course ;)    The village has many restaurants and little shops, but the main thing to see in Roussillon is the Sentier des Ocres or "Trail of the Ochres". There are two loops that you can walk, one 30 minute loop and one 50 minute loop. Personally, we did the longer one, took our time and plenty of photos, and still, we were done in 30 minutes, so it's really not a long hike and you can definitely do it in comfortable sandals, but it brings you down to the floor of one of the old quarries where you can admire the different shades of the mountains and ground and have a nice view on the landscape and village.   fontaine de vaucluseBeing from the province of Quebec where the lakes and rivers are mostly brown, I have to admit that I'm a sucker for blue, green and clear water. Fontaine the Vaucluse just took a look at my expectations and went "wow that's the bare minimum". The river is so clear, not only can you see the bottom, but you can clearly see the leaves on the underwater trees. This river is actually an outflow of ground water and located in the middle of a canyon. Now you're probably thinking, "wasn't this article about the villages of Provence?" And yes, the village, Fontaine de Vaucluse, is located on either side of the river Sorgue. You'll find cute little terrasse restaurants and souvenir shops, there are also crepe stands and gelato and granitas. We also visited the old paper mill, which is a free visit, but unfortunately, due to a land slide, we weren't able to go to the actual fountain, the source of ground water. It was still one of my favorite places in Provence and a nice afternoon enjoying the view and strolling through the village.    
valensoleValensole was one of our home-bases to visit the region, and while the village isn't much, it was a perfect starting point to visit the lavender fields, surrounding villages and the Verdon Gorges. Like I said, the village in itself isn't much. There are a few restaurants, small grocery stores, a few little shops, and that's pretty much it. But it looks like the village from Tangled and, no matter which road you take in or out of Valensole, you will find lavender, sunflower and even poppy fields. It is a beautiful area of Provence and you can't go wrong with spending time there.   Our personal favorite lavender fields were on the road between Manosque and Valensole and between Valensole and Riez, but there were also really nice ones near Sainte-Croix-du-Verdon. Honestly, it really depends on which fields were just harvested, but on any road from or to Valensole, you will pass some beautiful flower fields, mostly lavender. We visited Valensole at the beginning of July and every field was in bloom, it was incredible. The fragrance in the air was also beyond anything I had ever smelled. At the end of our visit, I felt like my hands smelled of flowers.    avignonAvignon is probably more of a city than a village, I'll admit, but it is still a must see. First, because I grew up with the "Pont d'Avignon" song. You can look it up, but it's basically a nursery rhyme that says that everyone dances on the bridge of Avignon. Of course I had to go and dance on the Pont d'Avignon! Second, the visit of the "Maison des papes" (house of the popes), was really well done, rich in history, but also fun. We spent half a day in Avignon before our visit to Fontaine de Vaucluse and we had plenty of time to walk around, visit the Maison des papes and the bridge and get something to eat.  The bridge from the song is actually called Pont Saint-Bénezet and used to be made of 22 arches that allowed people to cross over the Rhône river. Today there are only 4 arches left and, though you can't cross the Rhône using this bridge anymore, it is possible to visit and walk on it still. The visit includes an audioguide in multiple languages explaining the history of the town of Avignon as well as the bridge itself. There are videos and signs with the techniques used during the construction and what it would have looked like whole. Although my dancing skills are clearly sub-par, I really enjoyed the visit. The information was interesting and well presented, and I loved that every remaining part of the bridge we were able to explore. There were stairs to take us down to the pillars and the Saint-Benezet chapel was also open for visitors.  The Maison des papes was the other main attraction to our visit in Avignon and this ticket gave us a reduction to visit the bridge. Upon entering the palace (because, let's be honest, that is what it is) every visitor was handed a tablet guiding us to each section of the visit. We could also scan signs in every room to have the description and a 360 visual reconstruction of what the room used to look like. There was also a treasure to look for which upped the ante and motivated us to look at every part of each room with attention.  This is the view on the Maison des Papes and its courtyard from the Jardin des Doms. The next pictures are also from the Jardin des Doms which is a beautiful garden with a viewpoint on the Rhône and an access to the fortifications surrounding the city.   Visiting Provence has it's challenges. The roads are very narrow, there are very few parking spaces for a lot of visitors and it included quite a lot of walking uphill, but, as you can see, the views are definitely worth the challenges. other articles you might enjoy
