Our second potential adventure is one that most people who know us would find a curious choice. No one we know would ever describe us as the type to take a cruise, however one cruise has always been on our radar –  a cruise along the rugged coast of Norway with Hurtigruten. They first caught our eye with some amazing photos that a couple fellow bloggers took on their amazing adventure on the quest for the Northern Lights. Having both grown up near the water, we both have an affinity towards boats, and we were immediately hooked on the idea of being dazzled by the northern lights, spotting seabirds and whales, and photographic the picturesque villages that dot the coastal fjords of Norway.

While most cruises have always come off as excuses to gorge oneself with food and lounge in the sun, cruising Norway seems like a different beast altogether. From seeing the magnificent fjords along the more than 2000 km of rugged coastline to witnessing the magic of the Northern lights, these trips seem like they have a different end goal in mind than “just a vacation”. And with excursions like dog-sledding, fishing for and cooking up King Crab, ocean kayaking, and snowmobiling through fresh powder, it seems like you are bound to make memories that will last a lifetime. 

The other factor that intrigues us about Hurtigruten is their seeming commitment to keeping the tours Norwegian. From the completely Norwegian crew to the local food they pick up each day at the cities they stop in to their characteristically Norwegian excursions (fishing anyone?), everything seems poised on given their passengers the complete Norwegian experience.

The final factor that really intrigues us is the potential to cruise during winter. Being from Canada, we love winter activities like skiing and snowshoeing, and the opportunity to combine active winter activities and seeing the Northern Lights for the first time would be a fantastic way to spend part of our winter (also it’s the easiest time for me to get away from work!). There’s also always the possibility of checking a second thing off your bucket list and heading into the Arctic Circle!

How do you feel about cruising in the Winter? Have you ever had an experience like this? Is this something we should have on our honeymoon bucket list? Let us know in the comments below and check out the Hurtigruten site for more details. 

This post was sponsored by Hurtigruten; however, as always, all opinions and words are our own…also if anyone wants to send us on this trip to experience it firsthand we would jump all over that!

The post Honeymoon Potential – Cruising Norway with Hurtigruten appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

The first epic adventure on our honeymoon bucket list is one that won’t surprise anyone – in fact, it’s been a lifelong dream of mine – to visit the Galapagos. Ever since I was a kid, the thought of walking in the footsteps of Charles Darwin on these legendary islands was the inspiration for my interest in the sciences. Snorkeling with sharks and sea lions, walking with tortoises and penguins, bird-watching, kayaking – all were the stuff of my dreams. And our honeymoon might just be the perfect time to experience this amazing place.

But how to do it? Do we go on a cruise, and if so, what type? I would love to be part of a tiny group, especially one with biologists and ecologists to lead you around and enhance your experience. We have been looking at the trips provided by Natural Habitat Adventures and the ones by National Geographic (although we might be priced out of that one!). The thought of being able to have the time to just enjoy the place is what appeals to me most. 

So there you have it, our first potential honeymoon destination. Have you ever been to the Galapagos? Who did you travel with and what was it like? Do you have any recommendations for us? Should we be sure to explore Ecuador as well if we go? Let us know in the comments below!

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As winter approaches and travelers in Europe look for some respite from the constant rain and cold found throughout much of mainland Europe, we would wholeheartedly recommend Malta as a great place to kick back, relax, and recharge for a week or two. Need more convincing than just our trusty recommendation, here are our top 7 reasons to catch a flight to this tiny island in the Mediterranean.

1. The Weather

The waterfront along Sliema – and this is winter!

Perhaps the only downside to traveling through Europe in the winter is the weather. Although it doesn’t get as cold as back in Canada, the perpetual gloom of impending rain and slightly above freezing temperatures can dampen even the brightest of spirits. Thankfully Malta does not follow suit with the rest of the continent and remains a comparatively balmy 15-20 degrees in the winter. Add in the 30-40 degree summer heat and you’ve got the making of the perfect getaway in any season.

2. The Water

The Azure Window on a hazy afternoon

There’s no shortage of crystal blue water around the Mediterranean, but Malta takes it to a whole new level. From the azure window to Ramla Bay to the amazing dive sites around the three islands, you’re never far from water in Malta. Seriously, it’s an island.

