If you have a thing for tiles on the walls and on the floors, love Port wine, or are a foodie, then this is the place for you. Porto, or Oporto as the locals call it, is a modern city with iconic building facades and dynamic gastronomy.
It is like the San Francisco of Portugal and the Douro Valley is its Napa. As a matter of fact, Porto’s historic area was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. In 2001, its wine region, the Alto Douro Wine Region, was also declared a UNESCO World Heritage.
Port wine, that sweet, red dessert wine, is a fortified wine produced exclusively in the Douro Valley. It is the literal reason why most people come to Porto. The Douro Wine Region Valley is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world.
Unfortunately, we only had one day to spend in Porto. We woke up early in the morning and took a 30 minute flight from Lisbon to Porto (you can also take a 2.5 to 3 hour train from Lisbon). Because of our tight time frame, we did not have a chance to visit the Douro Valley. If you have more time, I recommend an overnight in Porto so that you have at least one full day to visit the city and an overnight in the Douro Valley so that you have another full day to visit the region and do proper wine tastings.
We were met by Sara of Oporto & Douro Moments who would be out guide for a whirlwind of a day in Porto. Sara specializes in the Douro Valley and is native to Porto.
Despite that we would not have a chance to visit Douro with her, Sara made sure that we still experienced the heart of Porto – Port Wine. So, our first stop was Vila Nova de Gaia (or Gaia as it is locally know), which is just across the river from Porto, over the Dom Luís I Bridge, a bridge designed by Gustave Eiffel, you know, the Eiffel Tower guy. In Gaia is where most of the Port wineries have set up shop outside of the Douro Valley. We visited Pocas Junior.
We took a private tour and learned all about the history and tradition of port wine.
They still use the traditional method of cleaning their wine storage units, which means that someone who is small enough to fit in this hole, climbs in and cleans by hand. They have one dedicated employee for this task! 
They also have one dedicated employee who hand-makes their wine barrels at this on-site workshop.
The output from this becomes the input to a risk of infarctions or heart viagra india prices problems. Poor breathing is shallow and uses only the chest and throat. click here for info levitra samples Women expect much more from a man, which prevents him taking part in pleasing sexual activity every buy tadalafil in uk day. So, make sure that your food item should not contain high proteins that may decrease the vital hormone level necessary for healthy sensual life. orden viagra viagra
Um, are these not the literal largest wine barrels you have ever seen in your entire life? Apparently, at their Douro Valley location, they have even bigger ones! 
After tasting several varieties of port, including a port rose (there is such a thing and it is splendid!), we were in need of some food, so we headed back over the bridge to sink our teeth into a sandwich for which Porto is famous: the Francesinha (the Little Frenchie).
There is NOTHING little about this sandwich. The name is kind of comical, actually. One sandwich is enough for two people. Oh, and don’t even bother putting this one in your calories app. I am pretty sure you will break the damn thing. Just know that you are going to need to up your steps after this one, which is fine because Porto is all hills anyway and calories don’t count on vacation.
Okay, back to the sandwich that gave me a mini panic attack: in between two very thick slices of white bread, you will find cured ham, two different kinds of sausage, and steak. The sandwich is then covered with melted cheese and a hot thick tomato and beer sauce. And, because there isn’t enough protein in the sandwich, it is topped with a fried egg. And served with french fries. Take that McDonald’s! I see your Big Mac and raise you the Little Frenchie!
So. Much. Meat.
Okay, so after all that eating, it was time to walk. We walked all over the city admiring the amazing tiled buildings.
We even went to a tile museum, kind of. This place is a government owned and operated tile cooperative. While it does display all of Porto’s traditional tiles, it also supplies tile. So, if you have building that has traditional tile, and you are missing a few pieces, you come in, they verify that you are legit (as in you own the building and you are restoring it), and then they just give you the tile. As in, for free. They will also take tile if you are remodeling and getting rid of the tile (why you would ever do that is beyond me). They will not, however, sell you tile (trust me, I tried).