One of the best advantages of being a tour guide who travels to New York City once a month is definitely to see the city every season. I'm not going to lie, there is something to see all year long in the city that never sleeps! Since I understand that it isn't possible for everyone to visit once a month, or even once a year, here are my pros and cons for every moment so you can visit during the time that means the most to you.  New Year's eveI have always been honest and you know I will continue to be in my travel tips, so this is why I will say that I found New Years Eve in New York to be a tad disappointing. I had fun and the group I was with did too, but most of the group left early as participating in Times Square festivities means arriving at noon. You are not allowed a big back pack, if you leave, even just to go to the bathroom, you are not allowed back in, you barely see the ball drop unless you are way at the front, let's just say it's not a comfortable experience. There are also fireworks in Central Park that can get very crowded, but can be less overstimulating than Times Square. Most restaurants in the city have special events that you need to make reservations weeks in advance to participate in, but it can be totally worth it. Since they don't want to have to remember what everyone ordered and print out bills, they usually have a cover (somewhere around 200$) and then have an open bar once you're inside. If you choose your restaurant wisely, some will even guaranty you a spot for the ball drop. You can't underestimate the weather in your plans. Last year was very comfortable, but New York can be humid, windy and pretty cold. So if you plan on being outside for hours, make sure you are ready for it. The part I found the most disappointing for my group was that, unless you are in New York only for the festivities and have no other plan, everything else was super crowded or closed. You could barely walk on Fifth Ave, you had to push your way through Times Square (when it was open), the library was closed, you couldn't even see the Bull through the crowd, Bow Bridge in Central Park was a restricted area because of the fireworks, every store was a mad house, it was ridiculous. Every activity you also needed to make reservations weeks in advance. For people who have never been to New York and want to see the sights, it really isn't the best time, but for people who want to be in the middle of the action and celebrate New Years with the best atmosphere, it is definitely the place to be!  EasterEaster weekend is one of the most popular weekend for tour groups visiting New York as it is a four-day weekend for most, especially for students. The weather in New York can still be unpredictable, but is usually pretty nice. While it is one of the busier weekends, it wasn't crazy and overwhelming like other holidays. I rather enjoyed it! Plus the Hat Parade looked so much fun! I didn't have to chance to attend, but we could see people with crazy hats on the street making their way to the parade. Depending on the weekend Easter falls on, it can also be a good time to see the cherry trees in Central Park.  SpringSpring is definitely my favorite season of all to visit New York! I would say, from mid-April to the end of May, the weather is perfect. Warm during the day, cool at night, with a small breeze, mostly sunny, the dream! I visited at the end of April, and though the cherry trees were not in bloom anymore and the magnolias were at the end of their bloom, every single other tree and plant seemed to be in bloom. There were flowers of every color everywhere you looked in Central Park, there was a tulip field in the yard of Brookfield Place, Bryant Park was full of life, it was just so beautiful to see every park in the city seem to come alive. For the restaurants, some of them keep their terrasses open year long, but the others will have opened theirs by mid-April. Plus, as long as you are not traveling on a holiday weekend, spring is pretty quiet in New York. I saw no crowds whatsoever.
