UK - 2013

ITINERARY - 3 weeks

Scotland – Edinburgh > Pitlochry > Isle of Skye > Loch Lomond/Stirling > England – Yorkshire Dales/York > London > Wales – Hay-on-Wye > Newport > England – Oxford > Shilton > Woodstock


Edinburgh

EAT The Gardener’s Cottage [simple but inventive menu; great spot for lunch] The Timberyard [creative menu & with a carefully designed space with a cleaned-up industrial look]

SEE Edinburgh Castle [historic fortress with a very prominent position in the City] Hop-on Hop-off bus [normally I refuse to take the red tourist bus, but since we only had 1 ½ days in Edinburgh and did not have a car, this was a good way to get an overview of the city. It was actually fun!]

STAY we stayed at a friend’s place so I don’t have a recommendation for a hotel

Pitlochry beautiful drive from Edinburgh to Pitlochry with great stops along the way: Taymouth Castle & Grounds; Queen’s View that overlooks Loch Tummel

STAY Atholl Palace Hotel [pretty old school hotel but comfortable and with beautiful grounds and views]

EAT Watermill Bookshop [on the way to Pitlochry stop at this bookshop & café in Aberfeldy – very charming spot] Moulin Inn [historic inn for dinner] Blair Atholl Watermill [after leaving Pitlochry stop at this bakery for breakfast or to buy some snacks for the road]

Isle of Skye stunning island with picturesque fishing villages, very narrow roads crisscrossing a rugged landscape and sheep everywhere. Loved this place!

STAY Bosville Hotel [in Portree, a convenient location to get around the island; very simple inn] The Spoons B&B [we did not stay here, but it is highly recommended by a friend who goes to Isle of Skye frequently]

EAT Sea Breezes [very casual; awesome seafood] The Three Chimneys [more formal upscale meal; also a B&B] Red Roof Café & Gallery [cute spot for lunch]

SEE Eilean Donan Castle [in Loch Duich on the way to Skye; we did not go inside, but we could not stop photographing the outside and setting of this castle] Dunvegan Castle [worth a visit inside] Nest Point Lighthouse [the walk down is relatively easy and from the path you will see stunning views of the high cliffs and the lighthouse itself – it is spectacular!]

HIKE The Storr and Old Man of Storr [Loof of 3-4 hrs RT, 1880’ vertical climb] The Quiraing [absolutely spectacular hike, not very long but with some good climbs; loop of 4.2 miles RT/3 hrs, 960’vertical climb] The Fairy Glen [short hike near Uig; you can do this while touring the island]

Yorkshire Dales a conglomeration of stone-built villages amongst traditional farming landscapes crisscrossed by low drystone walls and hay meadows. This as beautiful a countryside as it gets!

STAY Low Mill Guesthouse [stone-built corn mill in the beautiful village of Bainbridge; super charming B&B]

EAT Low Mill Guesthouse [they will cook a beautiful dinner upon request] Wensleydale Heifer [old pub atmosphere, seafood dinner]

SEE/DO Bolton Castle [14th century medieval castle, don’t miss the birds of prey display – the owls are beautiful] North Yorshire Moors Railway [18 miles of preserved steam railway running through spectacular scenery – if we had time, we would have done this] Walk [there are innumerous walking trails crisscrossing all the farmlands, that even though they are private properties, they sit within the Yorkshire Dales National Park, so visitors have access to these trails. These are wonderful walks through fields full of wildflowers, sheep and old barns. Not to be missed!] Aysgarth Falls [near the village of Aysgarth, these shallow falls over a series of broad limestone steps make up a famous spot. Take the short riverside walk]

 

London

STAY We rented a house through Onefinestay but it was pretty disappointing. However we enjoyed staying at the Notting Hill neighborhood. Plenty of shops, restaurants & bars, as well as easy access to the subway to get to other parts of the City.

