• About
  • Contact
  • Link Love
  • Miss Button’s Other Writings
  • Where I’ve Been

Bumblings Of Miss Button

~ Finding travel inspiration at home and abroad…

Bumblings Of Miss Button

Category Archives: Favorite 5

Favorite Five: Hostels I Stayed In

03 Sunday Mar 2013

Posted by sarabutton in Favorite 5, Travel Musings

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

accommodation, Czech Republic, Greece, hostels, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain

Now that I’m back in a non-shared sleeping space and don’t have to rent a towel, I can reflect on the many types of accommodation I’ve used. I’ve been welcomed into homes, which were always my favorite, and stayed in some very cute budget hotels and AirBnB rooms.

Our hotel room in Litochoro--NOT a hostel. They upgraded our room to a triple with a balcony...

Our hotel room in Litochoro–NOT a hostel. They upgraded our room to a triple with a balcony…

But much of my travel and time was spent in hostels. Here are my five favorite hostels I stayed in during my nearly eight-month stint traveling Europe.

Click on the name of the hostel in the header to get to their site, which has all their details and current pricing!

Art Hole Hostel: Prague, Czech Republic

Know when you watch a trailer, and the movie is totally NOT what you were expecting? Well, at Art Hole Hostel I totally got what I wanted–and expected–from their description. On their description for Hostelworld and Hostelbookers, they clearly say they are not a party hostel and are great for solo travellers.

This was absolutely true on both counts. With a great location nearby to bars, guests could go out and dance the night away or party to their heart’s content, but quiet hours started at midnight and were pretty well enforced, meaning those of us who wanted to stay in (read: I am an old grandma and like my beauty sleep) or go to bed before 3 a.m. could do so.

Plus, they don’t book big groups, and it was really easy to chat with other travelers there. AND breakfast is included–WITH protein! Cute little hard boiled eggs in egg cups right in the kitchen, ready for your enjoyment.

I also loved the look of the place; it’s in a big old building with wood floors and high ceilings, and the lockers were big enough for me to fit my entire bag into it.

The cons? The number of bathrooms is a little low compared to the number of folks staying there, and for those of you who are unwieldy packers, you’ll have to lug your stuff up a few flights of stairs, as there is no elevator.

Continue reading →

Favorite 5: Things I Did in Slovenia

15 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by sarabutton in Destinations, Favorite 5, Travel Musings

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

Slovenia

I just finished my first trip through Slovenia, and I have to say: I am impressed. Seriously. For a country so small, Slovenia has a lot to offer, and I can’t wait to go back to explore it more in the spring or summer when it’s a bit easier to get to some of the other sights!

So, here are five of my favorite things I did when I was in the lovely country of Slovenia.

5. Getting lost in Ljubljana

When people say a color is the new black, they’re always lying. But when I heard someone say once that Ljubljana is the new Vienna, I was intrigued to see whether that held water.

This was the Slovenian poet who penned their national anthem. This square is where everyone meets up!

This was the Slovenian poet who penned their national anthem. This square is where everyone meets up!

It does. It has the same architectural charm, the same winding streets, the same cafe culture. But Ljubljana has its own distinct personality, and because it’s still so undiscovered by many tourists, it’s a total hidden gem. I loved walking along the river, admiring all the funky and chic cafes, and wishing I could spend more time there!

Continue reading →

Favorite 5: Places I Ate in Croatia

08 Friday Feb 2013

Posted by sarabutton in Bumbling Bites, Destinations, Favorite 5

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Croatia, food, restaurants

To start off, I have to be clear: I spent a piddly amount of time in Croatia, so this is by no means a definitive list. We were there for about 6 days, and only hung out in Zagreb and Zadar.

That being said, we literally didn’t have a bum meal, so I want to share the top five dining experiences I had in those two places, with the clear hope that I will come back and eat/sail/wander my way through the rest of this country. Here they are, in order of awesomeness from less awesome to super awesome. But all pretty awesome.

Fancy dinner out in Croatia!

Fancy dinner out in Croatia!

Continue reading →

My Favorite 5: Things to do in Kilkenny

03 Monday Dec 2012

Posted by sarabutton in Destinations, Favorite 5

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Ireland, Things to do

Kilkenny is a lovely city. Although small–about 24,000 people–it has a vibrant nightlife and good shopping, as well as some of the best Irish folk around. Here are 5 of my favorite things I did in Kilkenny, many of which I’ve posted about already.

Kilkenny Castle: The grounds alone are worth a trip to this gorgeous place. Spent your afternoon reading a book in the gardens, walk past the castle to the children’s park, or take a tour of the castle. Any of these options are a great way to spend some time in Kilkenny.
Can you tell I’m a bit chilly? AND EXCITED TO BE BY A CASTLE!?