4th of julyI personally loved visiting on 4th of July weekend. It seemed most New Yorkers had left the heat of the city for the country side or the beach and it was pretty quiet everywhere. That's not to say you shouldn't make reservations for most activities, but at least you'll have space to enjoy them and you might be able to get tickets on the day of. While it will be hot outside and you will want to carry water bottles and sunscreen with you, I didn't find it suffocating. Every store, restaurant and indoor activity has AC if you can't take the heat anymore, but I found it quite comfortable personally. I walked all the way from the City Cruises pier to the Vessel, and then walked the High Line all the way to Little Island and then up Fifth Ave to the library and, while I made sure to eat and hydrate properly, I had no problem.  SummerExcept for 4th of July apparently, summer vacations are a busy time in New York City. It's never as crazy as the winter holidays, but you do need to prepare your vacation in advance if you want to do some activities and you will need to plan your accommodation in advance as well. The other point to consider is that it is hot in the city in the summer. From mid-July to the end of August, some days are unbearable. While the tour groups are able to keep mostly the same schedule year-round, in the summer, we make sure to stay in the shade when outside, the bus driver carries a cooler filled with iced water bottles, and we do outdoor activities early morning. Another thing you might want to consider is having your accommodation closer to the activities you want to do, as taking the subway in the heat is really unpleasant and, depending on your tolerance, walking in the heat might not be recommended. You might want to consider the hop-on-hop-off buses that I wouldn't normally recommend as they are expensive and New York has great public transit, but could be a good idea in the summer. The main positive point to visiting in the summer, other than school vacations, is the free activities offered. Bryant Park has outdoor movies and concerts, Lincoln Center has free concerts, most parks have table tennis, chess boards, etc. Central Park will have plays and shows. There is a street fair on 6th Avenue practically every Saturday and a parade on Fifth Ave almost every Sunday. The city seems to vibrate with energy.  Labor dayLabor day is a good time to visit New York City. While some attractions might be closed on Monday for the holiday, most activities will be open. Since everyone is getting ready to go back to school or work, it isn't one of the more popular weekends so crowds are pretty light. The heat is more bearable, but the weather is still warm and nice. Altogether, there is no particular advantage to visiting for Labor day, but it is still one of the best moment in my opinion.  FallAfter spring, fall is the nicest season to visit New York City. From mid-September to the end of October, the weather is so nice, the leaves slowly turn to orange, the city seems to breathe properly. There are practically no crowds, every outdoor attraction is still open before it closes for winter. They start installing Christmas decorations and ice rinks in mid-October so you can go ice skating in shorts with barely anyone else there. I definitely recommend! I personally visited over Halloween with my family and we loved it. Every tourist was in Salem for the weekend and it felt like we had New York to ourselves. We had two days of summer weather and two days of grey and rain, but we managed to organize our days so we could be inside during the rain and it was the perfect weekend.
thanksgivingI believe every season has it's pros, but DO NOT VISIT DURING THANKSGIVING WEEKEND! It was crazier than New Years. Black Friday on Fifth Ave was a circus and it wasn't even worth it as there are barely any sales on Fifth Ave. The Rockefeller Center was a mad house, Bryant Park was loud and over-crowded, Times Square was just a bad idea, you get the jist. The whole group got on the bus to go back home on Sunday and we collectively breathed a sight of relief. I think my head spun all the way back to Canada. Honestly, if your goal is to see the sights and see the Christmas decorations, any other weekend in November or December will be better than this hell on earth.  decemberDecember will have some Christmas crowds, but it is worth it. I would avoid the Christmas holidays, but otherwise it shouldn't be crazy, but rather nice. All the decorations and special activities will be on. You will find ice rinks everywhere with little booths for hot cocoa. The weather should be mostly pleasant, not too cold, and barely any chance of snow. The Christmas Spectacular at the Radio City Music Hall starts showing in November and the show is totally worth it. Honestly, a good time to visit!
