The comfy traveller's diaries

Category: Travel inspiration

Travel resolutions
It is that time of year again. Resolutions. While I haven’t really seen the dreaded influx of new-years-resolutioners clogging up the gym floor, I know that many people consciously make plans for bettering themselves this year (and every year come 1 January.) Some people vow to finally lose the weight (and I am no stranger to that myself), some finally decide to hit the gym, or quit a long-lingering vice to ‘become healthier’. But setting new year’s resolutions doesn’t always have to do with bettering ourselves physically. It can also be focused on organizing one’s travel plans for the next twelve months. And this year, I have decided to play it slightly differently. In fact, I decided to organize them less.

It’s not like I ever really sat with my calendar and planned out the year. I have always been the ‘organized mess’ type of person. I go by gut feelings and general direction, rather than daily to do lists because life has taught me that only few things are within our hands to plan ahead and in detail. I also tend to get bored of sameness and rigid schedules or regimes, and that’s a good thing, because it keeps me hungry to explore what else life has to offer.

And even though I like my routines, I need to break out of them once in a while because otherwise I would go mad. So, when I speak about organizing my travel plans, I rather mean thinking about where I want to go, how often I can afford to travel within a twelve-month period and where I will likely go. Once I have thoroughly thought about it, I will book at least one trip that will be fixed in my calendar to have something to look forward to. It’s like a goal with a plan rather than a lofty ambition of ‘I want to travel this year’. I book a flight and a hotel and pencil it into my agenda. It creates a fait accompli in my head and gives me something to dream about during the drab, dark and rainy days of winter. If I feel particularly adventurous, I will book the non-refundable rate to make it that little bit more concrete and non-negotiable. Most of these travel anchors in my agenda will be sunny destinations, or well-travelled cities I know will breathe some life into my nine-to-five reality. Booking something relatively far down the line, like in September for instance, amplifies my excitement and I normally prefer to aim for that time of year when it comes to this one definite trip.

But this year, I decided to be more adventurous and the only fixed trip in my agenda is connected to a medical check-up in the first quarter of the year, while the rest of the pages in my 2026 agenda will remain unchartered territory for now. For the first time in a while, I am not going to rush to get a good deal on my favourite summer destination. I decided to chill out a bit this year and really take it month by month. Baby steps they say when it comes to other goals, such as lifting PR weights or losing a set amount of weight. In 2026, I will try this approach. And who knows, maybe I will get inspired beyond my usual limits.

Because, let’s be honest, more often than not, my pre-planned trips are city breaks to places I have already been to. Not terribly exciting for a travel blogger you might think, but not necessarily wrong either. Perhaps a little uninventive but at the same time, I genuinely love the places I keep returning to and it’s not like I have seen all there is to Paris or Milan within a 48-hour dash into the centre of town. If there are places that work for you as a solo traveller, that you enjoy and look forward to visiting periodically, why not? You also return to your favourite café or restaurant, don’t you? The kind of traveller and person that I am, I am not looking to become that insta-girl affixing 80 flags to her profile or checking off a bucket list of countries just to prove I am a worthy of calling myself a travel blogger. It is in fact very unlikely that you will see much more than Paris and Milan and maybe a bit of the rest of Europe on my blog or Instagram in the next decade. Because travelling solo isn’t easy; travelling solo when you are female and handicapped and hence without a driving licence, is harder. It’s not like I wouldn’t enjoy a road trip through Spain; it’s just that these kinds of trips aren’t in the cards for me as long as I travel solo.

Does that mean I will no longer venture beyond my comfort zone? No, of course it does not. Because I might just wake up tomorrow and decide to go to Australia. But trips like that require actual planning ahead and I am not sure I am ready for it yet. On the contrary, a weekend trip to a city nearby always works out somehow, even if it will mean working harder to meet a certain deadline a few days ahead of time to be able to take that Friday or Monday off.

Much about my travels is about getting a break from my everyday routine and 2026 will be no different in that regard. It is about breaking out of those habits and about getting new ideas. It’s that different perspective and input that I am chasing in my travels. Just this time around, I want to be a bit more spontaneous and go with the flow rather than planning out several trips at once. Let’s see how it will turn out, but I am very excited for a bit more spontaneity this year.
04.01.2026
10 Common sense ways in which to save money for travel
Let’s face it: travel is expensive, and costs keep growing much faster than our salaries ever will. In order to find the resources to travel, I implemented a few ‘hacks’ to save in a non-invasive way. At the end of the day, it is about spending more mindfully, not about depriving yourself of everyday pleasures. Be specific about what you want and prioritize accordingly. And don’t forget: it’s not about perfection; it’s about intention and progress toward your goals.

But goals remain dreams unless you put in place a plan for achieving them. You will likely not reach your goal overnight, and probably not within a week, but the most important part is to start somewhere and consciously work towards it.

1. Prioritize quality over quantity

Don’t get me wrong, there is great beauty and worth in hanging out in a cozy cafe and buying an elegant pair of shoes or a perfume you really enjoy. My point is to stop the mindless, aimless spending on a whim or out of unplanned convenience. And if you are honest with yourself, how much do you actually enjoy a latte served in a paper cup, burning the tip of your tongue for which you have been queuing for 10 to 15 minutes? Or the one you have to bring to your own seat (if you find one) where the person who sat there before you have left a tray of mess behind and the counter or tabletop hasn’t been wiped since the place opened in the morning. Equally, how many bronzers and foundations does a girl need? Eyeshadow palettes? Likely you are always buying the same colours anyway. My idea of saving is to not to deprive yourself of things you love and enjoy and save on the things you don’t. If you love a café moment, why not plan it in for the weekend, when you can take your time and actually savour the coffee you order in a place that’s really worth it?