3. The History

When people talk about the great places to travel to truly experience history, the usual suspects – Egypt, Rome, Angkor – tend to crop up. No one seems to put Malta into the mix, but they probably should. Malta is home to some of the oldest and finest examples of neolithic temples in the world. From Ġgantija, the world’s second oldest free-standing temple (nearly 1000 years older than the Pyramids) , to the Hypogeum of Ħal-Saflieni ( the only known prehistoric underground temple in the world), to the streets, bastions, and forts of Valletta which the Knights Hospitaller used to defeat the Ottomans in the Siege of Malta. Walking through the streets of Malta often feels like walking through a massive open air museum, and you’re never far from an amazing story or intriguing mystery.

The remains of Ggantija – the second oldest free-standing temple in the world, dating back to 3600 BC

4. The Churches

There’s lots of countries where Churches are a big deal – but nothing quite compares to Malta. Built in essence by The Knights of St. John as a Christian stronghold in the Mediterranean, Malta is absolutely covered in churches. Of the more than 360 churches that dominate the landscape, the undoubted crowning jewel is St. John’s Co-Cathedral. The resting place for many of the greatest knights throughout history, the Cathedral is the definition of opulence.

The splendour of St. John’s Co-Cathedral

5. The Size

At just 316 km² Malta is one of the smallest countries in the world, which makes getting around an absolute breeze. Extremely efficient buses and ferries ensure that you can go shopping in the morning, catch some sun at the beach in the afternoon, and party the night away in the evening.

Traditional Maltese balconies

6. It’s an easy place to travel

One of the most rewarding things about travel for many people is the feeling you get when a difficult situation arises and you overcome it. There’s nothing like that feeling of accomplishment from ordering that first bowl of noodles in a foreign language (bonus points if you actually get what you ordered). But every once in a while it’s nice to have a break from the challenges. Malta is a great place to have this exact experience. Whether it’s a first family vacation or a respite from years of backpacking, the uncomplicaton is refreshing.

One of the creative sign-boards along the Marsaxlokk promenade

7. There’s something for everyone

Whether you’re looking for a luxurious retreat soaking up the sun and clubbing the night away, or you’re a culture junkie looking for ancient temples and hidden legends, you’re sure to find something for everyone. They even have a freaking cannon they fire off every evening.

Beautiful coloured boats in Marsaxlokk Harbour

Have we convinced you yet? Either way, feel free to check out the rest of our posts on Malta. Already been? Tell us what you thought about this tiny island in the blue in the comments below!

The post 7 Reasons to get to Malta Now! appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

Calli and I both remember the days when, for a month every summer during high water, the water that came out of our taps in Kamloops looked more like weak coffee than crystal clear water. Although times have changed, and we now have a state-of-the-art water treatment centre that produces some of the cleanest water in the world, we still run into the same problems whenever we escape the city.

Kamloops Lake just outside city limits – a favourite daytrip location of ours.

 With the blazing summers of Interior British Columbia (it’s currently 39 Celsius/103 Fahrenheit outside), carrying enough water to ensure you don’t end up as Vulture food is vital to any outdoor undertaking. And to be honest, most of the time I don’t feel like packing around 20L of water while hiking, biking, or kayaking. That’s where the LifeStraw comes in.

Instead of using chemicals, the LifeStraw focuses on microfiltration to remove nearly all contaminants in the water you’re drinking. Suction forces water through micropores measuring 2 microns across and provides you with water you can feel comfortable drinking. The water you get is 99.9999 percent of bacteria and 99.9 percent free of parasites present in the water, but unfortunately viruses and heavy metals are unaffected (so stay away from those tailings ponds). When you’re done, you just blow out the end to remove the remaining water and put it away.

The LifeStraw measures just over 9 inches long and an inch around

Since receiving our LifeStraw we’ve taken it on a number of outdoor adventures, and we’ve been very impressed by it. From kayaking in the Shuswap to biking Myra Canyon, we’ve definitely put the LifeStraw through its paces these last few weeks, and it hasn’t let us down. We really like its portability and ease of use – there’s no messing around with tablets or filters, its really as easy to use as a straw.

Us biking on a hot day in Myra Canyon – the LifeStraw was very handy this day

To be perfectly honest, we haven’t actually dipped it in a lake or stream and drank directly from there, instead preferring to fill up our water bottles in said stream and then using the LifeStraw to drink from the bottle (that way you always have access to clean water, not just when you’re near a body of water). I did use it during high water in Shuswap Lake and didn’t get sick – the scientist in me is screaming that’s not a real experiment, but it’s the best I’ve got!