weekends vs weekdaysObviously, weekends are generally busier than weekdays, although there is more traffic at peak hours on weekdays. In the summer, there is no big difference, there are crowds all through summer. Opening hours can vary a lot though from weekdays to weekends, though. Some stores will be open later on weekends while most buildings have better opening hours during the week. You should check ahead of times and plan your schedule accordingly. Times Square will have a better ambiance over the weekend, but it will also be more crowded. I also love going to Central Park during the weekend as cars are not allowed in the park, but dogs are allowed to be off-leash until 9 AM so it makes for a fun visit.  concerts and sport eventsIf you are visiting for a concert or sport event, make sure you arrive early and plan your transportation ahead of times. The subway can get very crowded before important Yankees games. Most big concerts nowadays are actually in the Met Life stadium which is in New Jersey, about a 20-minute drive from Manhattan. You can get there by bus, but I wouldn't recommend taking the last one out as the stadium has space for 80k people and you won't be the only person relying on public transportation. Same thing for football games. All in all, events like these don't really have an impact on your trip to the city, but if you plan to attend I would make plans to be there early and plan for the fact that it might take a while before you can leave the stadium after the event, especially using public transportation.  Honestly, you can't really go wrong when visiting New York City. It really depends on your budget, tolerance of crowds, the activities you want to do, and what you wish to see. I hope the article was able to help you decide the best time for your visit. You can also check out my best tips for visiting NYC down below and let me know in the comments if you have any questions. Enjoy your visit to the Big Apple! other articles you might enjoy
I absolutely loved my trip to Greece, and I especially loved that I had the opportunity to visit multiple islands as they are all very different and unique. Milos was the island that, while I found it interesting to visit and the scenery was nice, it didn't come alive to me until I could see it from the water. Although there was plenty to see on the land, the real attractions in Milos, require a boat, which is why the boat tour that we hired was my favorite experience during our visit, and honestly such a highlight of our whole trip.  Why it is a must while visiting milosLike I said before, the villages of Milos are really pretty, especially Klima with its colorful doors and balconies. Just like on every other island, the white little houses, fragrant flowers, quaint restaurants and crooked streets are just as you would imagine after watching any movie set in Greece. Milos also has a unique and fun beach called Sarakiniko that feels just like walking on the moon. You can read more information about this beach in my article about my favorite beaches in Greece here. The downside to Milos is that the island is very big and the public transportation isn't exactly efficient. Also, while Klima and Sarakiniko are both reachable by land, most of the beautiful attractions of the island have to be reached by boat. All of the beaches you will see in this article are not or barely reachable by land (by barely I mean you would need to take a long dirt road and then climb down a wooden ladder that looks very unstable to reach the beach). You would need to go on a tour or hire a boat to reach them. And let me promise you, they are the most worth it beaches you have ever seen!   what kind of tour or boat should you look forHiring a boat, was definitely not in our price range, but if it is for you, go right ahead! I would hire it for a full day as a halfday would mean a lot of time cruising to and from your destinations and I don't think it would be worth it. Basically, if your budget only allows half a day of renting a boat, I would personally prefer going on a full day tour instead. A lot of boat tours will take you to Kleftiko and back, which would be a shame as the island has so much more to offer and I loved the stops that we made along the way to more private beaches and bays. I would make sure the tour goes the whole way around the island, that way you get more swimming stops and less cruising around just to get there. Our tour also made a stop in Blue Bay on the island of Poliegos and it was one of my favorite stops along the way. I have never seen water so blue and clear in my entire life. The tours are not cheap, but most companies offer sensibly the same thing so we just read the comments and found the cheapest option that looked the most complete, with the best comments, and went for that.   what was included in our tourWe went on a full-day tour with Milos Adventure. Our tour left from Adamantas, the main port of Milos, early in the morning and brought us to Pollonia, on the North side of Milos just before sunset. The bus ride back to Adamantas was included, but since we were staying in Pollonia, we just ended the tour there. There were 12 passengers for 3 crew members on a catamaran with two big nets at the front and a huge covered area at the back. We had a snack in the morning, a full lunch with dessert and two more snacks in the afternoon, and drinks were also included. We had a long swim in a bay in the morning, then stopped at Kleftiko for lunch and some more swimming (about an hour and a half), and then made two more stops on Milos before making one last stop on Poliegos. It felt like we spent the whole day swimming and the boat tour was there just to give us a break. Of course we could have stayed in the boat, but my friend and I took advantage of every minute we had in the gorgeous turquoise water.