2. Stop buying online

While I stopped buying online because of the hassle and the endless waste of time involved in chasing returns, the stress generated by receiving 10 update emails per package, and being a prisoner in my own home because the delivery company announced it would come “between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.” only to show up on another day altogether, I think that shopping online is one of those things that ultimately makes us overspend. In my case, stopping this madness has not only had a positive effect on my life in terms of reducing all of these stress factors, but it also reduced the number of things and clothes I bought at the end of the day. I really think that we need to just pause for a second and remind ourselves that we no longer live in COVID-19 lockdowns. We can actually go to the shop and try things on there. And if you cannot be bothered to do so, chances are you did not need the item to begin with. In my opinion, it also saves you zero time to shop for fashion online because you likely end up having to deal with the return process and go to the shop or a parcel drop-off place (and let’s face it, they are rarely in the chicest areas of town), which arguably takes much more time and is way less enjoyable than going to the shop to begin with.

3. Reduce mindless spending on coffees/matcha to go

I don’t know about the place in which you live, but where I am, you cannot really get a coffee outside for less than 4.50 EUR (around 5.30 USD). And matcha starts at 5 EUR (roughly 6 USD). That’s a lot of money if you spend it on a daily basis. Not to mention all the trash, the thought of which alone makes me dizzy. If you are the kind of person that really enjoys a latte on the run while getting to work, why not invest in a cute thermos cup that you fill up at home and take with you instead? I am not saying you should reduce pleasure in your daily life; I am rather advocating for focus and spending with intention when, at the end of the day, you are looking to save up for something that is truly important to you. And if you care enough to take the time to read this blog, then chances are you are looking to save up for a trip you have been dreaming of for a while.

4. Use up your beauty and skin care products before purchasing new ones

None of us is an island, and we are bombarded with advertisements for new beauty products and skincare trends all over the place. Also, if you are just a bit like me, you probably love browsing through Sephora or the beauty section in the big department stores. I have a huge soft spot for everything beauty-related, and I used to stock up on products, especially when there was a deal or discount, thinking that I would need it later anyway. While this is partially true, I have, however, noticed that I had a tendency to basically keep my cash locked in a drawer until three months down the line when I eventually did run out of whatever product. Most of the time, there was either a new deal on offer, or I wanted to try out something else anyway. I guess, ultimately, you will just have to surround yourself with those products you truly love so that you end up cherishing them to the last drop. Don’t be like me; don’t stockpile.

5. Invest in a versatile capsule wardrobe

You don’t need 5 scarves and 7 hats this winter. You probably only need two neutral, good quality pieces of each that work with the coats you own. You also probably do not need to buy a new coat every single winter but can very likely wear it 2 to 3 years if you invested in a classic, good quality piece. My late granddad used to say: “I am too poor to buy poor quality”; this motto did not really resonate with me for many years, but with age and experience, I learned to understand what it meant. If you don’t have endless resources, it is better to spend a lot once on something that will last you long, because in the long run, you’ll spend less. Of course, if you are in your 20s, you are more likely to want to experiment with fashion and really go for trends, and that’s all great, but the more mature you get, the harder it is to pull off trends, and quality matters more, I believe.

For reasons of style and sustainability, I am also a very passionate advocate for quality leather shoes. I am obsessed with keeping them neat and clean, and as soon as they show signs of wear, I will take them to the shoemaker and have them repaired. This is why I invest in a few select pairs of shoes and boots and treat them with the greatest care.

If you reduce the amount of clothes you own in a curated and thoughtful way and shop less but smarter (i.e., does it go with things I already own? Do I have an occasion to wear this piece? Does the quality or material justify the price?), you will be spending less money overall and look put together every day. Maybe you find that very basic, but if you are reading tips on how to save intentionally, you are likely not a trust fund baby either.

6. Cook at home and pack lunches

Preparing your own food: Unpopular but not really rocket science. If you want to save money and probably be healthier in the process, you just have to start cooking and prepping your own meals and plan ahead for packed office lunches. It will save you lots of money. Instead of a lunch walk to the supermarket on a daily basis and spending 10+ Euros or Dollars on an assorted mess that will probably come down to a sandwich in the end or a mayonnaise-drenched salad bowl with soggy pasta at the bottom of an unaesthetic plastic bowl (or stale potatoes for that matter), prep your own. And that’s only lunch; you haven’t even addressed dinner yet. I prep a salad or something easy to take to the office, where I also keep some olive oil and vinegar for the dressing and cook a warm meal in the evening at home.

7. Book smartly

Granted, the 7 a.m. flight is always cheaper and the same goes for the Eurostar or other high-speed trains. Although I am used to getting up very early, and that really isn’t the issue here, there simply is no sense in saving 20 EUR on a plane fare and then having to dish out 80 to 100 EUR on a taxi because there is no public transport option in the early morning. It’s about planning it right to save money in the right places.

Conversely, I do sometimes upgrade to first class on the Eurostar (when the fare difference isn’t too high) in winter because I can get lounge access, which will be a huge plus when it is very cold on the drafty platforms and I risk getting sick and having to spend the fare difference on medicine later on.

Plan properly when it comes to the hotel location (Check out my blog post It’s all about the location) to avoid long commutes or taxi rides to the places you want to visit.

8. Invest in a good suitcase and carry-on

As a student, I would buy those cheap suitcases that usually ended up breaking immediately with wheels falling off or the zip giving in. It was usually a nightmare because they don’t break at home when you fill them. They break when you least need it. Within your means, I am sure you can find a suitcase from a more reputable quality brand that is timeless in terms of colour and well produced so that it won’t let you down in the next 10 years. Plan long-term because I am sure you are not only intending to go on one trip in the near future. If you have found your way to my blog, you probably love traveling and are looking to go on many more trips to come.

9. Keep track of what you save

It may be a good idea to keep a separate account or other mechanism in place for recording what you actually save. You can go old school and start paying more with cash and keeping the rest in a jar at the end of each week, or you can record your expenses in a way that you know exactly what you have saved at the end of each month.

The Japanese method of kakeibo is something I recently discovered and find both fascinating and effective for that purpose.

If you practice this form of simple home accounting, you will soon figure out your monthly basic needs in financial terms and, likewise, how much money you are able to save every month. Then, you will be able to immediately set a fixed amount aside once you receive your paycheck and forget about it in a savings account.