Beautiful Shuswap Lake

In all, we are very happy with the LifeStraw and would definitely recommend it to avid outdoor adventurers. For us, we are intrigued by the LifeStraw Go, a water bottle with a LifeStraw built right in. It seems like it would be right up our alley and be slightly more convenient to use.

With all this said, we are offering our readers the chance to win their very own LifeStraw. If you’re interested, you can enter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Find out more about the LifeStraw on their website. To read about the technology check out this How Stuff Works article.

***The LifeStraw®product and information have been provided by Vestergaard. And as always, ALL OPINIONS ARE OUR OWN!!

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Don’t get us wrong, we love a little spontaneous adventure or detour as much as the next backpacker, but gone are the days when travelers can throw caution to the wind and set off without any semblance of a plan – at least without an unlimited budget or unlimited patience. With the increased accessibility to travel for much of the world, booking transportation and accommodation ahead of time and having a plan is becoming more important to make the most of your travel time and budget. This was very evident during our last trip through Europe, where we quickly realized that being organized and well planned out was the only way to ensure we had a bed to sleep in or a seat to sit in when we needed one most.

Crafting a perfect itinerary means striking a perfect balance between rigidity and flexibility – most of us don’t want to get to the point where each and every minute of every day is accounted for (although this may work perfectly for a select few), but we also want to know where we are sleeping before nightfall begins to creep in. While this balance of planning vs staying aloof is different for everyone, with a little trial and error you can figure out what works best for you.

It is for this reason that we’re focusing on travel planning in this series. For us, planning is one of the most enjoyable (and sometimes frustrating) aspects of travel. Sorting out where to go, how to get there, where to stay while we’re there, and what to do is a lot of work – but it also lets us fantasize about the trip before it even begins – sometimes the only way to stay sane between trips. Hopefully everyone will find a suggestion or new idea that will help with their next trip.

If there’s anything you want to know about or you have any questions for us, let us know in the comments or contact us via email or our social networks!

The post How to Plan the Perfect Itinerary: A Series appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

Growing up in North America, the road trip is a quintessential part of our travel arsenal. With thousands of kilometers of highways stretching from the Pacific to the Atlantic, travel in Canada and the United States is car-dependent, and we wouldn’t want it any other way. However when it came time for our first international road, three days through the rugged terrain of Iceland, we quickly realized that this trip would be different than any we’d taken before. With this in mind, here are our road trip essentials with an Icelandic twist. 

A lengthy playlist – music is an essential part of any successful road trip. No matter how much your travel companions want to talk, you will inevitably hit a wall. When the time comes and you find yourself staring out the window in silence, crank up some awesome music to quell the awkwardness.

With Iceland in mind, remember that rental cars often don’t come with auxiliary inputs, making your fully loaded iPod useless. Bring along as many CD’s as possible – listening to the same one over and over gets boring really fast. Trust us.

A stash of snacks – while a large part of a road trip is about getting out and exploring, it’s also about getting from point A to B at some point, and a stash of snack foods will ensure you don’t need to make any unnecessary stops. For us, a Tim Horton’s Iced Capp is the most important snack for a Canadian road trip, but the options really are endless.

With Iceland in mind, it’s important to note that the number of convenience stores and fully stocked gas stations pale in comparison to those back home and finding food on the road can be extremely difficult. Stock up on some sustenance providing foods in addition to snack foods and don’t expect to find your favorite American snack stocked on the grocery store shelves here. For its silky texture and filling levels of protein Skyr yogurt get’s our recommendation – just remember to pack a spoon.

A Camera (with extra memory cards) – to document all the beautiful, breath taking, and sometimes strange things you’re bound to come across, a camera is a must-pack item for any road trip.

With Iceland in mind, the scenery is unlike anything you have ever seen before or will ever see again. Pack extra memory cards for the thousands of pictures you’re going to take, but don’t forget to peel your eye away from the camera every now and then to soak in the moment as well. Pictures really can’t compete with the real thing.

Extra clothing – you never know when your road trip might hit an unexpected bump, leaving you stranded over night or sleeping in your car when all the hotels are booked up. An extra pair of clothing, warm blanket, and an emergency kit will keep you safe and should never be overlooked.

With Iceland in mind, ensure that the car is in safe condition before driving it off the rental lot and remember to pack an extra layer of clothes and some food even for short day trips. As the weather in Iceland is the definition of unpredictable, these extra clothes will also come in handy should you find yourself outside when the rain rolls in (or when a misjudged wave soaks the bottom of your jeans).