how it wentI'm going to be honest, I had the time of my life! The one difficult part was trying to get some shade as everyone started to congregate in the shaded area of the boat as the day progressed and there wasn't quite enough room there for everyone on the tour, but other than that, it was absolutely amazing. The food was delicious and there were a lot of options and plenty for everyone. Milos was an incredible surprise as soon as the boat left the dock. We could see the shores and little villages on the top of cliffs, and every beach we stopped at was even more beautiful than the last. It ended our trip to Greece with a bang and I have been recommending these tours to everyone who tells me they are heading to Greece since the minute I got back. It was definitely a splurge for us, but I would gladly stay in hostels more often to be able to afford activities like this one. I have never regretted it and, once again, the choice was the right one!   The pictures really don't do justice to the beauty of Milos and Poliegos! I can't say enough how much I recommend this activity. And now, after all that swimming and all that sunshine, there is only one thing to do: get an amazing dinner at one of Pollonia's seaside terrasses. For some dinner inspiration, check out my article of the best food to try in Greece, available below. The title picture was actually taken right after our excursion around Milos. other articles you might enjoy
Oh Santorini! We've all heard about it and seen it in movies (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants anyone?) and it' one of those places that's on everyone's bucket list. Unfortunately, to me, it also felt like one of those places I was visiting just to check it off my list, you know? Not to say I'm not 100% grateful and didn't enjoy or take advantage of my time there, but it wasn't my favorite island in Greece. Now that I have the disclaimer out of the way, let's dive into what makes Santorini a must-visit destination and what you can do to make sure you enjoy your vacation to the most visited greek island.  how to Deal with the crowdsAlright! This is the first thing we are talking about because this is what is going to make or break your trip. It doesn't matter where you stay or what you do, if you are not ready for the crowds, you are not ready for Santorini, and I am saying this with love as a person who was not ready for Santorini. We had no choice but to visit in July in the peak tourist season, but if you can visit in shoulder season, there would be a tiny bit less people. I'm trying to be funny, but I'm not lying. From what I have seen and read, you can basically visit Santorini with crowds, or visit in the middle of winter when nothing is open. But there are ways to still enjoy your time without being completely overwhelmed during your whole trip. We found that the crowds mostly stick to Oia, and while the village is absolutely beautiful and deserves to be seen, there are plenty of other sights to see and villages to visit outside of Oia. We did visit Oia in the morning while it was bearable, spent the afternoon at peak crowd hours away, and came back in the early evening to get ready for sunset (we'll come back to that later). All of that to say, I encourage you to venture outside the crowded alleys of Oia and discover all that Santorini has to offer. You won't regret it!   Where to stayYou will find accommodation in Santorini, in summer, in the range of 100$ CA per night to multiple thousand dollars per night. At first glance, it seems impossible to find anything affordable, and while I wish I was the type of person who could afford (or who got offered) a suite in a cave hotel with a turquoise infinity pool and a view on the caldera, I am not that person, and chances are, you aren't either. Once again, I encourage you to venture outside of Oia, or even the main villages on the caldera. Here are your options:
 how to get aroundWe spent our whole trip to Greece using public transportation, and while each island had a different way of doing public transportation and it was always an adjustment (hello to you Santorini buses making everybody climb aboard until it was jam-packed and then having the bus driver go around for everyone to pay him), we found it was pretty easy and very worth it financially. Saving up on every other island, allowed us to rent an ATV for one day in Santorini. We could have visited all of the spots we visited using the bus system, but it was a lot faster and more direct using the ATV and it was a fun activity. One-day cost us 50 euros plus the tank of gas that was not cheap, but I found it worth it for the time that we saved. There is no way we would have been able to see as much as we did in one day without it. Plus, we only needed our canadian drivers license to rent it and insurance was included.  what to visitThere is so much to see in Santorini! On our first full day on the island, we rented the ATV and visited the ruins of Akrotiri which are still being excavated and are basically a Pompei where people had time to get away. The ruins are so well preserved and it was a fascinating visit. We also went to the red and black beaches. You can read my article on my favorite beaches in Greece for more information on those here. We went to the highest peak on Santorini for a view on the island and caldera, we had a wine tasting at a winery, which included a tour and was so interesting as the vines grow completely differently than the would everywhere else due to the high winds and heat, and went to Imerovigli for sunset. What a complete and exhilarating day on Santorini. Except for the red beach, there were no crowds anywhere,and we really got to enjoy every moment! On day two in Santorini, we took the bus to Fira, and then Oia, early in the morning to explore the streets of Oia without the crowds. The village is so pretty and there are plenty of little alleyways to explore, shops to visit and churches to photograph. We even found a nice little book store in the basement of a house. When the heat and the crowds got to be too much for us, we climbed down the stairs to Ammoudi bay to go for a swim. There were a lot people there, but it was still a nice swimming spot and we really enjoyed the atmosphere of the bay. We had gelato before we felt ready to go back up the stairs to Oia. There are donkeys to help you up the steps, but in the heat I felt really bad for the poor animals. We stayed for sunset (more on that later) and took the bus back after dark. On our last day in Santorini, we had to be back on the bus by noon to catch our ferry, so we spent some time by the pool and relaxed for a while. I would have liked to visit Fira and see more of Imerovigli, but with the heat and crowds, I had reached my limit of stimuli. 