10. Plan your trips in advance

Booking hotels, flight tickets, or train fares in advance usually saves you money. At the same time, pencilling your trip into the calendar months in advance gives you something to look forward to. Having several trips lined up throughout the year really motivates me to get through the everyday drudge.
21.09.2025
How to travel when you can’t travel
Fake it, till you make it

I am a notorious dreamer and romantic, and if you have followed me along, you will probably already know that I have the Balkan mentality of all or nothing, black or white, firmly engraved into my DNA. I love luxury and beautiful things, comfort, and style, and if something doesn’t remotely live up to that, I’d rather stay at home.
However, none of us needs to stay at their factory default setting. We can educate ourselves and try to change ways where this is reasonable and actually to our benefit. In my case, I am trying to navigate what I want by finding suitable compromises for my travel goals when it’s necessary. Life is all about balance, and it is one of my declared goals in life to improve upon my skills of finding and loving balance.

Since I have literally just returned from my summer vacation, I am in a bit of a slump right now, as I am unable to go anywhere else just yet. But what can you do when you really want to go somewhere but can’t? I think the key to bridging the travel gap is to create little mental escape breaks for yourself along the way. Day trips, walks in a different park or forest, maybe a window-shopping and coffee-drinking trip to a nearby city you normally don’t go to. Maybe go for a spa day or have coffee in a sumptuous hotel lobby if you are craving a luxurious city break.

For me, as much as I love the urban stroll, cafés, and Parisian department stores, I also have an enormous soft spot for nature and walking. Call me boring or basic, but a walk in the forest just soothes my soul. And autumn is the most beautiful time of the year for it. I love the copper-golden tones of a beech forest and the calming scent of moss and chestnuts. The colours and the serene sound of a forest in autumn are just very special.

One day, I would really love to visit Japan. I find Japanese gardens so beautiful and impressively curated. It really is a distant and – at the moment – unrealistic dream of mine, but dreams are meant to be pursued, right? It is a matter of focus and priorities, and I am sure that one day I will be able to make it happen. I am working on it.

But the point of this blog I want to share with you is that sometimes, there also lies beauty in the ‘next best thing’ and baby steps can help you keep the focus on the big goal; in my case, a trip to Japan. There is a Japanese garden in the Netherlands that I recently had the chance to visit. Unfortunately, it only opens twice a year and its time has not come yet. But if you visit in mid-October, you will be able to see it in its full beauty. For now, I contented myself with snatching a sneak preview over the fence. It has such a unique touch and allure. Mossy green, curated maple trees waiting to turn bright red and beautiful bridges over green creeks make it look so special and stunning. I can only dream of how beautiful such a garden would be in Japan. However, just grasping a glimpse of this architecture made me dream of going to Japan, and the trip to the park was absolutely worth it.

Maybe you have something similar where you live. Maybe there’s a forest or park you normally don’t go to. And just maybe, you would actually love going for a walk there one day soon, to get a break, recharge, or to just enhance your natural glow with some sunshine and fresh air.

One of my former bosses who shall remain anonymous, of course, used to say: “Fake it, till you make it” – and to give him credit, he was the first real-life example actually implementing this maxim I ever met. He did well on that front; mostly, anyway.

Faking things to end up getting what you want is actually a great skill in many regards. And when it comes to travelling, I think you sometimes just need to fake it for yourself to help with the motivation and keep you focused on your goals.
14.09.2025
Culture, history and a side of hummus, please!
I recently visited the Hungarian capital Budapest. Many years ago, when I was still a student, I already heard the tales of fellow students going to visit the bath houses in Budapest and how much they loved the special vibe of this Eastern European city. I was intrigued, but never really found a ‘reason’ to visit. Recently, the recurring, subtle suggestions from the Instagram algorithm probably planted the idea of visiting Budapest more firmly into my mind. It just looked so beautiful with its magnificent architecture and picture-perfect bagels that kept popping up on my feed.

Let’s get the bagel disappointment out of the way first: I just wasn’t impressed. Probably I did not know where to go, but the Best Bagel Basilica just wasn’t it for me. They were not bad but did not live up to my memories of sumptuous, soft Jerusalem bagels.

Earlier this year, I decided that at least once a year, I should go to a place I have never been to before, and so a Budapest meet-up with my Austrian friend seemed like a fantastic idea. There is a direct train from Vienna, as well as good flight connections to many capitals around the world.

Budapest has way too much to see for a weekend. At the same time, I am not sure I would ever recommend a city trip for more than 3 days. Maybe it is just one of those places that you have to visit multiple times over the years to see and experience everything.

Besides catching up about our lives, we really wanted to take it easy on this trip and kept walking to reasonable limits. Let’s just say, if I am on my own, I walk at least twice as much. But Budapest was great in terms of Uber-ing everywhere. Affordable, clean, and – for a visually impaired person like me – easy to find and identify the specific car that was picking us up, as all Ubers are at the same time yellow cabs and drivers are very patient.

I found the Hungarian people very friendly and kind in a pleasant and somewhat reserved kind of way and everybody had an excellent command of English, and/or another language I spoke. One market vendor sold me yet another bag of paprika just because he so kindly spoke to me in Serbian (without being sleazy). Just pure kindness (and being a good salesman, of course!). I did regret having bought the first batch at a somewhat more touristy stall before I came across his. So, don’t be like me; check before you buy and who knows, you might come across someone who speaks your language and gifts you a smile!

After a stroll through the market hall, we wandered along the bank of the Danube to take pictures of the Liberty and Chain bridges and the historical tram until we more or less reached the stunning Hungarian parliament.

Not far from parliament by the riverbank lies the very harrowing monument of the Shoes by the Danube bank. I have visited a fair share of holocaust memorial sites in my life, but this one really touched me very much on a very deep level.

The shoes are so vividly crafted that you can imagine the people who wore them before they were so cruelly killed at the very tail end of the war.