A laidback attitude – even the best planners need to take a breath and relax during a road trip, part of the fun of this type of travel is the element of surprise at what you may discover by taking a wrong turn or making an impromptu stop. Sit back, relax, and try saying yes more often than no.

With Iceland in mind, with only a few short days to see as much as possible, getting lost or wasting precious time looking for a gas station that will accept your international credit card can be stressful. However it’s part of the process and the quicker you accept that the more enjoyable the trip will be.

This post was inspired by RelayRides‘ Road Trip Essentials Campaign. What’s “Relay Rides” you ask? Well, Relay Rides is a peer-to-peer car sharing network that allows travelers in need of a car to get one from someone with a car to spare. That means you can get a car for way less than your standard rental, and you can even get paid if you have a spare car or one you don’t use all the time. You can even pick one up at most major American airports to avoid those exorbitant airport parking fees! Relay Rides is coast to coast in the USA right now and (hopefully) coming to Canada soon. You can check them out on Facebook or Twitter to if you have any questions. As always, all opinions expressed are our own.

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Looking back at Pier Head from Albert Dock

In addition to having to live up to the expectations of cities past, Liverpool also has a reputation to maintain as a city of music, football, and culture. It’s exactly this triple-threat that attracts over 4.6 million tourists to the city each year – each one jonesing for a stroll down Matthew Street and a visit to the infamous Cavern Club, known for hosting a pre-Beatlemania John, Paul, George, and Ringo, as well as other distinguished acts including The Hollies, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Elton John, Queen, and the Who.

The iconic Cavern Club

Although the role Liverpool played in creating The Beatles should be reserved for debate by fans more hardcore than we, it’s difficult to claim that any present day city has bound itself to the Fab Four more so than present day Liverpool. Their likenesses are plastered all over the town – statues, posters, memorabilia of every kind. It’s impossible to go anywhere in downtown Liverpool without seeing those famous mop-heads.

A sculpture of John Lennon leans against the red brick walls of the rebuilt Cavern Club

Lennon’s Bar – one of many pubs named in honour of The Beatles

An apartment resembling a Yellow Submarine sits in the Pier Head neighbourhood awaiting its next Beatle-crazed guest

But Liverpool is much more than just the Beatles. Named a European Capital of Culture 2008, with the famous Pier Head Waterfront being a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004, it is a city of contrasting architectural styles, wonderful culture and museums, and a spectacular waterfront.

Our walk along Liverpool’s iconic Pier Head begins at the Royal Liver Building, easily recognizable by its pair of clock towers topped with matching mythical Liver Bird sculptures. It is said that the bird at the front of the building is female and she looks out over the sea watching for the fishermen to return while the bird at the back of the building is male and he looks out over the city centre waiting for the pubs to open. While the story may be amusing, the birds are hard to miss and a must see during any stay in Liverpool.

The Liver Building with matching clock towers and Liver Bird sculptures

Together with the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building, both well known for their ornate decoration both inside and out, they are collectively referred to as the three graces, a grouping of iconic buildings from the late 19th and early 20th century that have transformed the Liverpool waterfront.

Looking at it today, it’s hard to imagine that this section of waterfront was the George’s Dock throughout most of the 1800’s when it served as a roundup area for the city’s busy trans-Atlantic shipping industry. Moorings, docks, and ships have been replaced by open spaces,  modern art, and a couple amazing museums. This drastic change over the past century has largely contributed to the UNESCO World heritage Status of this part of town.

The Pier Head waterfront is a mix of architectural styles, building materials, and layers of Liverpool’s history

The Port of Liverpool Building is known for its ornate details both inside and out

A short walk from Pier’s head takes you past the amazing Museum of Liverpool, where any question you could ever think up is answered) to Albert Dock, probably our favourite place in the city. Another region where drastic restoration and repurposing has taken effect, this is the cultural heart of the city. The brick and iron buildings and warehouses have been transformed into some of the most interesting and innovative museums in all the UK – most notably the Maritime Museum and TATE Liverpool.

Perfectly restored ships line the interior of the dock as part of the Maritime Museum’s displays, fish and chip shops hawk the fresh catch of the day, and people mull around searching for the perfect Beatles trinket – this is the perfect place since the newly constructed Beatles museum is just around the corner.