how long should you stayYou could definitely spend more time in Santorini, but I had enough after three days. I needed to go relax on a quieter island and I needed less expensive food. I wouldn't have shortened our stay though. Less time would have felt really rushed and we wouldn't have been able to see everything we wanted to see or take the time to enjoy it. I think two full days would be the bare minimum. I didn't feel at any point like we didn't have enough time though. Two full days, an evening and a morning was perfect to me. The summer heat is something you do need to take into consideration while planning the number of days you want to visit though. I don't mind the heat and we always organized our days in Greece to be close to a swimming spot in the afternoon, but if you know the heat might be an issue for you, I would plan for more days with time in the afternoon to relax, go back to your accommodation or at least find some shade and cold drinks.  tips for sunset in oiaHere we go, sunsets in Oia! I need to start by saying, now that I have seen it, I get the hype. Now that I have lived it, did I fully enjoy it? Sadly, the answer would have to be no. Is it worth it? I think I would have regretted not going, but I have seen better sunsets in more enjoyable places. If you do want to see the sunset in Oia, you need to be ready for it. Crowds started gathering at 6 PM for an 8:30-9 PM sunset and crowds can really bring the worst out of people. Keep in mind that it is hot. If you plan on waiting in your spot for a while you will need plenty of water and I would recommend fruits and some kind of salty food so you don't get too dehydrated. We decided to go to the ruins of St Nicholas castle and brought plenty of snacks and cold water. We brought our books and waited for hours, but if you're going to do sunset in Oia, you might as well commit, right? Once the sunset starts, no matter how early you got there and no matter the spot you chose, people will be climbing over you to see and putting their cameras in your face to get a picture. I'm not going to lie, it was a circus. I had a lady sitting on my hand, I bumped my head on someone's camera when trying to turn around, I was almost pushed off the edge at some point, but when the sun hit the water, people started to leave and we got to enjoy blue hour by ourselves, which was completely worth it. Although Oia is probably the only place where the sun will set over the water, I did really enjoy the sunset in Imerovigli. Over there, the sun sets over the village of Oia and there was literally no one but us. If you aren't willing to brave the crowds of Oia, this would be a very good option in my opinion.
