The comfy traveller's diaries

Tag: travel

Misnomer or sanctuary?
Hotel gyms and why they matter

When I think of auntie Catherine’s living room featuring a stationary bike, I would not necessarily call that room a ‘gym’. However, this seems to somehow be okay when you have a hotel. Having that kind of ‘gym’ immediately entitles you to a surcharge of at least 50 EUR on your rooms per night. Better yet: you put up a mirrored wall next to that single stationary bike, so that it photographs as two stationary bikes in a spacious and inviting room, rather than the closet that it really is. It also appears to be mandatory to have that closet somewhere in the basement and an awkward backroom elevator or semi-outdoor staircase leading down to it to move your hotel up the starred ladder.

But not all hotel gyms are let-downs. There are indeed hotels that do have a decently sized, well-equipped fitness room. The hard part is to identify them when you book.

It is almost a science to spot the optical illusion of the mirrored closet in the pictures on the hotel website or booking platform; if you care about your gym time even on a trip, you’ll likely have figured that out a while ago. I can’t say I am nailing that science yet, but I can definitely spot a misnomer in a second these days.

If you are travelling to a city destination and not staying in a five star or chain hotel, very likely, the ‘gym’ won’t be great and not feature more than that single stationary bike, one treadmill (mostly facing a blank wall) and a cross-trainer aka elliptical machine. If it has a rower, you hit the jackpot. It will also help to be short because most of these fitness rooms have extremely low ceilings, and I often wonder whether anyone over 1,80 m tall will hit their head when stepping onto the treadmill. If you are lucky, that basement room may have a few weights, but those would serve most people for a warmup set and, in any event, there won’t be space for doing anything other than a biceps curl with this rather basic set of home workout tools.

In such settings, you are probably better off just getting your 20.000 steps in by doing some robust sightseeing on foot.

There is also the variant of ‘next-door-access’ to a real commercial gym. This can be fabulous or the most traumatizing experience in your gym career as happened to me last time I went to London.

My God. I wouldn’t call myself feeble or overly self-conscious, shy or hesitant, but that gym intimidated me and made me feel uncomfortable to the core. I don’t know about other ladies, but the fact that this testosterone cage was exclusively filled with loudly grunting gym-bros, had not been cleaned in a decade, featured ‘unisex’ toilets/bathrooms/showers or whatever it was (the sign on the door frightened me too much to even have a peek inside) was unbearable.

I have never felt so out of place and unsafe in a gym than there; and the worst part: it is advertised as ‘belonging’ to the hotel. A four-star hotel mind you. Turns out, it was a commercially run place for which the hotel gave you a ‘token’ (attached to a large wooden brick so you wouldn’t steal it!) to enter and made you walk around the building in the freezing cold for access. However, lockers (yes, I wore a puffer jacket on the way there) for where to put your jacket weren’t accessible to the hotel guests because that would have required a padlock. So, great thinking there, Mr. hotel manager, you have really done the research or maybe I just need to improve my skills at reading the fine print.

At the other end of the spectrum, I have been to several very nice ‘next-door gyms’. Spotless, clean, and well-equipped. One of the best next-door gyms has been in my favourite beach destination, where, honestly, going for a run along the promenade was much nicer, but I was curious to try out this gym and found myself walking right into a real-world men’s health magazine. Quite an unforgettable experience! And people were welcoming and nice and even though I did not necessarily ‘fit’ with the crowd, I did not feel looked-at, intimidated or out of place.

The premium option in the world of hotel gyms though are the ones that are so great that even locals have a gym membership at the hotel; often, you’ll find that option in generous spa/wellness areas of larger hotel chains. I have had great experiences in the Middle East. In Dubai, it even came with a stunning Burj Khalifa view.

But rather than giving you a run-down of the different options and kinds of hotel gyms that exist, I wanted to tell you why I find hotel gyms necessary or important. There are several reasons. For one, I love my gym routine and if I am, for instance, travelling for business and the trip lasts an entire week or longer, the thought of skipping the gym is a terrifying one for me. I need my workouts to stay alert and feel good or to relieve the stress of the day or mentally wind down after a long day of meetings and sitting.