We spent almost an entire day wandering around the waterfront of Liverpool – it’s just that fantastic. Walking among the old ships, exploring crazy art in TATE, and playing Beatles themed I Spy all contributed to the surprise Liverpool handed us.

A tall ship in the Albert Docks

Albert Dock and the Tate Museum

Liverpool is peppered with these Superlambanana sculptures

Once you’ve had enough walking around and can’t possibly bear another minute in a museum, the perfect place to head is Liverpool One – one of the UK’s premier shopping centres. With hundreds of shops and countless restaurants, this is the perfect place to pick up a bite to eat and a football scarf or jersey before heading to see some live music or a football match.

And that’s exactly what we did. As our tradition dictates, we ended our final night of this trip with a meal at Nando’s – not exactly our typical scene but it’s tradition! With our bellies full, we headed off to a final football match. And that’s where everything went all screwy…but you’ll have to read about that in our next post!!

Looking out onto Pier Head from our hotel room as the rain falls and the sun sets

The post Wrapping Up in Liverpool appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

Londonderry/Derry from the city’s ancient fortifications

A “modified” road sign

Brick row-houses line the streets

It may seem silly to us to fight about a name of a city, but in this case the name of the city represents far more to the people that call Londonderry/Derry home. During the Troubles the name was a shibboleth that acted to associate a speaker with the side of the religious/political divide they fell into.

During this period, the city was the location of some of the most violent clashes anywhere in the British Isles. Undoubtedly the most famous of these was “Bloody Sunday”. On January 20, 1972 in the Bogside neighbourhood of the city, 26 civil rights protesters and bystanders were shot by British Army soldiers – 13 of whom died immediately (one protester also died four months later). Derry was one of the hardest hit cities in terms of violence, and it is a testament to the character and effort of the people that it has recovered so dramatically.

Thankfully, since the end of The Troubles, Londonderry has transformed itself into a city known for its famous city walls, gorgeous riverside location, and colourful old town complete with hundreds of peace murals.

One of the many peace murals in Londonderry/Derry can be spotted on the building in the bottom left corner

A street in the city’s historic centre

The city’s new Peace Bridge

On our first day in the city, we decided to take the highly recommended walking tour of the city walls, and braved the rain to find the meeting point. Apparently we were the only ones stupid enough to take the tour in the absolute pouring rain, but we quickly realized we had made the right choice. Our guide, a native of Derry who had lived through The Troubles, regaled us with both hilarious and horrifying tales of what the city and her people went through for nearly 30 years.

We spent the majority of the tour circling the city on the top of the city’s 17th century walls – the only still intact example on the entire island. These city walls were never breached, and are easily the most prominent feature in the city. They also provide amazing views over the various neighbourhoods of London/derry, the countless murals commemorating the events of the Troubles, and the River Foyle.

A charming open market full of little shops selling handmade goods

Colourful shops and pubs line the street

A shopper braves the rain to pick up some groceries

Although our time in Londonderry/Derry was short, just one full day before moving on to Dublin, and the weather prevented us from spending more than a few hours exploring the city by foot, we really enjoyed what we were able to see and agree that Derry has enough to keep visitors busy for a couple days, more if you enjoy people watching with a hot cuppa and freshly prepared scone. The city also appears to have plenty of charming little shops that we would have loved to explore had our visit not fallen on a Sunday (poor planning on our part).

Hot tea and scones with jam and clotted cream

Logistics: The tour we went on was the Martin McCrossan City Tour. This is perhaps the best value tour we have ever been on, costing just 4 GBP per person – and includes a free tea or coffee at the end of the tour! Tours run 4 times a day every day of the week. Our guide was amazingly knowledgeable about the city, and you could see the pride he had in his city when the tears welled up in his eyes while speaking about how far the city had come. Definitely a must-do if you are there!

The post (London)Derry – What’s in a Name? appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

Our trip to Belfast had been spur-of-the-moment. From Malta we had limited options as to where we could fly for a non-budget-busting price – the UK was pretty much our only choice. To be honest, we had not really planned on visiting Ireland or the UK on this trip, but when a 20 Euro flight to Belfast popped up we booked it immediately.

Belfast is not a city that regularly features on bucket lists – a phenomenon mainly due to lingering images from times past rather than current conditions. To most, the city’s name conjures up images of carbombs, shootings, and other fleeting images of overtly sectarian and political violence. Even a decade or two ago, these occurrences were commonplace, creating a literal warzone, and making Belfast a no-go for tourism.