SEE/DO Maltby Street Market [only open on the weekends, this lively market is funky, fun with a combination of stalls, under-arch shops, pop-up bars and eateries] Regent’s Park [beautiful park to walk around] Tate Modern [there are so many museums in London to choose from, it can be overwhelming. If you’re into modern art this is a good place to start] Saatchi Gallery [another great option for viewing contemporary art] Thames River Tour [typically avoid very touristic tours like the plague, however on a very hot day, this seemed like a nice thing to do and indeed it was. It gave us a different perspective of the city seen from the river]

EAT Granger & Co [great for breakfast or lunch in Notting Hill] Dishoom [Indian food in a sexy spot in Shoreditch] Pizza East [either the location in Shoreditch or Notting Hill] Ottolenghi [delicious healthy Israeli-inspired food; various locations; not to be missed] La Fromagerie [amazing cheese shop in Marylebone, with great sandwiches & snacks]

Wales we started our visit on the east part of Wales nearby the town of Hay-on-Wye. It is famous as the town of books! It’s a great base to explore the Brecon Beacons National Park and the Black Mountains. Then we continued on to the west coast, to Pembrokeshire National Park.

STAY The Peren [restored barn in Clifford, near Hay-on-Wye, that has been converted into a 2-bedroom contemporary home – beautiful spot; the river Wye is a short walk (about 5mins) if you like to go for a swim] Llys Meddyg [stone-built Townhouse Inn in a small town called Newport]

EAT Felin Fach Griffin [rural gastropub for dinner, also a charming inn] The Stagg Inn [another beautiful gastropub for dinner and an inn as well] Richard Booth’s Bookshop & Café [good spot for lunch while you explore the quaint little town of Hay-on-Wye] Llys Meddyg [has a few options from an indoor restaurant, a cellar bar and a kitchen garden that is more casual]

SEE /DO Hike Brecon Beacons National Park and the Black Mountains [we did a spectacular hike with amazing views but I unfortunately do not remember the name. It was a relatively short drive from The Peren and the information on this hike was on the owner’s recommendations list] Carreg Cenen Castle [this castle, in a ruinous state, is within the Brecon Beacons National Park, and it has a spectacular setting above a limestone precipice] Tintern Abbey [close to the border with England this is a beautiful monastic ruin, worth a visit] Coastal Path [a continuous trail contours the west coast of Wales. A couple of days walking along this trail is a must. Don’t miss St. David’s head, the Blue Lagoon nearby and Strumble Head and it’s lighthouse] St. David’s Cathedral [a majestic building beautifully situated]

Shilton

Shilton House is the lovely home of our friends Nicola & Tom. It is located in the most quaint little hamlet in the Costwolds. Nicola is an incredible host and cook, and she uses fresh produce from her prolific vegetable garden. Tom pilots the grill and is an enthusiastic DJ. All this sums up to lovely dinners with dancing afterwards. 

Woodstock we had a day to kill in the area before flying home so we decided to remain in the Costwolds and visit the historic town of Woodstock.

STAY The Feathers [in the centre of town, walking distance to Blenheim Palace]

EAT Woodstock Arms [village pub &restaurant with a courtyard garden]

SEE Blenheim Palace [monumental country house in a large estate. It was the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Incredibly opulent and absolutely beautiful]

Bali - 2013

ITINERARY

Ubud > Pemuteran > Seminyak > (Gili Islands)


Bali is known for its lush topography, expansive beaches ranging from white to black sands, and elaborate arts & crafts. There are an estimated 20,000 Hindu temples in Bali (the only island in Indonesia that is hindu and not muslim) making it known as the ‘Island of the Gods’. Every aspect of life in Bali is accompanied by religious rituals.

We went to Bali with our friends Dave Steele, David & Jen Garlasco. We also got to meet my husband’s old roommates Glen & Leslie who have been living in Bali for over 15 years and were lovely hosts.  

UBUD

a remarkable town in the middle of Bali. It is the island's heart and center filled with arts, local artisan shops & restaurants. It is the perfect spot to make it your base for exploring the island. We wish we had spent more time in Ubud.

STAY UMA Hotel [loved this intimate hotel and became a fan of the COMO resorts since. Make sure to get a Javanese Royal Lulur Bath treatment at their spa the day you arrive. It will wipe out your jet-leg away!] COMO Shambala Estate [is their other property nearby. Beautiful hotel and wellness center. I got to spend the day there and had a wonderful Taksu massage in a bungalow tucked in the woods by the river. Pure bliss & peace!]