This memorial site was not only very moving but, of course, deeply depressing in its own right; but we must never forget history and for what it is worth, I think we must never avoid this uncomfortable feeling of being reminded of what humanity is capable of.

I do not want my blog to drag you down, far from it. I started it to distract, to share positive and funny things, to give tips on travel based on things I got right or got wrong during almost two decades of mainly solo travel. But I don’t just travel for shopping and eating, surprising as it may seem. I travel to broaden my horizon and become richer in experiences and understanding of other cultures and lifestyles. Sometimes through shopping, always through food, and other times through history and art.

Let’s just say, no one was shopping on this trip, and besides some of the designer staples like Louis Vuitton and Max Mara we walked past on our evening stroll near the opera house, I wouldn’t even be able to tell you where the main shopping district is or what kind of shops they had.

This time around, it was truly just about culture, history, and architecture.

What I also did not know, for example, is that Budapest has the third largest synagogue in the world, the Dohany Street Synagogue with its own very unique history and architecture. It is not only a stunningly beautiful building in itself, but it has a very fascinating history.

I strongly recommend that you take the guided tour to really understand this building and the particularities of Jewish life in Hungary. Our guide was a very funny man who steered clear of all politics, which I appreciated very much. I really did learn a lot about Jewish history and Hungarian history just by taking the tour.

If you decide to go, just please make sure you are covered (no shorts or sleeveless tops etc.) or else will have to wear the not so chic light blue cover-up raincoat type of thing. Just don’t. And don’t show up on Shabbat (i.e. Saturday) or holy Jewish holidays, in other words, check and plan ahead to avoid disappointment.

To end our day of cultural immersion, we went for dinner and drinks at Mazel Tov in the Jewish district (they are even open on Shabbat), where the food was very nice and the local wine recommendation great.

All in all, the Hungarians appear to appreciate their drinks, with cocktails and copious amounts of alcohol on display on every corner of the city it seemed – our hotel served sparkling wine as a breakfast staple – which isn’t really my cup of tea, but I do not mind trying a glass of local wine with a dinner. I believe Mazel Tov is a great place for anyone who misses a bit of Tel Aviv style boho atmosphere and generally enjoys a relaxed place for food and drink. I can warmly recommend the beetroot hummus and the local rosé that is apparently almost always sold out and whose name I cannot remember (or pronounce) for the life of me. It will, of course, also be more fun if you go with a group of people and share different dishes mezze style.

To be continued (because Budapest has a lot to offer!)
31.08.2025
La rentrée – The Return
La rentrée, literally meaning ‘the return’, or as the British would call this period: “Back to School” isn’t only a slogan accompanying offers of school uniforms and stationery in the shops. No, it is a feeling. The return to normal, everyday life that follows the re-set during your summer vacation is a magical time of the year and, in my book, much more important than January resolutions. For me, la rentrée is the real deal; the fresh start, the enthusiastic outlook on what there is to come and above all, the time to plan your next trip.

Traditionally, this is my favourite time to plan an autumn city break to Paris or Milan and think about some new wardrobe staples I might want to look out for during these trips. The weather will still be good in most European cities and the days are still relatively long until the change to wintertime in late October. In fact, if you love sightseeing and to culturally immerse yourself in museums and exhibitions, I believe autumn is the perfect time to plan a visit to Paris. While Paris is always a good idea, my favourite time to visit the French capital is between September and mid-October. Just look out for the fashion week and absolutely avoid that time, as hotel prices will sky-rocket and traffic will become unbearable.

Autumn in Paris will always be magical. The parks will show the first autumn hues, the air will be crisp but days are still sunny and pleasant for the most part. You can start wearing layers and trench coats and shoes that have been hiding in the transitional department of your wardrobe for a while. For me, autumn in Paris, is also synonymous with shopping. I don’t know why, but I tend to be more interested in shopping that time of the year as opposed to spring or summer. Maybe that has to do with the fact that living in the Netherlands requires an autumn wardrobe all year round, or simply because la rentrée makes me very excited about changing things up and exploring new trends, including clothes and shoes. Don’t get me wrong, it is not a shopping spree that I am talking about but rather the selective sampling of one or two good pieces I can wear for several years to come.

My favourite shopping spot of all times are the Galleries La Fayette in Paris, as well as the Printemps department store next door. If you go later in the day, I recommend stopping for an apéritif on the rooftop of Printemps homme for magnificent sunset views of the Eiffel tower and the Opéra. If you are more into shopping skin care and beauty products and prefer calmer surroundings, I would recommend La Samaritaine on the river banks next to the Pont Neuf close to Notre Dame or French Pharmacies.

My absolute favourite French Pharmacy is the Pharmacie Paris Eiffel Commerce in the 15th arrondissement. It is beautiful, very spacious, well-stocked and not as crowded as anything you would find around the Opéra area.

Well, you can’t just be shopping and eating cake either. And, of course, there will be rainy days during this time of year and the best way to not get disappointed about that is to strategically plan your museum days. For the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay, you absolutely should book your tickets in advance. In fact, you will have to select a time slot in order to skip the queue and even then, there will be a considerable queue for the time slot you booked; however, this will go fast, and you won’t have to queue more than 20 minutes at most.

The first Sunday of the month, admission is free at the Musée d’Orsay, however, you need to make a reservation, so just keep that in mind, but free access sounds pretty sweet to me! After the museum visit, you can stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries, grab a coffee and pastry at some of my favourite places (check out my blog post of 22 June 2025 below for recommendations) and enjoy the beauty of this glorious city in style.

After the museum visit, you can stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries, grab a coffee and pastry at some of my favourite places (check out my blog post of 22 June 2025 below for recommendations) and enjoy the beauty of this glorious city in style. The Jardin du Palais Royal is not too far either, and there you can grab a coffee and chill by the fountain in the fading afternoon sun.