Second, hotel gyms are a kind of refuge for me when I don’t necessary feel like solo-dining but don’t also want to exclusively be stuck in the room or sit in the lobby getting hit on by middle-aged creeps. Getting a workout in and then rewarding yourself with a hot shower and in-room dining is so much more fulfilling than just stuffing your face with a club sandwich and watching the news on tv.

Third, and this would go for summer vacations mainly, if I have been lying on the beach all day, I have the urge to move. I cannot just get out of bed, go for breakfast, to the beach, back for dining and back to bed. Plus, most desirable summer destination will have excellent food options and burning a few more calories before enjoying dinner has never hurt anyone. Of course, you can swim and go for long walks in some places, but not everywhere. For example, when I went to Crete, the sea was too rough to swim and the area around the hotel not the most inviting unfortunately. Have a look at that blog post if you are interested. The ‘gym’ in that hotel, however, was a complete joke. It consisted of a few pull-up bars out in the open and to address perceived ‘female’ needs the hotel offered yoga classes in the mornings. Needless to say: I attended neither. But that holiday was also one of those where I missed the gym the most. It could have compensated for a lot and filled an emotional void.

I wonder whether other people feel like I do or whether you would find it crazy to go to the gym during a holiday or business trip? In my opinion though, it really depends on how long the trip lasts and what your purpose really is. If you just want to recharge your batteries and do absolutely nothing – which we all need once in a while – then, forget about the gym. If all you want to do is walk around Rome, Paris or London, you also likely do not need a treadmill (although you might worry about your upper body gains). But if you travel solo and loathe successive solo-dinners, you may actually appreciate this little sanctuary to re-charge your batteries in a different way. And, more often than not, this is how I feel about a hotel gym, as a sanctuary.
01.03.2026
Travelling light
It’s time to embrace being basic

Am I the only one or do other people also admire the art of travelling light? I am always amazed by people who can go on a week-long trip with a carry-on suitcase and still look somewhat put together. I don’t know how they do it. It’s aspirational. I, on the other hand, have no problem bringing a full-sized suitcase and a carry-on on a three-day trip (yes, Milan 2025; it was great). And believe it or not, that amount of luggage doesn’t cater for all options, weather situations or a change of coats. I simply do not manage to pack efficiently; it is as simple as that. While in real life, I am content with little and get overwhelmed by too much stuff and cluttered spaces, packing a suitcase is somehow in a different orbit. I can actually remember the last time I managed to travel with carry-on only, and that was to London in October 2024. Because, you guessed it, the trip was hardly 48 hours and the weather in London in October will always be cold and rainy and all you need is a pair of rainproof shoes, a jumper and not much else.

But currently, I am staring my aspirational choice of a “no check-in baggage” ticket option right in the eye; and I am determined to make it work. We all need to challenge ourselves from time to time and get out of our comfort zone (the comfort of being overly prepared in my case). I tell myself that it will be for only two nights and that I can do it, but somehow, I am still having doubts. In my defence, I need to also let you know that I have a small carry-on trolley and not the maxed-out kind that many other travellers use. I find it sleeker, handier, and in all honesty, I often travel on the smaller planes where the large ones just don’t fit, and the airline makes you check them in at the gate. And then what? Shall I carry my laptop, camera etc. in my hand from that point on? Definitely not. So, even though I find it difficult to pack less, it was a conscious choice to buy this ticket fare.

Not because I am excessively cheap, but because I thought that bringing an actual suitcase on such a short trip would be completely ridiculous. And if there is one thing I hate, it’s to look ridiculous. At the same time, I also hate being inappropriately dressed. It’s a real struggle for a person who likes to make a bella figura at all times.

One of the factors that makes this experiment of hand-luggage only travel somewhat easier is that there is no time for … wait, no; the hotel doesn’t have a gym. That was one of the compromises I had to make when looking for an aesthetically pleasing and affordable hotel option. It’s a shame of course, but what can you do? So, discounting an entire gym outfit, including chunky trainers will definitely come in handy when trying to minimize the number of things I am going to bring. Maybe one of these days I should tell you about my love-hate relationship with hotel gyms. It’ll be a fun blog to read, I promise.

But it is not necessarily the gym that I miss. Sometimes, I would just love to go for a nice morning run to see a place in the silent hours before it will all be flooded with traffic or flocks of tourists. I get jealous at the morning runners in Paris or on beach promenades. There is just something so scenic and calm about running along the river banks; joining the regulars and covering so much more area than you ever could on a walk. Let’s just say that for now, I will put that plan on the back burner and see how and if I have space left in the end. Unlikely, you are probably thinking. And I am sure you are right.