EAT Ibu Oka Warung [opposite to the former Royal Palace, this shanty cafe is an Ubud institution that draws both locals and tourists from around the world. Babi guling is Balinese roast suckling pig and that is what everyone goes there for. It is served in big chunks in a rattan bowl with rice, spicy vegetables and secret sauce. And it is crazy cheap!] Mozaic [considered a gourmet restaurant in Ubud, it was not worth the price and very long dinner in my opinion] Locavore [did not go to Locavore but read great things about it]

SEE/DO Hiking & Biking Tours [UMA provides various excursions and we did a hiking tour one day and a biking one another. We got to see peaceful Balinese farmland, ancient villages & terraced rice paddies. Banyan Tree Bike Tours also offers good tours] Rafting on the Ayung River [this is a popular tour for tourists but we did not get to check it out] Yoga [we took yoga classes at the hotel’s studio that is open and overlooks the Ayung River valley. Not to be missed!] Walk around Ubud [worth exploring - bit touristy at the times, but for most part still retains quite a bit of charm]

PEMUTERAN

a small fishing village on the northwest coast of Bali.

STAY Matahari Beach Resort  [located between the Bali Barat National Park and the Java Sea, this is a secluded hotel in very traditional Balinese style]

SEE/DO Secret Garden Tour [tour offered by the hotel to Buleleng: we trekked in this mountainous area, saw waterfalls and got to swim in one, traversed plantations of coffee, cloves, fruit trees and Balinese rice] Scuba Diving or Snorkeling [we went to Menjangan Island, part of Bali Barat National Park for scuba diving and snorkeling. It was a 50-minute boat trip from the hotel and considered one of the top dive sites in the world, offering steep wall sites - spectacular coral as well as rich variety of fish] 4 Hands Royal Bali Massage [yes, a four hands massage is something to be experienced at the hotel’s spa. It felt beyond luxurious!]

SEMINYAK

is Bali's most fashionable beach & home to luxurious resorts, fine restaurants and boutiques.

STAY We stayed at a villa in the town of Seseh and even though it’s not that far from Seminyak, the traffic in that part of Bali is terrible, so we ended up pretty isolated from everything. If we were to do it again, I would stay in Seminyak. The W Hotel is a nice option.

EAT/DRINK Sardine [seafood - enchanting open air restaurant overlooking rice paddy fields and lily ponds] Kilo [Latin-Japanese cuisine - minimalistic designed restaurant tucked away behind Oberoi] Mamasan [Asian-Thai - beautiful restaurant & lounge bar] Tiger Palm [Malaysian cuisine - little cousin to Mamasan, serves Penang street food] Metis [French Mediterranean – very sophisticated setting & food] Sarong [Indian-Asian food – very nice & classy restaurant & bar. Really liked this place!] Potato Head [sexy beach club right at the beach] Ku De Ta [another sexy beach club facing the sea – the sunset is incredible from here and lounging at night on big beds facing the illuminated beach with great DJ music in the background is as cool a bar as it gets] Hotel Tugu in Canggu [Canggu is not that far from the village we stayed at and we had a Balinese dinner at an outdoor kitchen with a traditional wood-burning stove. This very sweet older Balinese woman cooked a great variety of dishes on her own and served us]

DAY TRIP Uluwatu [hire a driver for the day – pretty cheap – and go check out the beautiful beaches in Uluwatu. We spent part of our day at Karma Kandara beach club at Karma beach. A cable car will take you down the limestone cliff to the beach. There’s a nice restaurant for lunch & drinks. Some other beaches to check out: Uluwatu beach – to get here you’ll need your driver to drop you at Blue Point Bay Villa & Spa and then walk through the Pecatu village down the hill. The beach is located deep under the cliff bank, but it’s not good for casual swimming. Preferred beach for surfers though. Bingin – ask your taxi driver to drop you off at Mick’s Place and then follow the signs to the beach. You will have to hike down the massive rocky path to get to the beach. Pretty spectacular. Padang Padang & Dreamland aka New Kuta Beach are also favorites]

It would be worth spending a few nights in Uluwatu and if you want to splurge, the Alila Villas is stunning or the Bulgari Hotel is equally beautiful.