Murals can be found all over the city commemorating The Troubles

Thankfully, this has all changed in recent years. Belfast is a now a thriving and bustling city committed to shattering these preconceived notions and embracing what makes the city unique – its history. From the Troubles to the Titanic, this is a city long plagued by tragedy. But it is this precise aspect that has laid the fabric for what the city is today, a city where you’re greeted with a smile and a joke every place you go.

Wonderful architecture, a vibrant city center, top-class shopping and dining experiences, and a revitalized waterfront are all contributing to make the city a rising star. As of now, Belfast still feels like a hidden gem and is nicely positioned off the well-worn tourist trail that cross-crosses much of Europe and the British Isles. But with rapid regeneration projects, easy access to the stunning North Atlantic Coast (including the world famous Giant’s Causeway), and easy access via budget airline carriers, Belfast likely won’t stay secret for long.

Graffiti down one of Belfast’s back streets

With a clear void of information regarding Belfast in the travel blogging community, we have decided to provide an outline on how best to spend your time in the city, what aspects we enjoyed, and some must see sites.

Black Cab Tour

For a memorable introduction the history of The Troubles of Belfast and Northern Ireland a Black Cab Tour is a must. Not only will the tour allow you to see parts of Belfast you’ll never find on your own, but each private tour is led by a guide who experienced The Troubles firsthand. Tours take place in real black cabs, a form of transportation which arose out of necessity during the periods of conflict and played an integral role in transporting residents during these turbulent years. We had an immensely rewarding experience on our tour – so much so that we are going to write about it separately.

Numerous Black Cab Tours are available in Belfast, and they all tend to cost around 30 pounds for up to five people. They last approximately 2 hours and each driver tailors their own route and stops – however they are always more than happy to alter the route if there is something specific you want to see.

Our (White) Black Cab

The City Centre

Belfast’s city centre is absolutely teeming with life – a far cry from times past. Beginning with  the spectacular City Hall, you can easily spend hours simply wandering the lively streets that radiate out from Donegall Square to the Cathedral Quarter or the River Lagan. Some fantastic examples of Edwardian and High Victorian Architecture can be found in this part of the city. For a city of it’s size, Belfast has some truly stunning buildings and the architecture here is extremely different from anywhere else in the region.

The stunning City Hall

If you’re in Belfast on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday and looking for something different, you can head down to St. George’s Market. Built in the late 19th century, the market was recently voted the best in the UK and is one of the finest architectural jewels in the city.

Belfast City Hall is free to enter, and they even offer guided tours. This is also where you can find the main bus/train station, tourist office, shared taxi ranks, and many local buses.

The city has some lovely pedestrian streets

A black cab sits in front of the famous Bittles Bar

Victoria Square Shopping Centre

As you explore the main downtown arteries, keep an eye out for Victoria Square, a sparkling new shopping complex right in the heart of the city centre. While the shopping here appears to be quite good, the real reason for visiting this modern complex is the stunning views from the glass domed roof on top of the building. Closely resembling the glass dome at the Reichstag in Berlin, on a clear day it’s possible to see the Albert Memorial Clock, City Hall, the Courts of Justice, numerous church spires, and even across to the Titanic Quarter.

Victoria Square is open every day and has nearly every shop you can imagine. There are also tons of food options and a cinema. Access to the viewing dome is FREE, and there also appears to be an attendant that can help answer questions, point out specific landmarks, or snap a photo of you – they even offer guided tours! 

The view from the glass dome with the Albert Memorial Clock in the foreground

Cathedral Quarter

After you’ve got your fill of sight-seeing and shopping, the best place to get some good food and drink (or “good craic” as the locals would put it) is the Cathedral Quarter. The neighbourhood, which radiates out from St. Anne’s Cathedral, has been revitalized over recent years and now reigns as the cultural and gastronomical heart of the city. Almost all of the best pubs and restaurants in the city can be found here – many offering live music and good value meals.

Meals at a reasonably priced restaurant in Belfast will normally set you back a good 10-15 pounds or more at dinnertime. The secret to eating out in Belfast is to take advantage of the amazing lunch Specials that can be found in nearly every restaurant – many of which offer BYOB to keep costs down ever more. We usually ate at a restaurant for lunch and then had a takeaway (4-8 pounds) for dinner.