Ever since I booked this trip, got my museum tickets, and chose a hotel, I have been mulling over the question of what a woman actually needs on a weekend trip. Will I take a chance on the hair dryer? Improbable. So that will need to come. What about shoes? That’s a difficult one. Although – unlike what my work colleagues seem to believe – I am not a reincarnation of Emilda Marcos (aka your average luxury fashion influencer). I do, however, strongly believe in dressing for the occasion.

In my case, this will be an urban environment, likely featuring cobble stone streets, and long-distance walking for two days. I don’t believe in wearing trainers out in daily life and Converse seem, well, not elegant enough for the place I am going to. Likely I am looking at three pairs of shoes here: one for walking, one for dinners out, and something comfier to wear on the plane? In any event, I recommend bringing more than one pair of shoes. If ever they turn out to be uncomfortable and you get into a blister situation, you want to be able to change your shoes, believe me. I was once so desperate and in pain that I ended up buying a new pair of moccasins in Paris (as in: the first ones I could find), and that isn’t really a great plan because in the grand scheme of things you probably neither need nor want the ‘first best option’ pair of shoes in your closet later on.

With clothes, I am surprisingly much lower maintenance. I have embraced being the basic girl when it comes to outfits, because I find them more age appropriate ever since I crossed the 35 divide and basic outfits are much easier to combine. The same three or four pieces can go a long way in terms of different outfits. Since I must be extra minimalist here, I’ll content myself with one pair of dark denim – because they are both day and evening appropriate and can be dressed up or down, depending on the context.

Toiletries and makeup are a no-brainer since I have my pre-assembled a ‘travel bag’ in a drawer and I can simply grab my gym kit for makeup. However, there’s always the miscellaneous stuff: a hairbrush, chargers, a journal, my agenda, spare glasses, sunglasses, an umbrella, and a foldable shopping bag because in most European countries, you no longer get a bag in the shops and supermarkets – or they are made of paper, which will be pointless once it starts to rain.

Even though nobody likes to talk about these mundane items, they do take up real space. So, to all those: “Why are you bringing so much stuff” interrogators, please let me know how you deal with these items when you travel. I am genuinely curious and would really appreciate some comments or ideas.

And in the end, I need some space, as in ‘ma’ or empty space, because I might just buy a little something.
15.02.2026
My favourite cafés in Palma de Mallorca
Over the course of the last year, I have been visiting Palma de Mallorca on a number of occasions; not exactly for leisurely travel but that does not mean that I did not get a chance to explore parts of life in the capital of the Balearic Islands. It wasn’t about sightseeing or shopping, but about daily life. Regaining strength after a life-changing surgery, I could only walk. Not far, not much, and with many breaks in between. But when I think about it, doing exactly that would also be the perfect starting point for any solo-traveller exploring a new city.

While Palma is blessed with many benches and opportunities to sit down and enjoy the beautiful scenery and weather, such as on the central Passeig des Born, weeks and weeks of walking also requires some more interesting stops and longer breaks, just as any tourist exploring the city by foot would need and be interested in.

This is how I came to sample a number of cafés within the inner city of Palma. I have visited the city in late spring, early summer and autumn, which gave me plenty of opportunity to revisit certain spots I uncovered as a tourist or find new ones altogether when rest was my priority.

If you love coffee and café culture as much as I do and have a soft spot for a good matcha latte, too, here are some recommendations of where to find a nice vibey coffee spot in Palma. For this blog, I have decided to keep it modern, and I won’t be talking about cultural heritage and traditional cafés and coffee houses. If you are interested in that, check out my earlier blog. This time, it is about contemporary coffee culture, the kind of café that I like to frequent anywhere in the world, just with a uniquely Spanish touch. I am talking about places where you can rest and unwind, people-watch and get inspired or simply savour a beautiful, quiet moment in your day.

Of course, my list of cafés of choice is based on extremely subjective and unscientific criteria. It’s about gut feelings and vibes and not much about those can be objectively measured. Taste is subjective by definition and so are feelings of well-being and comfort. Similarly, some people like their coffee strong while others don’t. And if you like filter coffee, I suggest you skip this article and revisit my blog another day. Spaniards like their coffee strong, and so do I.