We were going to the Gili Islands for a few days but Michael threw out his back so badly that we had to return to the US earlier than planned. The Gili islands are a group of 3 tiny islands – Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air – with idyllic sandy beaches with palm trees, and beautifully clear waters. Our friends did go and had a great time even though the boat ride from Bali can be rough.

Patagonia - 2012


ITINERARY – 12 nights

Fly from Buenos Aires to El Calafate [1] > El Chalten (4-5hrs drive) [2] > El Calafate [1] > Torres del Paine (6-7hrs drive – cross into Chile) [3] > El Calafate [1] > Estancia Cristina [2] > El Calafate/Perito Moreno [2] > fly back to BA

 

IDEAL ITINERARY, if I were to do it again - 13 nights

Santiago flight to Punta Arenas, drive to Puerto Natales [2 at Singular] > drive to Torres del Paine [3] > El Calafate/Perito Moreno [2] > Estancia Cristina [3] > El Chalten [3] > El Calafate to Buenos Aires


EL CALAFATE, ARGENTINA

EL CALAFATE is a resort town that will serve as a base to get to other areas in Patagonia.

STAY Design Suites is located at the edge of Lago Argentino and a great place to relax after a long day of traveling. While not walking-distance from the small downtown area, the hotel has a shuttle to transport guests to town.

EL CHALTEN, ARGENTINA

EL CHALTEN is a dusty mountain town and the jumping-off point for climbers and trekkers heading up Cerro Fitz Roy (11,138 feet), which towers over town.

STAY Hotel Los Cerros is a rustic but very comfortable lodge well located right in town.

HIKES we only had 1½ days in El Chalten and here were our favorite hikes:

Day 1: CERRO TORRE VIEWPOINT is a trail along the Fitz Roy river valley to reach the viewpoint of Cerro Torre. If the weather is good this short hike offers unforgettable views. Difficulty: Low Duration: 3 hours

Day 2: RIO BLANCO is a spectacular hike with its starting point just a short drive to Hosteria El Pilar next to Rio Blanco, 11 miles north of El Chalten. The trail follows Rio Blanco, pass Piedras Blancas glacier and up to Rio Blanco base camp. After that the final challenge is a steep and rocky slope to Laguna de los Tres. The reward for the hard climb is well worth it: stunning views of the Fitz Roy massif (close up view of Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy, along with 3 impressive lakes). The return to El Chalten is on a trail that overlooks the wide, dry valley. Difficulty: Medium-Hard; Duration: 8 hours

TORRES DEL PAINE, CHILE

TORRES DEL PAINE is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and one of the grandest parks in South America with the colossal Paine massif, impressive glaciers, pristine lakes, and the unique Magellanic trees. My favorite “local” residents were the guanacos (a wild camelid) and lesser rheas (an ostrich-like bird).

STAY Hotel Las Torres [this is where we stayed; not a fancy but comfortable lodge inside the park and only hotel with horses that you can ride in the park] Other more luxurious options with incredible design are: Explora, Tierra Patagonia, Awasi or Singular (in Puerto Natales, about 1hr outside the park).

HIKE there are many incredible hikes around this park, but our favorite was the one to the base of the famous Torres del Paine - vertical spires with sheer granite walls over 2500 feet high and a turquoise blue glacier lake at the base. We rode horses to Las Torres base camp and from there hiked the rest. The trail steepens but the views are spectacular and that helps. The return down is on the same track. Difficulty: Medium-Hard; Duration: 8 hours

ESTANCIA CRISTINA, ARGENTINA

ESTANCIA CRISTINA located in the Northern side of Brazo Norte of Lago Argentino and inside Los Glaciares National Park. It is only accessible by 2.5hr boat ride on Lago Argentino weaving between icebergs that have separated and floated away from the Upsala Glacier. The boat that takes you there is an exclusive boat for Estancia Cristina’s guests or day-visitors. It’s probably one of the most isolated places I have ever been to and absolutely spectacular. There are plenty of excursions offered by the hotel from hikes, to horseback riding and fishing. All weather dependent like in most of Patagonia – you never know what it’s going to be like. The food and accommodations are great. Probably one of my favorite places in the world!