St. Anne’s Cathedral

Titanic Quarter

One of the most interesting ways to spend part of a day in Belfast is to explore the Titanic Quarter. “She was alright when she left here” reads the sign that greets you as you make your way into the very place where the RMS Titanic and her sister ships were built and launched. The River Lagan separates the rest of the city centre from this district, which was once occupied by the Harland and Wolff Shipyard. Nowadays, the Titanic Quarter is one of the biggest regions of redevelopment in all of Europe – the brand new Titanic Exhibit sparkles in the sunlight, the SS Nomadic and HMS Caroline sit in dry dock, the monstrous yellow gantry cranes Samson and Goliath tower above, and modern new condos and shops give the district a vibrant feel.

The sparkling new Titanic Belfast exhibit

Samson and Goliath tower above all else

The real star of the show in the Titanic Quarter is undoubtedly the brand new Titanic Belfast museum. This futuristic building, built to the same height as the Titanic and (supposedly) in the shape of an iceberg, houses exhibits chronicling the construction and fate of the most famous ship in the world. Even if you don’t want to pay the enter the exhibit (which is pretty pricey in our opinion at 14.75 pounds), you can still admire the building both inside and outside or take a peek at the gift shop.

The easiest way to get to the Titanic Quarter is over the pedestrian bridge that crosses the River Lagan. More info on Titanic Belfast and the other things to do in the area can be found on their website.

One of the many harbours along the River Lagan

The restored Titanic Drawing offices where the ships were designed

A City Break

For those with an extra day in Belfast, you will definitely want to take a daytrip to the Giant’s Causeway – Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage Site. Whether done by car or by tour, the drive along the North Atlantic Coast is one of the most breathtaking we’ve ever seen and is definitely a must see! We will be writing a post about our trip here so stay tuned.

A couple tour companies offer tours to the Giant’s Causeway (plus a number of other interesting stops along the way). They are priced around 20 pounds and take a full day. They include entry to the site at the Causeway and are pretty good value.

The “Big Fish” along the River Lagan

We thoroughly and unexpectedly enjoyed our time in Belfast. In many ways the city reminded us of our time in Sarajevo – another city ripped apart by politics and religion. In similar fashion, the incredibly resilient people that call this city home seem to be healing the wounds that were torn open so recently, and attempting to move forward. Currently 48 walls separating Protestant and Catholic communities still exist and many roads connecting these communities are still gated at night, but it felt to us like the “real walls” are starting to come down. Hopefully forever.

Logistics: The entire city centre can be explored very easily on foot. If it’s raining, you don’t feel like walking, or you are staying outside the centre, Belfast had a very efficient bus system (just tell the driver where you’re going and he’ll tell you how much the fare is). Alternatively, many shared taxis (black cabs) drive the main routes and will stop if you flag them down. Just knock on the glass when you need to get out and then pay (1.30 when we were there) through the passenger side window. This service helped people get around during the troubles (when buses were to dangerous to use) and continue to operate to this day – definitely a unique Belfast experience! If you need to store luggage, the Belfast Welcome Centre can do this for you for 4 pounds. It’s also a great place to get maps, info on tours, souvenirs, etc.

The post Belfast Visitor’s Guide – What to See and Do appeared first on Have Blog Will Travel.

The ferry between Malta and Gozo

Unfortunately the day we chose for our daytrip to Gozo was gloomy and cold, a striking contrast to the brilliant balmy temperatures of the three days previous. With the poor weather overhead and fatigue setting in we decided to try something new and jump aboard a hop-on, hop-off bus to tour the island – an abrupt departure from our usual travel style.

Xewkija Rotunda Church dominates the skyline of Gozo

Prior to Gozo, I didn’t really get bus tours – hop on/off tours in particular. It seems that every city we’ve visited, large or small, has been overtaken by the obnoxious red double-decker buses, filled with people awkwardly straining to snap photographs or looking completely bored. Worse still, these stupid buses always seem to find a way into my photographs, usually smack dab in front of the site or monument I’m trying to capture. With these thoughts in mind, I had my trepidations about hopping aboard something I had developed such a distaste for.

So why did we even entertain the idea?

As it turns out, we are always up for a new experience, and after looking up the Gozo bus schedule (it was a Sunday, which meant reduced winter frequencies) we decided the hop on/off bus would be a great way to save time, and would ultimately be an easier transportation system for our overworked brains to sort out. However what sealed the deal was the reduced off-season price we were offered which worked out to half of the regular rate. We knew we wouldn’t find a better chance to try the hop on/off system.