But la rentrée is so much more than just a city break and a cardigan or pair of boots. If for your children it is the time of year to deal with new teachers and reuniting with their friends, this time of year should really direct you towards exploring new things and ways of thinking. I hope you were able to take some rest in the weeks of July or August, and I equally hope that this rest enabled you to reflect and recharge and get inspired for the season that lies ahead. Maybe you made the resolution to go back to the gym, to start Pilates or hiking or to revive a rusty running routine. Maybe you decided that after the holidays you would start preparing meals to bring to the office; maybe you just got bored of the clothes you have been wearing for ever and think it is time to change; whatever it is, take ‘the return’ to normal everyday life as a chance for a new beginning. Don’t wait for January. If your kids can do it, so can you.

I really think that the moment real life resumes after the summer break is the time to dive deeper into examining the year that lies behind and to strategize on improving one or two things as we go ahead. I know this book has been widely hyped, and you may just be the person who is put off by such over-hyping of things but hear me out.

Atomic Habits by James Clear is a book I very much enjoyed reading over the span of a few months starting last rentrée (apart from the charts and graphs. They freak me out). In my opinion, it is not a book you can read in one go and put aside. I think it is more of a companion kind of book that guides you through a couple of weeks, chapter by chapter if you read it attentively and internalize what James Clear is sharing with you.

While I can’t really say that it was revolutionary or anything like that – mainly, because I have always been a very habitual and disciplined person – I think that it helped me reaffirm the significance I have always placed on my routines and habits and I therefore found it very interesting and inspiring to pick up one or two new habits starting that time of the year.

La rentrée is arguably one of my favourite times of the year and writing this post, I immediately want to get onto that train and go to Paris myself again. I wish I could. But truth be told, Paris isn’t much fun on a budget and I literally just came back from my summer vacation. Let’s give it a bit of time and space so that the next trip will be as wonderful as the ones I did before. The summer season really needs to close in style before I am ready to pack up again and make that trip to the beautiful city of light. Or somewhere else for a change; who knows?
24.08.2025
When tulips are no longer in season
The best time to visit The Netherlands – and I think many people would agree with me on this – is undoubtedly mid-March to mid-April when tulips are in season in this part of the world. However, I would argue that your chances for good weather increase sharply when you delay your trip until about June to August.

The tiny country of The netherlands actually has a lot to offer in terms of picturesque scenery and grand museums and today I will focus on The Hague, also known and the city of peace and justice, with the imposing building of the Peace Palace serving as the seat of the International Court of Justice.

While The Hague does not have many canals and therefore distinguishes itself somewhat from other Dutch towns, such as Delft or Utrecht you may have already seen on instagram, it houses the beautiful building of the Dutch parliament right next to the Mauritshuis in the very heart of the city. For connaisseurs of the Old Masters and their paintings, you may have actually already seen the Buitenhof and hence the Dutch parliament buildings on maginificent paintings exhibited in Madrid’s Prado museum in Spain.

The Mauritshuis on the other hand is a relatively small museum and displays the maginificent painting of the girl with the pearl earring by Johannes Vermeer as well as works of Rubens and Rembrandt. You are well advised to purchase tickets in advance, as you will have to select a time slot for your visit. However, this museum is not as frquented as, for example, the van Gogh museum in Amsterdam and it should suffice to order your tickets a few days in advance.

I don’t know about you, but I always feel mentally exhausted after a visit to the museum and definitely need to distract with the simple pleasures of life, such as a beautiful walk and or a cup of coffee. If the weather permits, you should absolutely enjoy Dutch coffee culture and join the locals in the numerous cafés on the Plaatsacross or along the Denneweg nearby, which, among summer; the first houses several restaurants and higher end clothing boutiques and spas.

Behind the Plaats, you’ll get to the Noordeinde that houses the city’s high-end stores as well as more cafésand hipster shops. If you like matcha tea for instance, I can recommend the Hug the Tea in Papestraat for nice matcha; unfortunately, they do have the most uncomfortable chairs in the world, which means, you might prefer to get a takeaway instead.

When it comes to food, I think Denneweg is a better choice; Vincenzo’s offers great pizza and Walter Benedictis a very unique blend of Dutch and international cuisine. It is an all-day-place, and whether you just want to people watch while having a cappuccino (even in the afternoon, because this is not Italy and no one will care) or indulge on local oysters or a simple burger, you are at the right place. The menu isn’t extensive, but that is usually a good sign. There are a number of other restaurants on this street, but I haven’t tried them, so I do not want to recommend anything I haven’t tried.

From Denneweg, you can also continue on to Frederikstraat where you will find more restaurants, cafés and a few interior design shops. I can particularly recommend the Barista café, which has a cool vibe, and is frequented by a wide range of people of all ages, which I like very much. I am not really into places that are so niche that they only attract one kind of clientele; I am not sure whether that makes sense, but this is my opinion. Barista café is also a great choice for rainy days because you can sit for a long time and just enjoy the vibe on one of their cozy armchairs or sofas.

I don’t know whether you are anything like me, but I really love just walking around the tiny streets and beautiful old houses to take in that very unique Dutch atmosphere. For instance, parallel to the Denneweg (take a right turn after Hotel des Indes if you are coming from the direction of the Mauritshuis) is a quiet canal that always looks so pretty, no matter what time of the year you get to visit. It’s nothing special or famous, but I think it is very pretty and not touristy at all, so that you may even have a seat on one of the public benches and enjoy the scenery in its authenticity.

I find this to be much harder in the touristic center of Amsterdam for example where masses of tourists taking pictures kind of ruins it for me. I also like to stroll along the big plane tree ally away from the Hotel des Indes, walking past the imposing buildings of embassies and consulates until you reach the summer residence palace on the other side of the street.

While the weather is often a big downer in The Netherlands, it is such a pretty place to visit, and I do recommend you pick the time wisely. While tulip season is of course amazingly beautiful, summer until about mid-September shouldn’t be overlooked at all. And if the weather is indeed terrible, there are plenty of stunning museums to be visited and coffees to be had.