We also visited some of Porto’s most famous food shops. These are legit shops that sell traditional Portuguese products. The most famous among them is A Perola Do Bolhao, open since 1917, and Comer e Chorar Por Mais, also in operation for over 100 years.
Now, if you are a Harry Potter fan, you are going to want to come to Porto. It is in Porto where the author, J.K. Rowling, got inspiration for her series. She apparently split her time between a little cafe, Café Majestic, and the oldest and most beautiful bookstore in the world, the Lello Bookstore, also known as Livraria Lello & Irmão. Rowling frequented the bookstore when she taught English in Porto. The Lello Bookstore was built in 1906 by the Lello Brothers.
This was her cafe of choice:
And this is the bookstore. The photo of the facade is mine, but the photos of the inside are courtesy of Mr. Google because there is a huge line to get in. This bookstore has become so popular that they actually charges 4 Euro per person to enter; but, if you buy a book, that is credited towards your purchase. 
After all that walking in the heat, it was time for a little treat: Portugal’s famous Santini gelato! Some call it the best in the world. It has been a staple in Portugal for more than 60 years, ever since an Italian named Attilio Santini set up shop in Estoril, Portugal. With over 50 flavors made fresh daily, you are going to want to make more than one stop here!
Alas, our day in Porto was coming to an end. We headed back to the airport with full bellies and achy feet; but it was worth every minute (and every calorie)!
There are some beautiful properties to choose from for an overnight stay. You can go wine tasting in this region, and, I am told that once the day-trippers leave, Sintra becomes a different place, and the sites stay open to allow the people staying there to enjoy them without the crowds.
If you have ever thought about crossing the pond to visit London, now is the time. London is Europe’s New York. It is a city that never sleeps with 24-hour restaurants and lots to do. It has history, sites, world class museums, an dynamic dining and foodie scene, theater, and some of the best shopping. It is surprisingly walkable. The whole country speaks English (obviously). And, contrary to popular belief, the weather is pleasant (when Chad and I were there it only rained one time and only for a few short hours in the afternoon). It is perfect for families (i.e., European Spring Break anyone??), for couples, for girls’ trips, for solo travelers, for first-timers to international travel, and for long weekends. That’s right, I am suggesting you go to Europe for a long weekend. Why not? You are going to live those days anyway, might as well live them at a destination. But here is the best part: it’s affordable!! I bet you never thought that London and affordable would be used together in the same sentence where affordable was the adjective for London. But, thanks to 
On the way there, she told us about the 
From there we proceeded to 
From there, we took the garden route to the palace, where we happened upon the filming of the 
Charley timed our visit perfectly so that we would catch the 
The 
It starts with a band and then there is a whole lot of procession! 
We got the pom-pom hats! 
And the red coats! 
And it culminates in a parade around 
Unfortunately, 
While 
You are on your own to see the jewels, and it is a pretty quick little exhibit, culminating in this beauty:
If you like contemporary and modern art, then head to the 
If art is not your thing or you only have the time (or patience) for one museum, then make it the 
Our visit was focused on seeing the Parthenon Marbles, because unfortunately, Greeks have to go to London to see artifacts that belong in Greece. The Parthenon Marbles, more commonly known as the Elgin Marbles, are a collection of 
The British government has given numerous excuses over the years for why they won’t return the marbles, including that Greece did not have a proper place to display and care for them. So, Greece built the 
The pub culture is strong in the U.K., so you kind of have to visit a local pub to get a true flavor of the city. You can stop for a casual meal or just for pints.
And, you simply cannot leave London without first having fish and chips. It’s like the national dish. 
If you want fine dining, then there is no lack of options. The city is teeming with Michelin starred restaurants and hard to snag reservations. We chose 
But if you’ve got a sweet tooth and an affinity for pink, then it’s 
We also did an afternoon tea at 
If you are after high-end fashions, then 
But if you prefer to stroll charming little streets lined with posh boutiques and a quaint little flea market, then a visit to 
So there you have it. As you would expect, London offers everything you could ever want in a city vacation – no matter what your particular tastes, interests or budget may be – and, best of all, you can do it all in as little as a long weekend! So, do yourself a favor and hop across the pond and see for yourself. Cheerio!