Likewise, this is not an article about the 5 most instagrammable cafés or hidden gems or anything like that, because for starters I don’t think any place in central Palma remains hidden and beyond that, there are really only four places I want to recommend this time around. I think I have said it before, but I am a creature of habit and once I like something, I go back. And if a place did not impress me the first time around or ruined my experience by having me scan a QR code or having a disappointing rest room, I am not really willing to come back and give them a second chance. So, even though you will only find four cafés listed here, I did visit many more. They just did not make the cut, because I take my coffee and customer experience very seriously.

My absolute and unrivaled favourite on this list is Dome. There is much to be said about this café as it really ticked many of my high-maintenance boxes. I love the modern, stylish design combined with traditional vibes of the place. It’s a perfect blend of contemporary café culture and Spanish gastronomy, excellently managed.

The café con leche is strong and generous and the matcha beautifully served. Seating is comfortable with street views that offer a calming environment for a relaxing coffee moment or cozy stop on a rainy autumn day. It is frequented by both tourists and locals which makes it vibrant and contemporary, and staff are kind, attentive and friendly.

Another place I have been returning to more than once is Menut. It is young and vibrant with a bit of a boho touch; the matcha latte was outstanding and I can equally recommend the cortado and café con leche. If you are interested in a bite, Menut is your place, too.

The only drawback about this café is the outdoor seating situation; it’s not exactly cozy or picturesque on the rather busy Jaime III junction but at least you have beautiful palm tree views on the Passeig de Mallorca, which kind of makes up for the noise from the street already.

I would say it is a great place for a break when you are out and about, well placed between the seafront and the centre of town. It is maybe less of a destination for a lazy morning or a spot you’d do some work at.

For a more laid-back coffee moment, I recommend El Grano de Café which is located in a quiet street near the Mercat de l’Olivar. It is a chill cool café with beautiful indoor seating and reasonable outdoor seating, both of which offer excellent people-watching opportunities. I can’t say it is my favourite coffee in town, and it definitely is ‘watered down’ a bit for the more global taste (Spanish coffee is generally stronger I find), but I still like this place very much. I think it is the chilled location and overall vibe that make me rank it quite high up there. Service is a bit slow as they seem somewhat sparingly staffed, but who cares? You are there for coffee, not in an emergency room. No one is saving lives here and we are not on the run. Just sit back and relax. If you are into hanging out in cafés, you’ll like this one.

Last but not least in my list is Hotel Cappuccino on Plaza de Cort. The café con leche is excellent and the view into the square is very pretty; however, you do need to spend more for your coffee than elsewhere, that just comes with the ambiance, as it is one of the more luxurious hotels in town. For me, it’s absolutely worth it. My old-school personality very much appreciates the atmosphere of the hotel and only because it does not fit within my vibey coffee spot criteria, do I rank it lower on my list. For me, it is more of a Sunday outing kind of place that you intentionally go to, rather than a café you’d stop at along the way.

None of my recommendations are sponsored. They are the result of my genuine opinions and impressions. I have paid for all my coffees myself.
23.11.2025
Ticking all the right boxes
My top 3 travel essentials

There are three things that come in a box and/or cube format that I absolutely cannot live without when I travel. These are a Tupperware (yes, I am that kind of person), my Tumi travel cubes and my Max Mara cube vest. Of course, the last two items also come in more affordable versions these days, but I am not exactly crazy about shopping and this is why I like to invest in quality pieces that last me many years to avoid the hassle (and expenditure) of constantly having to repurchase the same things.

Would I flaunt a Tupperware the size of a cornflakes box on the breakfast table, unashamedly filling it with everything on display? Hardly. But I still find it ok to discretely pack something healthy to eat into it before heading out to the airport. And this takes me to exactly my point. Those of you who travel a lot will know that not only is the airport food and drink scene helplessly overpriced, but the main problem is the kind of food on offer. All of it is sweet, ultra-processed and devoid of any protein or greens. This is why I pack my Tupperware. I pack it for a trip with healthy snacks or even a sandwich, not because I am cheap, but because I do not feel like eating rubbish or nothing at all just because the choice will be poor. And it is something we already know in advance, it is foreseeable, and therefore, I plan ahead.