In my opinion, being a tourist is not so much about checking things off a bucket list, or worse, a to do list. I think that the art of being a comfy tourist is to blend in with the locals and see those places that you wouldn’t otherwise experience. The center of the Hague is a very small and safe place to navigate. You can’t really get it wrong. So, try to venture about a bit and don’t just stop at the museum.
17.08.2025
Are you capable of truly doing nothing?
Most of the time, I travel to explore. But summer holidays are just different. It is the only time of the year where the sole purpose of going somewhere is to do nothing. Nothing being defined as sleeping in, proceeding to the beach right after breakfast, staying at the beach until about 6 p.m., showering, getting ready for dinner and going to bed after chilling on the balcony for a few hours after dinner. It is perfect, but not easy.

In my daily year-round routine, I get up at 5:24 a.m. (because the alarm goes off at 5:15 and I allow myself one snooze), I work out before a full day in the office followed by cooking and other household chores. I go to bed early and fill my weekends with more chores, longer gym sessions and sometimes travel. I am generally unable to sit still. I would always find something that needs to be done, and leisurely activities, such as reading a book happen very rarely when I am in my working mode.

It will usually take me a few days into my summer holiday to clam down and wind down to the point that I can actually pick up a book and just immerse myself into a story while glancing at the calming waves of the Adriatic or Mediterranean Sea. But doing so is just so very important. No massage, meditation or other procedure can bring me the same level of calm and wellbeing that 10 days by the sea can. The key here is to choose your hotel wisely (as always). For me, the most important aspect is the view. A hotel beach, which not only has its own sunbeds and umbrellas but also someone who moves those around for you for maximum shade and serves you iced coffee without you having to queue for it or schlepp around your wallet. You simply put it on the room and that’s it.

For my summer holiday, I like a larger hotel, so the ‘crowd’ you encounter is more diverse and you do not necessarily run into the same three couples at breakfast and in the beach bar where I would usually take a light lunch (because walking elsewhere does not fit into my lazy schedule). Ideally, my hotel would have a well-equipped gym, just so I can fit in two or three alibi workouts during this time, and a spa. Holidays are the time to really treat yourself and a good massage or facial can make a huge difference when combined with the dolce far niente lifestyle at the beach.

If you are in any way like me (and not spending beach time on your own for a change) lock your phone in the room safe. Don’t bring it to the beach. The world won’t end with you being unavailable for a couple of hours a day and, no, you do not need to check your email on vacation. If you really must, you can check it in the morning, at lunch and in the evening. Just give yourself a break for a few hours in between. Your brain will thank you for it.

As for my beach side reads, I recommend something light and/or wholly unrelated to your everyday life or work. If you really want to relax, you should stay away from gruesome or overly depressing topics and intellectual depths. One good beach side read I remember was by Kamin Mohammadi – La bella figura.

This summer, I will bring Elif Shafak -There are rivers in the sky, as well as Sophie Kinsella – I owe you one, Elena Ferrante – part 3 of the Napolitan Saga, Those who Leave and Those who Stay. I have read the first two parts of the Napolitan Saga in summers past and it is about time to carry on. Just in case I run out or don’t enjoy one of these books, I am also bringing along a novel by Danielle Steel – À tout prix I bought in France (mainly because it was printed in a decent font size and didn’t weigh 1.5 kg!) and started reading on my trip to Mallorca in June.

If you are more into non-fiction, and use this relaxing and reflective time in a more targeted, self-improvement kind of way, I recommend the Mel Robbins – The Let Them Theory, which will give you plenty of food for thought but is also an easy enough read to turn the pages without too much reflection in between.

Another topic, besides beach side reads that I am very passionate about when it comes to beach holidays is SPF. Don’t be the lobster on the beach and don’t be that person that starts applying sunscreen after they already got fried in the morning sun. A key rule on SPF is to apply it before you even get to the beach and to apply it everywhere on your body, face, and yes, your feet and ears. You can thank me later. Of course, you’ll need to re-apply but it is so important to get yourself covered from the very beginning, literally. My favourite SPFs are Lancaster, Clarins, and Shiseido. While I adore the Dior face SPF 50 and use it on a daily basis all year around, I don’t find it suitable for the beach. In my opinion, it is an ‘urban SPF’. For the face, I would recommend Shiseido instead (I will buy mine at the airport).

I would recommend bringing a good moisturising body lotion as well, as most hotel size lotions just don’t cut it (apart from not ever being enough). One of my favourites is the Kiehl’s Creme de Corps.

As for hair care … well. First of all, you should bring and wear a hat. But, nevertheless, your hair, especially if it is treated, will need A LOT of tender loving care during this period. Personally, I swear by Kérastase Nutritive Night Serum (to be applied into your dry hair overnight) and the Résistance Thérapiste Stengthening Healing Serum, which you apply into your wet hair. The latter is my absolute beach favourite.

I wish you a wonderful, relaxing and resetting time of doing absolutely nothing for a bit this summer!
10.08.2025
Summer vacations – the queen of all vacations
Just as there exists a hierarchy of religious holidays with one or two being the holiest in a year, holidays follow a hierarchy in my world. The most important of them all is the summer holiday, which will traditionally fall into the month of August. And all other holidays will be arranged according to their importance: meeting friends before solo-trips dominated by shopping and sightseeing. I likewise feel that summer holidays are to be spent in company of your nearest and dearest and follow the religious holiday routine of sitting idle, going for long walks and dinners, drinking a glass of wine (I otherwise don’t really drink) and reflect upon the year that has passed.

Similarly, spending your summer holiday alone feels like Covid-19 Christmas and New Year’s Eve 2020 stranded with a lower back hernia in addition to the worldwide travel ban. That being said, I managed to buy a bottle of champagne and even prepared a homemade tiramisu for New Years Eve 2020. You just got to make the most of every situation.