The 
Once you arrive, you will take a winding path to the entrance. Just before the entrance are little trails you can take to see the outside of the lagoon.
When you walk in, you will line up based on the package you purchased to check-in. At check-in, they will assign you your towel, robe, and slippers, and give you a bracelet that acts as your locker key and your credit card on the property.
From the check-in, you will be escorted to the locker room where you will choose a locker. You must shower before entering the lagoon. The locker rooms have restrooms and shower facilities, but don’t expect the same amenities as a spa. They have a soap and like one blowdryer, so bring your own toiletries and blow dryers if you need them for afterwards. 
The locker rooms lead out to the lagoon entrance area. There are two ways to enter the lagoon: from the inside pool that has a door that leads to the outside or from the outside using a sloped ramp. There are places to hang your towels and robes inside and outside, but space is very limited. 
Once inside the lagoon, there are shallow and deep areas. There are also saunas and steam rooms as well as swim up bars where you can buy drinks and from where you can get your mud and algae masks. If you plan to take pictures while inside the lagoon, make sure you bring a waterproof case for your camera or phone.
The water temperature is between 98 and 104 degrees Fahrenheit (37-40 degrees Celsius). Apparently, there are 9 million liters of water in the pool that renews itself every 40 hours. It is about 2 feet at its shallowest point and 5 feet at its deepest point. There is no visibility under the water. Because it is so hot, it is important to stay hydrated before, during, and after your visit. Also, the sulfuric water can really dry out your hair, so load it up with conditioner and try not to get your hair wet.
In addition to their exclusive lounge, there is a rest and relaxation area, a gift shop, conference rooms (so you can hold a meeting or event here!), and a full service hotel (as in you can sleep at the Blue Lagoon, which has its own set of perks!).
Also, if you are going to get a massage or other treatment, you are taken to a secluded pool that has these floating beds where your treatment takes place. Every few minutes they dip you into the water to keep you warm.
Although it is majorly touristy and pretty pricey, the Blue Lagoon is certainly worth a visit. I loved that we went during the winter. There is something sort of surreal about being in your bathing suit while the ground is covered in snow, and you are bathing in super hot water while snowflakes hit your face. It was definitely a memorable experience!
Sadly, summer is officially over. But that’s okay, because it’s never too early to plan for next summer, and I am here to help you with a little Greek Island inspiration. As you may already know, I am Greek. What you probably don’t know is that my dad lives in Greece on the island of Crete in a small village called Anopolis. Nestled in the White Mountains, Anopolis is a village of Sfakia, which is located in the southwestern part of Crete and is a prefecture of Chania.
I dare you to find a beach that is more visually stunning than Balos Beach. I mean, it is literally shaped like a heart because you fall in love with it as soon as you feast your eyes upon it, which is good since getting here can be a challenge.
I HIGHLY recommend that you get here early (like before the ferries start coming in). There are very limited parking spaces relative to the number of visitors. Once the parking lot fills up, they park you on the side of an unpaved mountain road with no guardrails (it’s pretty interesting to have to make a three point turn to turn the car around to leave), and you have to walk the rest of the way, which, depending on how many people are there that day, could be a long walk. For us, it was 10 minutes, and that was just to get to the path that takes you to Balos Beach. This was the parking situation at noon:
If you have to park outside the lot, you will have to walk towards the lot to reach the path that takes you to Balos Beach. That path takes another 30 to 40 minutes. It is also unpaved and there are stairs at some parts. It starts out flat and then you climb down stairs to get to the beach (which means you climb up to get back!), so I suggest you plan very carefully for what you bring with you to the beach, and, do yourself a favor and wear sneakers, hiking shoes, or water shoes. Now is not the time to be cute! You will instantly regret flip flops. And, it’s hot! Put on sunscreen, drink water, eat protein bars, wear a hat, and just survive! The good news is that you can take a Donkey Taxi more than half way (both to and from the beach) for about 4 Euros. The great news is that you get the most beautiful pictures ever. The path to the beach begins where you see this sign:
The road starts out looking like this, and you’re all like, what’s the big deal:
About half way, it turns to this: 
But, before it gets to that, you see this:
You’ll know when you’re there when you see this, like a shining oasis: 
Sweet relief! 