Mind you, my Tupperware habit has also saved a diabetic colleague on a business trip when the travel time unexpectedly extended by three hours and he did not have any food on him. Just saying.

Second on my list is my beloved Tumi travel cube. It is now 14 years old and still going strong. In its ordinary life, it keeps my office attire neat and wrinkle free in my gym bag five days a week. On its more exciting outings it helps me organize my outfits and assists me in being less of a mess when packing. While it did come with a hefty price tag, I do not regret this expenditure one single day.

To the contrary, I am so grateful that this accessory has never let me down. If you are interested in a great quality travel cube that keeps its shape (which I think is the one quality that keeps it in a class of its own compared to other brands), you might want to consider investing in one. Maybe there will even be Black Friday offers; it may be worth looking out for that.

Last but not least I need to mention my Max Mara cube vest I repurchased again after several years in Milan last spring. It has been my single most worn piece of clothing ever since; summer or winter (not much of a difference where I live) and particularly when travelling. I don’t know about you, but I often find that the air cabin temperature is way below 20 degrees Celsius (according to google that is 68 degrees Fahrenheit) and I find that to be very cold.

This is where the vest comes in so handy. It weighs next to nothing but keeps me so incredibly warm. You can stuff it in whatever overpacked bag you bring as a carry on because it also takes up so little space. You can wear it under another jacket to, for example, bring a trench up a notch to being as warm as a winter jacket. This is particularly helpful when you cross the weather divide and do not want to schlepp around a winter coat but also don’t fancy coming down with the flu the day after.

All in all, this vest has been a lifesaver for me on several trips and will continue to be just that for years to come.

And there you have it. My three most reliable boxes I bring on every trip.

Granted, they are not the prettiest arrangement when seen in their raw state, but they are unbeatable when in action.

Especially the Tupperware, I dare you to try on your next trip. You can thank me later.

As always, none of my recommendations are sponsored. I am not affiliated with any of the brands.
09.11.2025
The dark side of tourism
Since my recent surgery a few weeks ago, the doctor only allows me to walk, so I walk. But the tricky part is that walking in the lion’s den of mass tourism isn’t so easy. You have to be early, very early to avoid the crowds. As my walking radius and general state improved a little bit, I have seen a lot – too much if you ask me – of tourist behaviour that makes me question my own frequent travel habits. Is it still okay to travel to popular destinations? I honestly don’t know. Already visiting Dubrovnik this summer – a destination my family has been holidaying in since the 1950s – was unpleasant this year. Hundreds of tourists rolling through the ancient streets, buying trinkets made in China and seeing nothing beyond a façade featured in Game of Thrones.

I wondered whether any locals are actually still living there or whether all apartments have been snatched up and converted into holiday apartments. Most restaurants have unfortunately already downgraded to selling pizza and burgers only – with pictures of course – and waiters addressing every customer in English by default.

I wonder whether it is normal to order a full English breakfast outside of the UK or what goes through someone’s mind when they decide to lay their baby on the table in a restaurant at lunch time. Luckily, I left before finding out what the purpose of that was (besides filming a TikTok) because the other scenarios I could come up with were too unpleasant to imagine. And what’s up with Aperol at 10 a.m. or shady business deals done on a bistro table? Let me tell you, if your business partner or estate agent asks you to sign papers in a café, you should run, not sign.

Another ‘favourite’ of mine are those who feel so much at home, they forget they are in a foreign country. Since when is it okay to address people in your own language when abroad? No, Mallorca is not a part of Germany and ‘Danke’ isn’t Spanish, just in case anyone was still in doubt.

Not only do the masses of people make it unpleasant to walk around after 12 a.m. (with a COVID-style surgical mask of course because people seem to find it okay to cough into a stranger’s face on the street) but they kill any sort of uniqueness of the places they go. In quite a few cases, It also does not seem that they were looking for it in the first place. Thrown out of a tour bus or only following the crowds of others on the main street, they do not look left or right, and I wonder what it is they see apart from the screen of their mobile phones and the same high street shops they have at home.