Continue reading →

5 Things I Love About Ireland

10 Saturday Nov 2012

Posted by sarabutton in Destinations, Favorite 5, Travel Musings

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Ireland, Things to do, Travel Musings

1. It’s really pretty here.

Exhibit 1:

Stop it with the beauty already! No, don’t, I’m just teasing. You’re amazing, Ireland.

Continue reading →

My Favorite 5: Things to do in/near Amsterdam

01 Thursday Nov 2012

Posted by sarabutton in Destinations, Favorite 5

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Netherlands, Things to do, Travel Musings

Sorry it has been so long since I’ve posted! I am noticing a trend with this…I will try to get better about it!

Beautiful antique door handles at the Noordermarkt flea market

Last week I was lucky to be hosted by some amazing friends, and spent more time in Amsterdam, a beautiful and historic city. Here are 5 of the things I’ve enjoyed doing the most from my trips there:

Continue reading →

My Favorite Five: Things to do in Siena

15 Monday Oct 2012

Posted by sarabutton in Destinations, Favorite 5

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Italy, Things to do, Travel Musings

So, in writing this post I realize that not once but twice before I have written about this town. Once in 2007, when I visited with my study abroad roomie, and once again in 2009 when I was working in Orvieto. Both of these entries seem like lifetimes away, yet I say practically the same thing about the town in both–and also here! (I read them after I had written this post.) It’s also interesting to note the difference between my 25-year-old self’s writing and my 20-year-old self’s, although the voice is much the same. Food for thought.

Continue reading →

My Favorite 5: Things to do in Orvieto

04 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by sarabutton in Destinations, Favorite 5

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Italy, Things to do

This is what it looks like from the clock tower. Sorry it’s so small.

For those of you who have either a) known me for a while (which is to say, probably most of you), or b) seen the backlogged entries from 2007 and after about my love affair with the Umbrian hill town of Orvieto, you know this will be a difficult post to write. But, dear readers, I am always excited to spread the Orvieto love, and this weekend I got a chance to show some Tucson friends around. So I give you my top 5 recommendations for sightseeing in my dear Orvieto, especially if you’re only there a couple days.

Also, I’ll give no excuses, but I do offer my apologies for such sparse updates lately. More to come soon, I promise. Also, photos, once I get my cell phone working.

Umbrian countryside. Just chillin.’ (Unedited photo) 

Continue reading →

My Favorite 5: Things to Do in Scotland

07 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by sarabutton in Destinations, Favorite 5, Travel Musings

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Scotland, Things to do, Travel Musings

When I agreed to go a bit out of my way to hike in the Scottish Highlands, I wasn’t sure what I was getting into. Scotland was on my list of travel destinations, to be sure, and hiking in the Cuillins with a photojournalist sounded pretty good, despite the fact that we had never met in person before. Turns out, Scotland is one of the most breathtaking places I’ve been privileged to visit, in every sense of the word.

Oban

 Here are my favorite 5 things we did in Scotland:

View in Oban


Isle of Skye (#1-3): Kat, my travel companion, really wanted to head for the hills on this trip. She’s an avid hiker and has summited a jillion things. I was game to try to keep up as well as I could, and so we took an early morning bus to the Isle of Skye.

The Isle of Skye is in the Inner Hebrides, a series of islands off the western part of Scotland. It’s also home to some of the most striking landscapes I’ve ever seen: lush, rolling hills with patches of forest, waterfalls rushing down rocks and glimmering lakes in places you’d never expect. The highlights of our trip really took place here, with no frills except those provided by nature.

How the heck can anything be so beautiful!? 

Clouds drifting in above the Fairy Pools waterfalls

After our swim in the Fairy Pools. It was COLD.

1.       Glen Brittle: Not even a true village or town, Glen Brittle is where you want to position yourself if you ever go to the Isle of Skye. It’s along only one road, at the end of which is a campground and lake reaching into the sea. We stayed at the Glen Brittle Scottish Youth Hostel, which was located minutes away from trailheads leading to some of the coolest hikes I’ve ever been on. We swam in the Fairy Pools and made our way up a mountain to find a stunning lake. I think specific posts deserve dedication to what we did and saw there, so stay tuned for more on the jaw-dropping beauty of Glen Brittle. (And also, a post on how we got there…)