PERITO MORENO, ARGENTINA

PERITO MORENO about an hour drive from El Calafate is the Perito Moreno Glacier. There is a short walk along the viewing platforms, where you get fantastic vantage points of the glacier. Keep your eyes and ears out for icebergs breaking off the glacial wall into Lago Argentino. There’s also the option to take a boat to the glacier and do an ice-guided-walk. Pretty touristy, but still fun. To get there we booked a cab for the day. This is a common way to visit Perito Moreno.

Atacama Desert - 2012


ITINERARY

Santiago flight to Calama > drive to San Pedro de Atacama [3] > back to Calama/Santiago

STAY Awasi Atacama [rustic-chic, all-inclusive hotel in San Pedro de Atacama. Meals, drinks, airport transfers and guided tours are included. Not a cheap place, but the guide we got assigned to was incredible and made our trip with fantastic excursions. The food was also memorable with local and very unique ingredients]

EXCURSIONS these are our favorites:

VALLE DE LA LUNA (VALLEY OF THE MOON) with a magical landscape that as the name says resembles the moon. We hiked into the Kari canyon and went into caves, saw salt formations that look like snow and so much more.

CEJAR POND is actually a set of 3 ponds located in the middle of the Salt Flat and in one of them we could bathe. Given its high salt concentration, you float on the water and cannot sink, a phenomenon similar to the Dead Sea (Israel). There are beautiful birds that live in the Salt Flat and also some great views of the surrounding mountain ranges. We biked there and that was a great way to experience that environment.

MACHUCA is a small town at pretty high altitude in the Altiplano, inhabited by only a few Atacamenian families. The drive there is incredible with yellow hills of tall vegetation that cover wetlands where you see llamas graze in the company of vicunas and different species of wild birds, ducks and flamingos. Always with the Andes mountain range as a backdrop. The colors will blow your mind. On the way back from Machuca we stopped at a valley called Guatin, which means “Valley of the cacti.” We took a short walk along the bank of the Vilama River and a profusion of cacti.

SALAR DE PUJSA (PUJSA SALT FLAT) is almost at the border with Bolivia where the Flamencos National Reserve is located. The landscape is otherwordly with flamingos living in a colorful sulfuric lake & vicunas running around. It’s hard to describe this landscape, you have to experience it!

Greece - 2011


A group of us went to Greece for a very special occasion: Jen & Dave Garlasco’s wedding. It was such a great trip!

CORFU

This was our first stop- an island off Greece’s northwest coast in the Ionian Sea.  Considered one of the greenest islands in Greece.

STAY Cavalieri Hotel [old hotel at an ideal location by the water & old town; the highlight is its rooftop terrace with uninterrupted views of Corfu Town and the fortress]

SEE/DO Boat Hire [we rented scooters and drove around the island. As part of our drive, we stopped at a beach in the northeast part of the island - don’t recall which one exactly – and rented a small powerboat to explore the island’s more remote beaches & coves. Note that boats of up to 30HP can be rented at most beaches, and no special license is needed. Corfu’s waters are very calm. This is highly recommended!] Walk around Old Town [the narrow & winding streets of Corfu's Old Town are filled with food shops, cafes, craft workshops as well as the kind of souvenir shops you find anywhere]

PAXOS

Paxos has no airport, so we took a ferryboat there, and that has protected it from the strain of modern tourism. Paxos is an island with endless olive groves and its eastern coastline is gentle compared to the west coast, which is pretty bold and abrupt. The capital is Gaios, a picturesque village built around a port. On the Northern side is the village of Lakka and on the east side the very charming village of Longos or Loggos, and we stayed nearby. I loved the very relaxing pace of this friendly island.

STAY Glyfada Beach Villas [this is where Jen & Dave’s wedding took place so we all got to spend quite a few very relaxing days at this rustic but very comfortable hotel. There was a narrow trail leading downhill to the village of Loggos, where we would usually go for dinner]

EAT Erimitis Bar & Restaurant [this is a must for the spectacular views; the food is good but that’s not the reason to go to this place] Vassilis Taverna [at the small village of Loggos, by the sea front. Very good food and great ambiance]

SEE/DO Rent a car or scooter and drive around the island; Day trip to Anti-Paxos [we all took a boat tour to Anti-Paxos and found the whitest beach I have ever seen with  stunning turquoise blue waters]