But if you care to find the things you don’t have where you live, you got to get up early. Then, you will be able to admire the beauty of the architecture and soak up a bit of the original charm of where you are. You’ll see people going to work, stopping for a coffee; you’ll see the waitress usher in and greet the regular, who has trouble moving about with his simmer frame, waiting for his friends to take a morning coffee and catch up. You’ll catch a smile and see beyond the masses of rowdy, noisy tourists buying counterfeit bags around the main tourist attraction sites supporting all sorts of illegal activity and unpleasant vibes with their impulse buys without the glimpse of reflection about their significant contribution to this dark economy.

It makes more and more sense to me that many popular tourist destinations are photographed at the crack of dawn or even at night: Venice, for example. Just because there is no more Venice to see once the hoards descend from the cruise ships and flood the tiny streets of Europe’s most popular destinations. Maybe I have too much time on my hands now that my main task in life is to go on recovery walks. Maybe. But what I see makes me think about my own tourist behaviour and whether less isn’t more.
26.10.2025
The case against holiday apartments
My controversial opinion

I recently had to travel for personal reasons, not connected with my love for leisurely trips. That also meant that I had to stay abroad for a few weeks, which in turn made a hotel stay impossible; I mean, I am not Coco Chanel, unfortunately.

Staying in an apartment – and don’t get me wrong, it was a very nice apartment, centrally located and generally quite fabulous – I was, however, again reminded why I loathe staying in apartments when traveling. For starters, the owners hardly ever manage these properties full-time. Thus, you always get exactly that: someone who is “looking after” you and the flat on the side; never a priority, never fully committed, never top-notch service. They’ll fit you in between work and family life, even though you are a paying customer, not a relative coming to stay.

And then, there is the usual that seems to come with every flat – globally. Stuff doesn’t work. You get the induction, and already you are being told that the toilet flush is temperamental and doesn’t work properly; you’ll have to push a few times to make the water stop running. I mean, first of all, what is it with toilets that literally everywhere you go, there’s an issue with the flush? Second, why don’t you, dear landlady, just get the plumber to fix it before you accept paying guests?

Then, we have the miscellaneous electric issue or broken boiler or what have you. Yes, they are kind, they understand, they call the electrician/handyman and yes, he’ll come tomorrow. At three o’clock? Yeah, that’s great, thanks. Because that’s really what I came here for. To wait for the electrician. Fantastic. And you know (or should have known) the guy doesn’t show up at three, but he’ll be there at two-thirty because he can, and you are still with wet hair coming out of the shower; lucky you were wearing a pair of trousers already when he rang the doorbell. And I am not even going to mention the shoes-in-the-flat issue. It is what it is. He won’t know English, that’s clear. Luckily, I know a few languages; that usually helps. And he’ll use your fresh kitchen towel to put his tools on. Don’t worry, he’ll be very kind and carefully put it back later, as if you were totally still going to use that to dry your dishes.

Speaking of the dishes. Yes, you have the de luxe flat with the dishwasher, and wow, they even have about two dishwashing tablets left so you can lay off the groceries for half a day, but guess what, you are not just staying for two days, so of course you’re going to the supermarket and buying new dishwasher tablets immediately. Only to then find those cute little red lights blinking when you first want to run the dishwasher. And then you go the next day again, to buy the salt and rinse aid. And when you are there in the local supermarket or drugstore, buying wiping cloths (why do flats never have them?) and sponges – because the one you found was minging and, yes, all the crockery in the cupboard was kind of sticky and you need to wash stuff on the side because you cannot run the dishwasher for one cup, can you? – you ask yourself: is this really why I traveled to a foreign country? To queue in a store buying cleaning products for a flat that isn’t even mine?

Another classic is the: why are there no hooks to hang towels? What are you supposed to do with those? And tissues? Kitchen towels and toilet paper? Always on the last roll, half down and the olive oil on its last drops. So you have to go buy that, too. And even though you did find some Tupperware in the drawer, it’s the rubbish kind that doesn’t close and all your cut fruit goes brown. By that time, you are already kind of fed up with sponsoring the landlady and decide to buy kod kineza, i.e. the local Chinese market that stocks absolutely everything and most definitely constitutes a fire hazard.

You buy your Tupperware and really got to remind yourself that, no, you shouldn’t buy hooks or a trash bin for the bathroom, because it isn’t your bathroom after all. But, of course, you are going to spend on stuff you did not need and more importantly, you are wasting your time. I already don’t particularly enjoy dealing with handymen or doing that kind of shopping at home. Constantly armed with bags schlepping about kitchen towel and dishwasher salt, you spend your day – doing chores.