This is the lagoon side:
The water is shallow and cool, and the sand is pink!
If you didn’t do it on the way in, on the way back, you’ll probably be like: 
Otherwise, it’s this: 
Elafonisi Beach is also found in the prefecture of Chania, about 47 miles from Chania. There is a main beach and a islet that is joined by a sand bar. To get to this beach, you can drive and park in a dirt lot just off the main entrance to the beach or take a cab or 
Once you park, you will see a bunch of snack carts and a small beach restaurant. Walk towards the action to get onto the beach. Just before you get onto the beach on the left, are a series of four trailer toilets (American style) that clean, stocked, and cost 1 Euro to use. This will be your view as you step onto the beach:
This beach is crowded, and there are chairs and umbrellas for rent, but it is also so large that you can literally escape the crowds.
To do that, you can walk through a shallow water pool/sandbar and go through the nature preserve part:
Where you will find a much less crowded beach: 
The sand here is also pink: 
Because I feel like my pictures really don’t do this beach justice, I did a Google search to find you some better ones that really capture this beautiful beach, and 
Is this real life?!? It is in Crete! This is Preveli Beach, which is located in the prefecture of Rethymnon, by the Preveli River and the famous palm forest. As with all the good Cretan beaches, there’s the easy way and the hard way to get here. The easy way is to take a boat from Plakias or Agia Galini. The hard way is to drive. From Plakias, you will drive to the Preveli Monastary, and about a mile before you reach the monastery, you will park your car and walk down a seemingly endless amount of steep stairs that lead to the beach. The best pictures are on this route. Apparently, you can also drive a dirt road leading to the nearby village of Drymiskiano Amoudi and walk a short 5 minute path to the beach. There are places to rent kayaks if you want to kayak down the river to get to the beach. Full Disclosure: I have not yet been to this beach yet (so this photo is borrowed from good ole’ Mr. Google), but it is on my list for when I return to Crete in May, so I will update this post then.
About 13 miles from the city of Chania, you will find this gem. To get here, drive towards Chania airport, and turn left towards village Chordaki and then follow the signs to Rizoskloko. Signage will lead you to the beach. The road is paved all the way, but the last part of the road is a small, winding mountain road with no guardrails. You will come to an area where you can leave your car, and then you set out on foot for about 15 minutes down a steep path of stairs to get to the beach. The beach gets very crowded in season, so go early. Also there are no amenities on this beach, so if you need it, bring it. The photos of this beach are brought to you courtesy of my god-sister, fellow wanderluster, and Cretan beach expert, Roula.
There are only two ways to get to this beach, which is located in Sfakia (where I am from) in the prefecture of Chania and literally translates into Sweet Water Beach- 1) drive, leave your car on the side of the road and walk this path about 30 minutes to the beach or 2) come by boat via the water taxis from Sfakia or Loutro. The beach is rocky and there is a small snack bar in the water perched on some rocks, but the water is crystal clear and cool.
Like Elafonisi, Falasarna Beach, which is also located in the prefecture of Chania, is made up of several sandy beaches. Because it is on the west coast, this is a great beach to catch the sunset. The easiest way to get here is to drive the hour from Chania; otherwise, you can take the public bus, which runs routes during tourist season.
If you were brave enough to hike 4 hours through the Aradaina Gorge, guess where you ended up? Right here! Truthfully, you came to a road that had a passage for a steeper road down to the water which lead you here. This beach is also in Sfakia, about 53 miles from Chania. You can drive here (park your car up top on the side of the road and walk on down that steep path) or take a public bus to Sfakia and then take a boat over. There is a small tavern on the beach and a few umbrellas and sunbeds, but that is about it. There are some great caves to snorkel in, but the water is very deep.
