Day 1:
Alarm 6:30am After a 45min flight from Gdánsk to Malmo, Sweden, I hopped on a transfer bus to Copenhagen. Driving across the Oresund Bridge was surreal. With both the coast of Sweden and Denmark in sight, I was reminded again that distance is never a problem in Europe. The 30-minute bus ride dropped me off at Copenhagen central station. I dragged my suitcase right across town to the generator hostel. Within the first 5 minutes I was surrounded by the beautiful architecture and culture of Copenhagen. Canals lined with colourful buildings actually reminded me of the old town in Gdánsk. When I approached my hostel, I was soon told that check in was not until 2pm, so I had 2 hours to kill. I decided to place my bag into a locker and go for a walk to the Torvehallerne food market. This place is fantastic! two halls filled with delicious, fresh produce and food stalls makes for the perfect spot to chill and grab a bite to eat. I couldn’t help but try the banana nice cream from Banana CPH. It was made from 100% bananas and then you could choose 3 toppings, it was delicious. This place was buzzing and there was no doubt that I would be back here during my trip. On the way, back to the hostel I picked up an oat milk latte from Big Apple Aps to wake me up before I went on my first adventure to explore Copenhagen. After checking in, I adventured through the cute streets of the city centre to the Rundetaarn (Round Tower). For 25Kr ($6 aud) this was a nice experience. Not too busy, as it was good Friday, I walked up the spiralling ramp to the top of the tower to take in a 360 degree view of the city’s skyline. The 17th century tower is the oldest functioning observatory in Europe. Afterwards, I walked over the Knippelsbro bridge to Christianshavn. This part of town has a completely different vibe to the city centre. It was less touristy and had a more local vibe. I walked along the canals lined with colourful buildings past The Church of Our Saviour to Christiania. Christiania is a free town planted in the centre of Copenhagen. This “town” was created by a group of squatters who claimed this area of Christianshavn as a Freetown, A place free of taxes and run by their own laws. New settlers poured in to this alternative area and the social experiment of a few free thinkers became a permanent feature of the city. In Christiana violence, crime, and fear is not tolerated. The morals of the community are based around the idea that every individual has a responsibility for his/her own life and home. At first, I was a bit hesitant about entering this town alone as there are mixed reviews online about the safety of the community. Nevertheless, I wanted to experience this different lifestyle for myself. When I arrived, I was pleased to see that the area was bursting with tourists so I did not feel unsafe. I don’t think I can quite explain the town in words, its somewhere you have to visit yourself. It had a hippy, laid back vibe. You are not allowed to take pictures in Christiania as this town is notorious for weed and its pusher street. The pusher street was like nothing I had ever experienced. Little tables placed only a few metres apart sold weed in all different forms. All in all, I did enjoy my visit although am left a bit unsure about what to think of this community. I would definitely recommend however visiting this place when in Copenhagen. After visiting Christiania, I continued to walk along the canals to the Royal Danish Opera House. Unfortunately, the building was closed but the building outstanding architecture itself was something to admire. As I walked back into town I came across a street food pop up at the base of the Inderhavnsbroen Bridge. The area was very busy. Sun chairs were laid out at the edge of the harbour and there was a DJ. The food stalls included a mix of Italian, Indian, Mexican, Vietnamese, fish and chips, burgers, grød and ice cream mixed in-between a series of pop up bars. I treated myself to a potato and rosemary pizza from Pizza Bro, which was delicious. Please be aware this place is card only, and stalls do not accept cash. Sitting by the water made this a perfect spot for a solo traveller or maybe even a romantic stop for a couple. Next stop was Nyhavn. No wonder this place is so well known, it is stunning! The big colourful buildings set on the edge of the narrow canal lined with boats makes for a very atmospheric place to have a drink at sunset or at least get an Instagram photo. Although I think everyone agrees, as this place was pretty busy. On the way, back to my hostel I stopped for a chai latte and had a lovely chat to a local. Everyone I came across in Copenhagen was super friendly and happy. Day 2: I couldn’t sleep so I decided to get up early and go. Obviously, most people were enjoying their sleep in on Easter Saturday as it was 8:30am and the streets were deserted. I made my way to tørvehallerne to try the famous “Grod”. I got the basic porridge topped with homemade caramel sauce, almonds and fresh apple, it was super tasty. After breakfast, I wandered through ørstedsparken, a beautiful park featuring a small lake in the middle. I then headed to Riccos Kaffebar to grab a coffee and sit in the sun whilst I skyped my grandparents back in Australia. As It was Easter, Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday are holidays in Copenhagen, so nearly all shops are shut and a few of the smaller cafes and restaurants as well. However, everything else is open and running like normal. Since it was Saturday, the only day which the shops were open, I decided to take advantage and have some retail therapy. After a bit of shopping I decided to get a salad to go from Fredco’s deli and sit in Kobenhavn K (The Kings Garden) to soak up some sunshine. Later I walked across Dronning Louises Bro (a bridge) to a neighbourhood called Norrebro. This area has a more local, young vibe to it. Filled with trendy cafes and vintage clothing shops it was a lovely area to have a wander. When the sun is out there is nothing better than Ice cream so I may have also picked up an ice cream along the way from “Nicecream”, a 100% vegan and