The Cuillin
2.       Driving through the Quiraing: One of the best things about travel happens to be meeting new people, and Kat & I sure did that. In our hostel at Portree, we were fortunate enough to meet Anna-Marie and Bas, whose plans to hike around Portree were foiled by bad weather. What luck that was for us, because the four of us ended up renting a car and driving around the island together for the day! Yes, I drove in the UK and didn’t crash/harm anyone/kill a sheep! It was quite thrilling, and one of the very cool, windy roads we went through was in the Quiraing, which is a landscape created by a series of landslides called the Trotternish Landslip, some of which still occur.
The Storr
3.       The Storr: part of the whole landslide-derived landscape, the Storr, which includes the famous Old Man of Storr, has alien-looking rock features that jut into the sky. There are sheep, too. 
Me at the Storr

4. Edinburgh Fringe Festival: Every August for most of the month, artists from all over the world descend on Edinburgh. The Royal Mile is clobbered by tourists, performers and locals just trying to get to their bus, and acts ranging from general street performers (you know, fire eaters, magic, balancing acts, guitar) to music to mime to dance to experimental theatre to whatever the heck one can qualify as “art.” Hundreds—yes, hundreds—of shows take place, many of which are free or very cheap. If you hate crowds and the risk of hit-or-miss performances, avoid Edinburgh at this time, as accommodation prices skyrocket, but if you’re interested in the quirky, thought-provoking or plain old funny, definitely check out the Fringe. (FYI: We stayed at a great hostel, Castle Rock. Highly recommend!)

5. London 2012 Olympics! We heard that tickets to soccer in Glasgow were cheap, sometimes even free, so we figured we’d break up the long bus ride from Skye back to Edinburgh with a stopover in Glasgow to catch some Olympic action. Although we didn’t get to see Team USA play that day (they were over in Newcastle or somesuch), we did get to see France defeat Sweden in a hard fought women’s quarter-final soccer match! Tickets were not as cheap as we had been promised, but when else was I going to go to the Olympics? 

Team USA during the Opening Ceremonies! We watched from a pub in Portree.

My Favorite Five: Things to Do in Nafplio, Greece (On a Budget)

20 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by sarabutton in Destinations, Favorite 5, Travel Musings

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

Greece, Things to do, Travel Musings

Nafplio from the water on the way to the island fortress

Finding things to do in Nafplio is not complicated, mostly because those things to do are simple and accessible! Way to go, Nafplio! (See, it even makes a sweet rhyme.) My arrival here, which entailed getting from Delphi to Athens to the Peloponnese via bus, metro, on foot, and by zeppelin (kidding), was duly rewarded by Nafplio itself; by the time I had made it from the KTEL station to my little hotel, I was already in love.

That being said, Nafplio is not really a backpacker’s tourist destination. That’s okay, since I’m not really a backpacker I guess, but I am on more of a budget than, say, the yachting French family who might spend a week in Nafplio, too.
So, here are my five favorite things that I did in Nafplio over the week that I was there (Monday-Friday), and they didn’t even break the bank.
 
1. Catch the sunset off the port. I know, I know, I’m becoming a bit obsessed with sunsets. So sue me, they’re pretty, okay!? Plus, they are perfect for photos, since the light here in Greece is A.MAZ.ING. But really, they are also worth watching, especially in a setting like this one. The first night I arrived in Nafplio, I walked down to the port and ambled along the promenade. There are many places to sit, whether you want to watch the sun going to bed from a water-side cafe with a coffee in hand, or just from one of the many benches along the way. 
 
Cost? Free.  (Unless you take the cafe option, in which case, can be 3-6 euro, depending on your drink.)
 
Unedited sunset off the port in Napflio.
2. Go to the beach. A couple beach options exist in Nafplio. If you want sandy, go to Karathona beach, which is accessible by bus and is maybe a fifteen minute bus ride. You can also take a 5-8 euro cab ride there and it’ll take less than 10 minutes. Or so I hear. I never made it there, because I really liked the rocky beach, Aravitia. 
 
Aravitia is accessible on foot a couple different ways. For a less scenic route, head into town basically to the KTEL station, on Sigrou. When you’ve passed that, on the left is a little square with a statue in it; go that way and up, towards the stairs to the Palamidi Fortress. But, instead of working your buns on the stairs, keep going and you’ll hit the beach. There’s a snack bar, and umbrellas if you don’t bring your own. The water is so crystal clear that once in awhile when I was swimming, I’d see a fish and vaguely flail for a second before remembering that they’re not going to try to devour me. 
 
The other way to get to Aravitia is a lot prettier, although depending on where you’re coming from, takes longer. Go to the port, and follow its curve, keeping the cafes, etc. on your left. Just keep going, past the playground, past the other swimming area, and along the walking path. It hugs the coast and the town, and is quite picturesque. You’ll usually see a sailboat or two going along. Keep going, and you’ll run into Aravitia Beach! 
 