If you want to visit a true beach town, head to Loutro, in the prefecture of Chania. There are no cars here and no roads, just beaches, hotels, tavernas, and shops. There are only 2 ways to get here: 1) by foot and 2) by boat. You have to be a serious hiker to get here by foot. If that is you, take the bus (or drive) to Sfakia. You can start your hike here. In fact, you can visit Glyka Nera (number 5 above) first as you can start your hike here and the same trail will end at Loutro. This is a long hike and will likely take 3 or more hours. Alternatively, you can come to our village (Anopolis) from Sfakia, and start your hike basically from my house which sits at the foot of the mountain you need to climb up to get there. This is the center of Anopolis:
Before you get to the center, on the left hand side is my cousin’s bakery:
She makes everything from scratch everyday. Her goods are delicious. She also harvests her own honey, which is life changing. Ask her to make you a Sfakian pie, stuffed with mizithra cheese from our cheese factory. 
Once you are at the center of Anopolis, stay to the left of the circle and then take the road to the right, you’ll be on your way. After passing about 10 houses, you will be at the foot of the mountain. If you see a black BMW with a Florida license plate, you’ll know you are in the right place, at my house! Stop in and say hi to my dad, George, and I bet he will cut you some 
This cheese is legendary! You can only get it in Crete. There is an entire festival held in August in its honor! I’m not kidding:
This is my uncle Andrea, who, with the help of my dad, makes the cheese:
Next thing you know, this will be your situation (by the way, you are supposed to dip the cheese in the honey!):
He may even take you out back and show you some of our goats! 
After fueling up for your hike, you will be on your way! The hike will take about 2 hours. Go straight through the gate below to start your Loutro hike, or stay on the path to the right, and climb up to the church at the top before heading down and on to Loutro.
If you chose to the visit the small church on top of the mountain, you will come through this gate. There are amazing views from up here.
After your visit look for this cross on the bottom of the small path leading to the church and across from this cross will be a rock that shows you the way.
You are heading here: 
If you opt for the easier route, you can take the 
The ferry leaves from here in Sfakia:
The ticket office is before you reach this landing:
Before you reach the ticket kiosk, there is a small ocean-side snack bar where you can stop in for a delicious gyro and wait for the ferry to arrive.
Once you board the ferry, in about 20 minutes, you will reach Loutro.
Most people walk the semi-circle and stop at the first beach. If you keep going all the way to the end, there is another beach next to some huge rocks, which offer nice snorkeling opportunities, and this beach is less crowded. There is also a snack bar right near the beach with a restroom. The water is cool and the beaches are rocky.
If you miss the ferry back or want to stay for a while, book a room at my family’s hotel on the island, and tell my cousin George that I sent you!
Also, there is no nude or topless bathing in Loutro.
If you are looking for long sandy beaches that are suitable for families with children and have an added bonus of ruins to explore, then you have found your paradise. Frangokastello is located in the prefecture of Chania. You can get here by bus, car, or boat. There are a few beaches you can visit in this area. The first is right at the foot of an ancient castle.
Either before or after the beach, make sure to stop in and explore the castle.
Are you still with me or have you wandered off into beach bliss heaven? Quite frankly, I couldn’t blame you if you have. As you can see, Crete is not lacking in the amazing beaches department. The waters are clear and a kaleidoscope of blues. The landscapes and backdrops surrounding the beaches aint too shabby either! But wait, there’s more! Here are a few other beaches that are also nice: Kournas Lake, Ombros Galos, Agia Roumeli (if you hiked the 
Most people dread a long layover between flights. Not me. In fact, I sometimes purposefully plan a long layover, especially in a cool new city. For me, a layover presents an opportunity for a mini adventure.
