Europe

Top 10 drinks you need to try in Madeira

| Christie

Memories of the wonderful time we had on our trip to Madeira keep coming. We hiked and walked around this small island, we explored the Laurissilva forest, and Funchal, the capital of the island; we enjoyed the food, the Madeiran cuisine, and learned a bit of its culture. We found a real foodie scene on the island, with a lot of traditional dishes.

If you are a gourmand, and want to learn more about the local food and drink while you are there, you could opt for one of the Food, Wine and Cultural tours. If you want to check what our top picks were, you can read more: Top 10 local foods you need to try in Madeira.

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Top 10 local foods you need to try in Madeira

| Christie

The small island of Madeira is known for many things. From sea to the mountains, the scenery looks stunning, and highly treasured. Famous for its walking trails, getting to know Madeira is a rewarding adventure: either along the 2,000+ km hiking trails in the wilderness, or strolling through the towns and villages, discovering centuries of culture and traditions. But nevertheless, dining is a big affair. For foodies, and not only, Madeira gastronomy offers some unique local flavours, that you must try while you are on the island.

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How to spend a week in Madeira

| Christie

With a subtropical climate, and a unique setting, the island of Madeira, nicknamed the Pearl of the Atlantic, is a little oasis made of the ancient forests, high mountains, and beautiful beaches. The island is located at 1.5 hours – flying distance from Lisbon, and offers a huge array of activities. If you like being outdoors, this rugged and picturesque island is for you!

Miradouro do Fio, Madeira
Miradouro do Fio, Madeira
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A hike to remember: Pico to Pico

| Christie

The small island of Madeira, only 57 km long and 22 km wide, is located in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1000 km from the continental Portugal, and 700 km from Morocco. With an average annual temperature of almost 200 C in Funchal – the capital of Madeira, it seems that the island has an “eternal spring” type of weather, at least for us!

After a beautiful hike in the stunning Newfoundland, and a few short trails in the Adirondacks, my appetite for hiking had just ignited throughout 2023. With over 200 Levadas (hiking trails following the water canals) plus 30 Veredas (mountain or coastal paths), Madeira’s hiking network totals over 2000 km of hiking trails, a paradise for nature lovers.

View from Pico Areeiro
View from Pico Areeiro

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Marseille, the city of 100 neighbourhoods

| Christie

Nicknamed the city of 100 neighbourhoods, Marseille is mostly known as the oldest city in France.

Blessed with more than 300 days of sunshine a year, and with an ancient history, Marseille picked up our interest when we decided to take a road trip in Provence, and see the Gorges du Verdon.

The Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde v

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Gorges du Verdon

| Christie

Nicknamed the Grand Canyon of Europe, the Gorges Du Verdon is one of the most spectacular sites in the world. It is a river canyon located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region of Southeastern France, whose name is often shortened to Provence.

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Vlad the Impaler and The golden goblet story

| Christie

Sighișoara, Vlad the Impaler (Dracula)’s hometown

Sighișoara is not only famous for its old historic center, but also for being Vlad the Impaler’s place of birth. Built in the 12th century by Saxon settlers, the old city still wears the medieval savor, reason the citadel was designated in 1999 a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sighișoara Clock Tower - the main entry point to the citadel, with a height of 64 m
Sighișoara Clock Tower – the main entry point to the citadel, with a height of 64 m
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RO, Tulcea : Danube Delta – Sulina, the place where the river touches the sky

| Christie

Getting stuck in the middle of Danube Delta, on one of the thousand little channels, seemed no fun once I realized there is no way of moving forward, neither backward, while dozens of mosquitoes were buzzing around, smelling fresh blood in their neighbourhood. Watching the snake rolling away on the floating moss, and the green frog smiling at me, I started to rewind in my mind how that happened. I was wondering if my desire to watch the birds was proportionally equal with the quantity of blood we are going to donate to the hungry mosquitoes from this shady channel, and the nearby swamp. Because you wouldn’t need a second glance to realize there is no passage, and the mosquitoes were not fed for ages. Continue reading →