Nevertheless, I did spend a rather disappointing summer holiday in Crete last year. I felt lonely; very lonely. Traditionally, I would go to Croatia with a loved one (the South of France could be an acceptable alternative in my book) and do absolutely nothing besides swimming, tanning, and reading shallow books. Every July, I would feel how I was approaching the state of being holiday “ready” when deadlines keep on piling up, mistakes happen more than usual (please don’t mind my typos) and last-minute appointments need to be squeezed in before the northern hemisphere shuts down for a hard-to-navigate period of nearly two months. Last year things were different; illness and tragedy made it impossible to have a re-run of this most fabulous time of the year, but I knew that summer vacation is a must in my calendar. Without it, I will simply burn out. I cannot go twelve months without ever seeing the temperature rise above 30 degrees Celsius or feeling the sun on my skin for more than one day in a row. The first year after leaving the Middle East was the hardest for me. I just could not cope with the grey skies and the rain. And over the years, I have read in several self-improvement books and plagiarized Instagram quotes that “You cannot pour from an empty cup” and this is why I decided that in order to sustain my ability to support, I needed to take care of myself, and that meant eight days in Crete shabbating on the beach.

To be honest with you, I wanted to keep it as budget friendly as possible (apart from the airline because that is non-negotiable) because I also intended to squeeze in a weekend in Paris and seeing friends in London that year, and after all, it just wasn’t the real deal of what summer vacation should be. But guess what, that wasn’t a good idea.

I can’t say the hotel was bad, but the location certainly wasn’t great (I am talking weathered shell constructions of bankrupt hotel projects and a powerplant next door, as well as a cinema complex with live music events next to my bedroom window). To make things worse, the airline cancelled my flight the evening before my 5 a.m. airport pick-up and re-booked me on a budget airline with a two-hour detour and a 5-hour airport break. It felt like taking the bus to Crete, with the springs in the seats reminding me of my 2020 hernia. Fittingly, there were plenty of crying babies and ladies fishing out egg salad sandwiches from enormous Tupperware. Of course, the airport pick-up in Crete had been lost (non-refundable, of course) and the new driver was a sleaze who could not get over the fact that I was travelling alone. Let’s just say: I regretted not following my own advice on location, comfort, and safety.

The hotel itself was good, it was clean and modern and apart from the gross overstatement of what a “gym” meant (no, yoga classes do not count), it largely corresponded to what had been advertised when I made the booking. Dinner was included, and I did not have much to worry about. Apart from the fact that no one spoke to me. I cannot really tell you why, but the people in that hotel were the most uncommunicative bunch I have ever come across. I think I did not manage to talk to anymore for a full week, with the exception of the staff serving me coffee.

Not being able to strike up a conversation (not that I am a very chatty person by nature), really bothered me very much. People would also stare at me during breakfast and dinner and it just wasn’t very pleasant. The Germans would seize the same sunbeds around me every day, and still navigate avoiding eye contact at all costs.

During the day, I would do what I always do on a beach: sit in the shade, drink iced coffee, go for a swim and read a book. Unfortunately, I ran out of reading material within two days and all the left-over holiday literature were psychotic, depressing novels, or sci-fi trash. Before this vacation would eventually turn into a depressive slump, I decided to book a day excursion and thankfully that was the best idea I ever had. I went on a hike through one of the beautiful gorges of the island in – yes, the company of a bus full of people uninterested in talking to strangers.

The Dutch family that happily accepted me taking photos of them did not even care to ask whether I wanted a photo of myself as well. However, I finally got to move (in inappropriate footwear – gym shoes do not make good hiking shoes) and see the Island, and its beauty was breathtaking. Since my not so fortunate hotel choice meant that I was the first pick-up after Heraklion, I actually got to see the entire island in one day and it was wonderful.

So why am I telling you all this? I guess, I just want to remind you how necessary it is to take a break and do something with someone that you truly, truly enjoy. Just like religious holidays and family gatherings, we need this dedicated time of the year to take a break, to recharge our batteries and reflect upon our goals, plans and intentions for the new ‘year’ ahead. In a way, I find summer vacation cathartic. It is necessary. But you need to get it right. You need to find a way that it will serve your needs in a way that it will give you strength. Crete wasn’t it for me and this is why I share this story. What is it that makes you happy? And this is what you need to do. Or at least overpack, bring a pair of hiking shoes and make an effort to talk to the solo traveller!
03.08.2025
It’s all about the location
Location is everything. It does not mean that you need to have a direct view on a sparkling Eiffel-tower. Or not necessarily. No, when I say location is everything, I am talking about a lot of different factors that make a hotel right for me. Location is what makes your stay comfortable in a way that serves you, your needs and the occasion. Christmas 2019 I spent in Athens with only one part of my family, as the other part could not make it to Europe that year. I went for the Acropolis view and proximity to the main cathedral and city centre, because it made sense for the occasion.

But, last winter, for instance, I took my mum on a trip to Istanbul, as it is her favourite city and she had just completed a serious milestone in her life that needed to be celebrated in style. I chose a beautiful, luxurious hotel with all the amenities we wanted. The room was spacious (with the twin beds at a nice far distance of each other! Not a given unfortunately!), the coffee was amazing and the food wonderful. The hotel had different restaurants, a fantastic gym and an indoor pool. Yet, the location was a disaster. Not because the view was bad or anything like that, but because it was so awkwardly located next to several highways looping up the hill, that there was no way it could safely or comfortably be reached on foot from the riverbank that was only a stone throw away. We were entirely dependent on taxis, which unfortunately sometimes proved to be more stressful than I like to recall, with most drivers unable to understand and speak English and one driver, after I had shown him the hotel address on a hotel business card about 3 times already, taking us down the highway to God knows where. It was a very scary moment, especially when you find yourself at the mercy of that driver who you cannot even communicate with. We were able to get him to turn around and eventually made it back to the hotel, but I would have preferred to skip this experience in my life. The take-away of that story for me was that I completely failed at choosing a good location and it won’t happen to me again.

Similarly taxi-related a.k.a. avoiding to have to sit in the car of a stranger is how I like to choose hotels in big cities now (through lots of trial and error). And this is why I want to share these tips with you. Some cities, such as Milan or London have an excellent tube or rail connection to the airport that will relieve you from having to be stuck in a taxi (and traffic) at an exorbitant price when you can just as well take the tube. In Paris, I can also recommend that when it comes to arrivals by train (Gare du Nord, for example); personally, I am not a big fan of the rail connection to Charles de Gaulle airport and try to avoid it where possible.