Our flight from Athens arrived in Istanbul at 11: 30 p.m. With just our pre-planned and pre-packed carry-on bags in tow, we quickly made our way to the visa office to purchase our Turkish visas. That’s right U.S. citizens, as of 2014, you now need a visa to visit Turkey. It costs $30.00 per person and can be purchased right in the airport before leaving the secure area (you can also obtain an e-visa ahead of time for $20.00). After securing our visas, we exited the secure area of the airport and found the shuttle for the land-side of the airport’s hotel. This airport has a hotel within the airport that has two sides: the “air side,” which is inside the secure area of the airport and requires a boarding pass for check in and the “land side,” which is outside of the secure area of the airport but still attached to the airport. We checked in for the night, had a hot shower, and got right to bed.
After a few quick picture stops, we made our way back over to the European side to visit the Old Town. We walked through Sultanahmet Square to visit the historic 
In the same plaza, you will find the German Fountain. This is a classic example of looks being deceiving. As you stroll through the Hippodrome, you pass a beautiful, but inoperative fountain. The fact that it is inoperative is by choice. This fountain was given as a gift from Germany to the Turkish people around 1900, which lead to an alliance between Turkey and German. Fast forward 20 years, Turkey ended up on the losing side of World War I, which sent Turkey spiraling into depression for decades to come. As a result, the Turks are no longer fond of the fountain; but it’s huge and immovable, so, as a tourist, enjoy its beauty.
Our next stop was to the Sultanahmet Mosque (
This is an active mosque where people come to pray. All visitors are required to remove their shoes before entering, and the mosque provides plastic bags for you to put your shoes into and carry inside with you. Also, women must cover their heads and wear a long skirt to enter. I anticipated this, and brought along a scarf, but the mosque also provides you with loaner scarves and skirts. By the way, as Chad found out, men are not excluded from this rule. Men must wear long pants. If they are wearing shorts, like Chad was, the mosque will happily provide the man with a skirt to wear, and this will double as entertainment for me, and, now, for you! 
Also, women are NOT allowed pass these wooden gates. Men, however, are, but only if they are passing through to pray. Please, please, please be respectful of the mosque’s and the religion’s rules. While we were there, an English woman and her child walked into the prayer area, and it caused a bit of a scene.
Inside, the mosque is literally stunning. There is so much incredible color and intricate tile and stained glass work. Even on a cloudy day (which was the case the morning these photos were taken), you get a sense of the awesome illuminated beauty that natural light provides in the mosque. 
After the Blue Mosque, we made our way to 
To give you some perspective, the photo below was taken at the gates of the Blue Mosque looking towards Hagia Sophia.
By the way, unless you have been to Hagia Sophia, you may not appreciate exactly how hard it is to get a picture inside with NO people in it. It’s like impossible! I do the impossible.
And, if you were wondering where the center of the world is located, according to the Romans, it’s right here! This is the spot where coronation ceremonies for Roman Emperors were held during the time that Constantinople (a.k.a Istanbul) served as the capitol of the Roman Empire (and basically the capitol of the world, as far as they were concerned).
This is the Empress Stand (where she would stand in an elevated position to watch her husband be crowned Emperor), so naturally…
Meet Obama Kitty (a.k.a Gli). Apparently, when Obama visited Istanbul, he made a stop to Hagia Sophia. This kitty happened to be inside that day, and she marched over to Obama and was rubbing up against his leg. Obama liked the little kitty, so he picked her up and carried her around while he toured the museum. Well, that was the best day ever for this little kitty because after that, she became famous. She was renamed Obama Kitty and was given a permanent home inside Hagia Sophia.
I don’t think Obama should get to feeling grand prize about this encounter. Obama Kitty is very friendly, and she will basically go up to anyone for some love. She immediately went to Chad and demanded rubs!
After we concluded our visit at Hagia Sophia, we walked through a small bazaar (note, the Grand Bazaar is closed on Sundays) of beautiful shops, and we tasted Turkish Delight before making our way back to the airport.
By the way, Istanbul is a shopper’s paradise! If you like textiles, tiles, spices, teas, and jewelry, then you will feel like you died and went to heaven (and this isn’t even the 