After all of this, I hope I didn't discourage you form visiting Santorini. There is a reason the island is so popular, and while I enjoyed my visit of other islands more, I don't regret choosing to add Santorini to our itinerary. Is Santorini on your bucketlist? Let me know in the comments! other articles you might enjoy
15/3/2024 0 Comments Travel tips: driving in MartiniqueWhen we started booking our trip to Martinique in the fall of 2023, it quickly became clear that we wouldn't see much without a car. Most of the attractions are not on any bus lines and booking a tour for every single visit would be costly, time consuming and ineffective. We rented a car for the whole trip and never regretted it as we were able to see everything we wanted and to modify our itinerary along the way according to the weather and our level of energy the day of. Here is everything you need to know before deciding to rent a car in Martinique.  renting a carActually renting the car was a piece of cake. We booked everything online through the company's website. They picked us up at the airport after we called to let them know we had arrived, and the whole process at the agency took about 15 minutes. We all had to show our driver's licence, but our canadian licences were fine and we didn't need an international one. We went around the car to check for any scratches or irregularities, and then we were on our way. The only thing I found weird was that we had to clean the car inside and out before handing back the keys or they would charge us a cleaning fee. We ended up finding a car wash that also had vacuums and were able to clean it without an issue, but it was still a hassle to have to thing about this while on vacation.  the roadsThis is where it got complicated! We had no trouble finding our way as every road is on Google Maps, but the roads in Martinique are not what you would find around Quebec City. They definitely require more skills... The roads are very narrow, to the point that most people drive in the middle of the road and don't keep to their lane. Often time, there's the road and then a cliff or rock face and the road will serpent its way up or down the mountain so you are constantly turning 300 degrees on a very narrow road where you can't see what is coming the other direction. I'm not a new driver and I have driven long distances in icy conditions or in fog, but even I was nervous on some of these roads. Even worse, locals drive crazy fast and will pass you right before a curve or in a section where you can't see anything that is coming in the other direction. You will have to be careful for yourself and for the people around you as you drive in Martinique that is for sure!  the distancesThe island of Martinique is pretty small and you would expect to get to most places quickly, but this is definitely not the case. Since the roads are, most of the times, especially in the Northern region, narrow and crooked, the speed limit is often very low and distances are greater than they seem when you look on a map. The road system is also star shaped around Fort-de-France which means that you often have to go a long way around because there are simply no roads that connect directly to where you want to go. Make sure to look up distances and time on Google Maps before making plans.  the speed limitsLike I said previously, the speed limits are pretty low, but to be honest, I very rarely found myself on a road where I would have driven faster than the limit. You also should always follow the indicated speed limits as there are radars installed all around the island and tickets are apparently pretty pricey.  trafficThat is one thing we had not considered when planning our trip. We had been told that there was often traffic around Fort-de-France, but honestly, there was traffic pretty much every where and at every hour... The highways also have roundabouts which often cause congestion and long queues, so you are stopped every few kilometers even on main roads.  Although driving in Martinique was often a pain and very rarely relaxing, I still would make the decision of renting a car. We wouldn't have seen half of what we saw without one and would have been greatly limited in our choices of accommodation. I honestly don't think visiting Martinique without a car would have been worth it and definitely recommend the extra trip expense. other articles you might enjoy
Martinique is a beautiful tropical island located in the Caribbean, and one of the reasons we chose to vacation there, is the variety of beaches. Let's be honest, not every beach is built the same, and depending on what you are looking for, your go-to will vary. But wether you are looking to surf, kayak, read in the sun, snorkel, take pictures, play in the sand, explore, etc. there is a beach for you in Martinique!  The best black beach: Anse CouleuvreWe are starting strong with my favorite beach overall. Honestly, just such a beautiful black beach, with sand as soft as flour, plenty of space, and small waves you can play in. It's a good beach to swim or just float. Personally, I liked that I felt like I just stepped into a postcard. The scenery was just breathtaking. There is also a very nice trail to Cascade Couleuvre that you can hike if you are getting a little restless relaxing on the beach. The only problem with this beach is the road to get there, the absence of parking spaces and the 1-mile walk afterwards. It would be a complicated beach to visit with small children that can't walk for long, or if you have a lot of things to carry. I personally found it totally worth it, but it's definitely more of a towel and sandwich than a full picnic and plenty of games kind of beach.  The best beach to spend a full day: Anses SalinesIf you are planning on a full day at the beach, Anses Salines is your best bet. There is plenty of parking spaces not too far from the beach, there are trees for some shade or to hang hammocks, there are restaurants and souvenir shops and even an ice cream cart. The beach is long and large, so there is plenty of space for everybody. It's the beach we spent the most time at because it is really convenient. The only downside for this beach would be the uncertainty of the wind. If there is a lot of wind, especially coming from the Atlantic, it can form big waves and carry seaweed. On some days, the water was clear and the beach was completely free of seaweed, and on other days, there was a lot in the water and the waves would crash into you. It really depends on the weather, but most days would be fine!  The best beach to see turtles: Grande Anse d'arletWe had read online that the best beaches for turtles were Anse Dufour and Anse Noire, but locals told us that these two beaches were becoming too crowded and the turtles were starting to relocate to Grande Anse d'Arlet. I wouldn't be able to say if it's true, but I can say that we saw at least 5 turtles during the hour that we were kayaking in Grande Anse. The weather wasn't even on our side as it was very windy, and so we kept getting pushed around by gusts of wind, and we still managed to spot multiple turtles in the water and coming up for air. I would say it's a safe bet! Grande Anse also has more parking spaces and way more room on the beach. Plus the transparent kayak rentals were so much fun!