organic ice cream parlour. I then walked back over the bridge and made my way back to the hostel. Day 3: I got ready and left my hostel at 9:30am to treat myself to a nice Easter Breakfast at The Union Kitchen. I ordered avocado on rye bread with a poached egg and their signature cappuccino. I was actually a bit disappointed, when I received my food. The serving size was pretty small and the coffee not that great for the price I paid. It was still tasty though, and the coffee art “marry me” made up for the disappointment. I then walked along the water to the little mermaid statue. It was the most perfect weather to enjoy a morning stroll in the sunshine by the sea. The little mermaid was small but I wasn’t expecting much more and was still a beautiful place to visit appreciate its beauty and history. I continued walking by the water and reached the almost unknown “genetically modified little mermaid”. A sculpture created by Bjørn Nørgaard emitting his provocative and humouristic view of the postmodern society. I was the only person there but this piece of irony is worth having a look at. Continuing on my adventure I walked through Kastellat on my way to Amalienborg castle to watch the midday changing of the guard. Of course, my day would not be complete without a visit to Torvehallerne. I picked up an Iced latte and cinnamon “twister” from Laura’s Bakery to enjoy whilst sitting in Copenhagen’s Botanical Gardens. As my weekend in Copenhagen was coming to an end I decided to enjoy the afternoon by embarking on a canal boat tour. It was great way to relax and enjoy Copenhagen from a different view. I then got some dinner and sat in the King’s Garden to enjoy the sunset. I am so glad that I got to visit this beautiful city. The city has such a happy and safe atmosphere, hence as a solo traveller is a perfect place to come. I was worried that most of the city was going to be closed and quiet over Easter but this was not the case. The fact the it was Easter made a perfect time to visit as the days in which the shops were shut made the centre peaceful and more pleasant to explore. Tourist attractions were less crowded and everyone was very relaxed as the majority of people exploring the city were tourists on holidays. I also came across shops giving out samples of traditional Easter cakes and free coffee which helped me save a few Krona’s on coffee. I was so lucky to have gotten the most perfect spring weather when I was there. It was 18'C every day and sunny with not a cloud in the sky! I very much regretted taking my winter coat. This city is definitely a perfect destination for a weekend getaway. Not too spread out, you can see all the beauty of Copenhagen without exhausting yourself and still have time to relax!
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After My first year living abroad, it was finally time for summer break. My parents flew over all the way from Australia to go on a family holiday. It was the first time that I had travelled to meet my family rather than us all go together, it felt odd. I flew from Glasgow to Torino, then to Naples. The flight itself was spectacular as I was flying over the Italian Alps. To see the extremity of these huge, jagged mountains topped with snow, in contrast with the city Torino really changed my view on the world. It made me realise how many amazing places there are to see, and that sometimes the places you don't know much about are the most beautiful. I got off the plane at Torino airport and had a short wait before my connecting flight to Naples. As I got out of Arrivals at Naples Airport, I was not only welcomed by the sunshine but the overjoyed faces of my parents who had not seen me for 6 months. I couldn't have been happier. We then hopped on a bus which would take us to the first destination of the holiday, a little bay called Vico Equense. It was my first time going to Italy, one of the places I always dreamed about visiting. In the first 15 minutes of the bus ride I already felt enriched by the Italian culture. The colourful blocks of flats with clothes lines tied across balconies, scooters speeding down the streets and pizza advertisements everywhere. As we drove around the edge of the Bay of Naples, I turned my head to the Left and there was Mount Vesuvius. After studying about Pompeii in School, I could not believe that I was actually seeing this colossal volcano in real life. We continued to travel around the bends of the Naples coast eventually arriving at our Astoria Hotel. This hotel was so cute. It was decorated in a beachy, seaside decor, had its own private swimming area and restaurant which you would take their free shuttle bus too. Most areas on the Amalfi/Naples coast are quite steep, so to get to the ocean for a swim you will either have to walk down many stairs or get a shuttle bus. We had a quick rest and got ready down to the hotel's restaurant, Stabilimento Balneare Antico Bagno Snack bar, for dinner. The location of this restaurant could not have been better. We sat at a table, on an open deck overlooking the bay of Naples and Mount Vesuvius. It was spectacular. The restaurant featured the seafood specialty to the area. Unfortunately, I am not a fan of seafood therefore ordered the gnocchi Siciliana. The food was incredible, it was so fresh and you could tell lots of love was put into its preparation. The staff were also incredibly welcoming and did everything they could to make us have a most enjoyable evening. I must also note we were the only ones in the restaurant. After dinner, we caught the shuttle bus back up to our hotel and went for a walk to admire the view. It must have been our lucky day. A motorcyclist drove past us at a very high-speed and dropped a collection of euros from his pocket which added up to €50. Now we knew that tomorrow was going to be a good day too. At this point we were all exhausted it was time to go to bed. The next morning we woke up early to enjoy a lovely breakfast at the hotel before checking out and catching the bus to Sorrento, to start our journey to Positano. Hi, I am Jaimee-lee. |
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