All the things that holidaymakers seem to buy must be appearing in the black hole of the landlord’s households. Apart from the leftover shampoos and shower gels – of which there are plenty in the bathroom and which you neither need nor want to try.

The other side of the holiday apartment coin is the fact that you are losing out on so much because you create your own little microcosm, cooking the same food you cook at home, having the same breakfast, and missing out on interactions with the locals. It’s a bit sad, really; in the first three days of my stay, I felt like a student equipping my dorm again; ping-ponging between the flat, the Chinese, and the supermarket. I had a few relaxing coffees in the meantime, but that was all. Had I been in a hotel, I would have seen so much more, and I would have gone out and had dinner or lunch or both. I would have been helped and served by people whose job it is to work in tourism and restaurants.

In a way, I really do understand those locals who seek to curb the holiday home trend; taking up precious living space that the locals can no longer afford without really contributing much to the economy. I get it. And from the traveller’s perspective, I also think it is a bad deal. If you are going on a short trip that does not really require you to have access to a washing machine, etc., I would really urge you to reconsider the holiday apartment thing. It just isn’t worth it. Go to a hotel, get pampered, get looked after, and simply enjoy! Experience the food and the culture, not just the local supermarket.
12.10.2025
Budapest
Part 2

I recently promised you another blog about Budapest. And one of the things that I take very seriously in life is keeping promises. And since my last blog about Budapest was a little heavy on the soul, I will keep it light this time and you may have guessed it, that usually means food. We’ll start with the coffee though, because all good things start with a coffee.

Budapest really struck me as a city that evolved around so many different influences; post-communist era chic mixed with Balkan vibes and Austrian flair. It is hard to describe really, as nothing I ever experienced really compares with Budapest. It’s humble and grandiose at the same times and glued together by the unique charm of its people and proud cuisine. Likewise, you can find all sorts of different cafés, ranging from modern hipster places to sumptuous over-the-top elegance.

A very heartfelt café recommendation I would like to share with you is Kávétársaság in the Lipótváros area. It’s cool, it’s modern, and fresh and really a great place to hang out because it just hits the right tone with its urban, minimalist vibe. While Kávétársaság was the kind of place you’d go to chill, you may, on the other hand fancy some serious kitsch and olden days charm and visit New York Café instead.

Touristy and overpriced, it is still absolutely worth the experience, but I would rather put it into the category of monument than café per se. Let’s say, it’s not where you’d go for your first coffee of the day moment.

The building itself is very extra and has an incredibly interesting history; the ambiance strongly reminiscent of the K&K days of the Austro-Hungarian Empire with its grandiose and lavish halls. It is quite a busy place as well, but don’t let that discourage you. The queues will move fast, as it is rather big.

Now, if you are more into the hearty cuisine of Hungary, you just cannot leave without savouring goulash or at least a goulash soup. I had both, obviously. The soup wasn’t bad, but I had it at a moment of the day when I was getting rather hangry, so there wasn’t really much choice involved when picking the restaurant. It was very touristic, and I didn’t really love it and thus I will not recommend it. Yet, I am a fan of goulash soup and having purchased approximately a pound of Paprika in Budapest’s market (If you want to know why, check out my earlier blog), I will undoubtedly cook some myself this winter.

The goulash I had later that evening (yes, same day, I know…), was, however, excellent and I am very happily recommending Szaletly restaurant, which is located in the somewhat quieter Istvánmező area, an area that reminded me very much of Serbia with its greenery and villas. I can’t really put my finger on it, but the vibe of the quite broad street just felt so very familiar.

In the evening, I would strongly advise you to get yourself a scenic spot on a rooftop bar overlooking the Danube. The Marriot hotel has a great rooftop bar with spectacular views. That said, you should absolutely book a table, as it isn’t very big and you may otherwise lose out on a table outside with the unobstructed views over the city skyline and all its beautiful major landmarks.

I said it before, and I will say it again: Budapest is a very beautiful and interesting city and needs to be visited again, periodically, if only for the Danube views and goulash.

None of the recommendations are sponsored in any way.
28.09.2025
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