The best beach to cool down after hiking Presqu'île de la caravelle: Anse l'étangAlso the best beach to surf due to the winds from the Atlantic! Anse l'étang isn't a popular beach, but I really enjoyed it. The water was warm and clear, the sand was nice, and although there are great waves for surfing, there are rocks at the bottom, a little further from the beach, protecting the beach area so the waves aren't huge if you are trying to swim. Plus, after hiking all around Presqu'île de la Caravelle in 30 degrees Celsius and 100% humidity, I think any beach would have worked. I just needed to cool down and clean the sweat off my skin. The only downside to this beach is that the water gets deep very fast, but otherwise, it was perfect in my opinion!
The best beach for families: Sainte-AnneWe didn't stay long at the beach in Sainte-Anne because it wasn't for us, but I can totally see the appeal for families with small children. I didn't like that the parking cost money, and I didn't like the amount of seaweed in the water, but that can vary a lot with the winds and seasons. I also didn't like the amount of people on that beach, but that's just a personal preference. The reason I am recommending this beach for families is that the parking lot is right by the beach, there are trees for shade, it is cleaned and maintained and there are picnic tables. You could also slowly walk into the water, which would be great for young children or beginner swimmers, and the bay and marina protect the beach, which means there are barely any waves. Like I said, it wasn't what I was looking for, but that doesn't make it a bad beach in any way. the best beach for sunset : le carbet, Saint-Pierre or anse caritanObviously, to get a nice beach sunset, you need to be on the right side of the island, on the West coast. The beaches in Saint-Pierre and Le Carbet are on the perfect side for a nice view on the sunset. The beaches are also very dark, or even black sand beaches, which makes the sunset pop, and they are lined with bars or restaurant, so you can sip a cocktail while waiting for the sunset. The beach at Anse Caritan is great for very different reasons. It is pretty far out of the way, so there are no crowds, and while it is not located on the West Coast, the opening of the bay lines up with the sunset. What makes it special though, is the swing! I love ocean swings, and this one lines up perfectly with the sunset so the pictures turned out great. Plus, there was barely anyone there, so we got to take our time and enjoy the moment, not just snap a quick pic before we had to let someone else have a turn.
the best beach to be alone: Anse grosse rocheIf it hadn't been for the amount of seaweed on the beach and in the water, this beach would have been my favorite. The sand was literally flour under our feet, so soft and white! There was nobody there, there were palm trees surrounding the whole bay and we just felt like castaways. Unfortunately, the winds and currents have brought large amounts of seaweed on this beach in recent years and it has a funky smell so we had to find an area of the beach that wasn't as covered as the rest. I know the government is looking for a way to contain the problem, so hopefully soon they can find a way to keep them at large. Getting there also involved a good amount of walking, so it wouldn't be my first choice overall.  We were so lucky to spend enough time in Martinique to discover multiple of its beaches as they are all very different and offer widely different experiences. Like I said previously, there are no best or worst beaches in Martinique, just different ones and visitors with different preferences and needs. I encourage you to visit a few at least, but I hope this guide can help orient your choices. If you are still planning your trip, I wrote an article of the best activities to do in Martinique that you can find below. Enjoy! other articles you might enjoy
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