The key here is to choose your hotel location wisely, based on the metro lines. What you want to avoid is to have to schlepp your suitcase through different line-changes. It will not be comfortable and you won’t get there looking cute but rather like a sweaty mess, which is not a look I recommend going for under any circumstance. You’ll have to keep it basic. One line, no changes or a maximum of one change.

This works exceptionally well for me in Milan, London and Paris. It obviously does not work if you bring more than one big suitcase.

Another question you have to ask yourself is what you value most (unless you don’t need to look at price tags and can stay at the Ritz or Plaza Athene). Do you need a Duomo view in Milan or would you rather have a spacious room? Some years back, I travelled on a rather tight budget but was able to find a really good deal on a room of a four star hotel chain located somewhat far from the city centre. However, the same budget would have only gotten me something truly awful closer to the centre. So, I chose the far-out location instead.

There was a direct tram to the Duomo, and it was the beginning of September which meant the days were still reasonably long and I felt safe travelling by tram in the evening. Since I had no shopping budget, I also did not have the issue of having to leave things or bags at the hotel throughout the day. It was a wonderful choice. I saw so much of the city simply by way of the tram ride. I also enjoyed a beautiful, huge room, a fantastic hotel gym (not easy to find, I am telling you) and all the amenities of a good hotel normally out of my price league. It was great.

So next time you book, ask yourself what it is you value the most and start your search accordingly. If money isn’t an issue, go for it and get that Duomo view and a private car pick-up from the hotel, but if you enjoy luxury more than your wallet allows (like myself), you got to start somewhere and make smarter choices in getting the most out of what you can afford. And sometimes, it is truly not only about the money. For me, it has a lot to do with my peace of mind and I would take the tube/subway/metro ten times over having to sit in a car alone with a stranger.

It took a few years and trips, but for Milan, I have now found my perfect match: The Radisson Collection hotel in Santa Sofia with direct metro access (M4) to Linate airport in the front of the hotel, excellent breakfast and coffee, a reasonable gym, very kind and friendly staff, and located not too far from the Duomo (with a direct tram).

In London, I like to stay at the Royal Garden Hotel on Kensington High Street, as it is well connected to everywhere, including the airport, and right on the edge of beautiful Hyde Park where I like to recall my student days going for a morning run.

None of my recommendations are sponsored. They come from the heart and are the result of lots of trial and error.
20.07.2025
The art of dining alone
Chapter 2: Getting started

If you have followed my blog and read chapter 1 published the week before last you will have understood that for many years of travelling, I did not muster up the courage to go and dine out alone. I felt judged, stared at, or worse even: pitied.

Don’t get me wrong, at times these feelings still creep up depending on the environment I find myself in, but in general I have learned to just let other people mind their own business while I mind my own.

And this brings me to what I want to reflect upon today. In my opinion, the environment and circumstances in which you find yourself matter very much. For instance, I find urban dining much easier than say beach location dining. Of course, this is not a hard and fast rule, but I am just speaking about my own experiences here anyway. I have come to this particular realization after some not-so pleasant meals by the beach during summer vacations. To me, being in a more urban environment makes it easier, as dining is more of an everyday business affair rather than an event in itself which it often is when people take a break by the sea. I think by now, I have a few tips to share about how I managed to transition from in-room meals to venturing out and eating in a restaurant by myself.

If you are struggling with this situation, too, I think you need to start out easy and make it as comfortable as possible for yourself. My advice would be to start with eating in the hotel restaurant where you are staying. In my opinion, it is the easiest kind of “situation” because you don’t need to take transport, and chances are there are other solo diners owing to the simple fact that hotels have business travellers.

I had very good experiences at various hotels I have stayed at, but on the top of my head I can think of hotel Alfred Sommier in Paris and the Fairmont hotel in Amman, Jordan. The latter has an excellent steakhouse and a Lebanese restaurant.

Sure, going down for dinner isn’t much of a move, but this is the entire point. It will be a good starting point and much better than sitting in your room eating in front of the TV in your PJs.

Level 2 would be to stay local and try a bistro or restaurant close by the hotel. Usually, these places – in Paris for instance – are lunch and dinner places and very unfussed. If you are travelling in summer, most of them will have a terasse or a few tables out in front, where you can engage in some Parisian-style people watching, which is a wonderful way to make dinner for one more entertaining.

I can recommend a few bistros close to the Champs de Mars in Paris, such as le Café Picquet on Avenue de la Motte Picquet or Le Pierrot for that purpose, but generally speaking, there are so many similar ones in Paris – just give it a try. I only mention these here because I have been there, tried them, and liked them, not because they are particularly fancy, special or outstanding. Sitting on a terasse facing the street is in my opinion a perfect setting for a solo-dinner.

In the same vein I can recommend Zum Schwarzen Kameel in Vienna centre, which is a bar, bistro, restaurant with a rich tradition and equally a place for apéritif. It is basically open all day and has a beautiful outdoor sitting area in front.

You can go for breakfast, lunch or dinner as it is always busy and popular. Maybe you want to start with an afternoon drink and transition into dinner. I have been there on different occasions and it is very popular with the locals for after work drinks. You may have to queue for a bit, but to me that is just a sign of excellent quality.

Vienna is a safe and beautiful place to stroll, and I really urge you to explore the local options when you are there, and not just for cakes!

Another way of easing yourself into the habit of dining out alone is going to a mall. In Dubai for example, I have had great dinners in some of the many restaurants in the mall where you just join one of the other shoppers stopping for a bite. There are way too many options to list here, but one place I find very easy (no matter where) is the Japanese chain Wagamama, which is also a great option for London, Amsterdam or Copenhagen.

It can of course be daunting and boring to eat on your own, but I really think that it is an act of self-respect to put on some nice clothes and get yourself out there to partake in adult life instead of hiding in the room.
13.07.2025