Cost? Free!  Note: Be sure to bring SUNBLOCK and a proper towel. Unless you’ve got shade, you won’t find any at the beach except for the paid umbrellas. Also, the rocks do get bloody hot, so spare yourself the discomfort and try to bring a terry cloth towel. (I’ve been using my coverup as a towel, and its just a thin layer of cotton, which did get particularly toasty, but not unbearable.) 
 
3. Climb the 999 steps to see the Palamidi Fortress. Other than being a great workout (again, bring sunblock! And water!), climbing the steps to the fortress affords you a very cool view of the city of Nafplio. As you ascend, the little peninsular shape of the town comes into view, and you can see from yet another angle how incredible Greece’s landscape really is. 
Palamidi!
Legend has it that there are 999 steps. I started counting and got to about 18 when I got distracted and decided counting was a silly idea.
I really enjoyed exploring the fortress, which was built in the 18th century and before it was finished, fell to the Turks, but was later recaptured in 1822 by the Greeks. Not only is it huge, with eight bastions, it also is a historically important part of the city. One of the heroes from the War of Independence, Kolokotronis, supposedly was imprisoned there, and you can see where he was kept. 
 
Plus, the view of the city and the sea is smashing. 
Cost? 4 euro. *
 
4. Go on a day-trip to Mycenae. What is Greece known for if not for its ruins? The austere glory of the Acropolis, the columns of Delphi, and don’t forget all the good stuff in the Peloponnese. If you took any kind of art history in high school (or college, or whenever), Mycenae should ring a bell. It’s where they found the “funerary mask” of Agamemnon, and the famous Lion’s Gate still stands.

If art isn’t your thing, then maybe epic Greek poetry is. If the names Agamemnon, Orestes, Clytemnestera, or Iphegeneia sound familiar, Mycenae is supposedly the place where they hung out.

In any case, the ruins are fun to explore, especially if you have an interest in ancient history. Mycenae’s structures date back to the 16th century BCE, and include grave circles, a cistern, remnants of house layouts, a granary, the lion’s gate, the treasury of Atreus, and, of course, the palace.

 
Me in front of the Treasury of Atreus

Again, be sure to bring a hat and water, as there is minimal shade on the citadel. The KTEL bus from Nafplio to Mycenae (look for Mykenes on the bus) takes you right to the site in just about an hour, and runs 3 or 4 times a day.

Cost? 5.80 euro for round-trip bus ticket + 8 euro for entrance to the site*

 
5. Go (Window) Shopping by the port. Nafplio really is one of those places where you can be happy just to walk around, especially in the evening time, around 7:30 or 8. One day I was here I just read my book in approximately 4 different places, just walking, sitting, reading, eating. Walk along the streets to check out clothing stores, jewelry shops, a leather shoe store where the craftsman works on the shoes right in front of your eyes. Grab the best gelato in Nafplio from Antica Gelateria di Roma (2.50 euro for a small cup of 2 flavors*), check out the only worry-bead museum in the world (3 euro or free for students with an ID*), or just people-watch as you meander through the streets.*Prices are as of July 2012
This post was linked to Pretty Travels Volume 2: Sun, Sea & Sand! Pretty Travels
← Older posts

Categories

Recent Bumblings

  • Liebster Awards!
  • 2013: In Retrospect
  • On My First Fall in Pittsburgh
  • Photo of my Day: Pittsburgh Zoo
  • Miss Button’s Packing List: Costa Rica

Popular Posts

  • Walnuts
  • Solo Travel Moment of Pride: Getting from Station B to Station A in Athens

Enter your email address to follow the Bumblings and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Bumblings on Facebook

Bumblings on Facebook

Bumbling Tweets

  • Late to the game but this made my day. twitter.com/MrAndrewCotter… 2 years ago
  • RT @Rob_Flaherty: this election is a choice between two competing visions for america: one that says "you should drink bleach to cure virus… 2 years ago
  • For #worldbookday2020 I wrote about how we can celebrate from home. 📚 twitter.com/AFARmedia/stat… 2 years ago

Tags

accommodation animals Announcements Arizona Austria beach books Broadway Brooklyn California carnival clothing Costa Rica Croatia Czech Republic dance desert Dresden female travelers food Fourth of July France gear Germany Greece holidays home hostels Independence Day Ireland Istanbul Italy July 4th Kurentovanje London museums music Netherlands New Orleans NYC Oregon organic Orvieto packing Pennsylvania photo Photo of My Day photos Pittsburgh Prague Ptuj quotes Recipe restaurants Rome Salzburg Scotland shopping sloths Slovenia snow Sonoma County souvenirs Spain summer Things to do travel Travel Musings Tucson Turkey Uncategorized United Kingdom USA videos Zagreb

Meta

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.com

Archives

Blog at WordPress.com.

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Bumblings Of Miss Button
    • Join 363 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Bumblings Of Miss Button
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...