The National Shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Ta’Pinu – a Maltese pilgrimage site

For such a small island, only 67 square kilometers, Gozo still has a long list of sites to take in, including one of the oldest temples in the entire world – even older than the Pyramids or Stonehenge. In the summertime, Gozo is a popular daytrip destination for people visiting or living in Malta, in the off-season it’s much quieter, and on a Sunday in January it’s basically a ghost-town. This suited us just fine!

Our first stop of the day was the capital city of Victoria – also called Rabat – which can be somewhat confusing as Rabat is also the name of the former capital city of mainland Malta. For a capital, the city is quite small with little to see aside from the enormous Citadella and Cathedral of Assumption. The Citadella is more like a fortified town, and offers amazing views over the city and much of the island. After exploring the walls and alleyways of the Citadella (mass was currently underway inside) it was time to hop back aboard the bus – and just in time too as the rain picked up.

The view over Rabat (Victoria) from the Citadella

After Victoria, we made our way to the Azure Window, a spectacular naturally occurring rock formation that has been used in filming the HBO series Game of Thrones. This amazing natural arch set in Dwerja Bay measures nearly 75 feet tall and is absolutely breathtaking. However, each year it disintegrates more and more, and it will one day collapse – so get there to see it soon! Despite its popularity, the “window” is not the only attraction in the area – the nearby inland sea and blue hole are popular diving sites – it is pretty impressive and would likely only be more so on a sunny day. Travis also had fun examining and taking photos of a rare medicinal plant that only grows on the nearby “fungus rock”. It was said that the Knights Hospitaller guarded this plant so fiercely that anyone caught stealing it was subject to execution!

The world famous Azure Window

Dwerja Bay and the Fungus Rock

Before wrapping up our tour of Gozo we made one final stop and stepped back in time at the UNESCO Heritage site of Ggantija. Officially referred to as a Neolithic Megalithic temple complex, Ggantija’s temples date back to 3600-2500BC and are the earliest of a series of megalithic temples in Malta; At more than 5,500 years old, they are not only older than the pyramids of Egypt but also currently the world’s second oldest man-made religious structures (after  Gobekli Tepe in Turkey).

Ggantija’s 20 foot high outer walls – built more than 5500 years ago!

Although some of the temple complex has collapsed, a large part of it still remains intact, and it is mind boggling to think of these huge stones being pushed, pulled, and forced into place. The side-by-side temples forma clover shape, and at their highest the temples measure in at nearly 20 feet. Even more impressive might be the large perfectly circular holes that were cut through four of the large stone slabs to hold wooden beams. By hand. Over 5,000 years ago.

The structure is strengthened by scaffolding as they determine the best way to stabilize the temples

My personal favorite part of exploring Ggantija was trying to make out the graffiti names and initials carved into the stones. Apparently, during the 1800’s it was “hip” and “cool” for tourists (yes, there were tourists here in the 1800s) to leave their mark at the sites they visited, in this case by carving into the ancient stones. Although no one would ever consider doing something so damaging today, it’s actually pretty interesting today to be able to see this historical record of early visitors to the site.

“Graffiti” from the first tourists

After packing a lot of sightseeing into one day, we were ready to board the ferry back to Malta. Tired and worn out, we were also really impressed with the quality of attractions on offer in Gozo. For my money, a trip to Malta isn’t complete without a visit to Gozo. At the very least it will offer a change of pace from the big island.

The Gozitan countryside is stunning

Churches, shrines, and religious statues dominate every corner of the island

Logistics:  You can reach the Malta ferry terminal (Cirkewwa) via bus 41/42 from Valletta or bus 222 from Sliema. The ferry costs 4.65 Euro return (which you pay before getting on your return trip in Gozo). A day pass on the public bus in Gozo costs 2.60 Euro. The sightseeing bus we took cost us 15 Euro total (this is half the price that it normally goes for – due in part to our humming and hawing and in part to it being a gloomy day with about 15 independent tourists on our entire ferry!).

One of the best features of the hop on/off buses is their open-air, double-decker design which allows visitors a unique perspective of the surrounding city. Ironically, due to the poor weather during our visit to Gozo, this was one feature we weren’t able to take full advantage of. However, being stubborn to the core, we braved the elements atop the bus whenever possible and faked enjoyment while raindrops pelted our faces. While I’m still not completely sold on hop on/off tours, for difficult to navigate cities or those with poor public transit it may serve a purpose. However there are definitely better, more in-depth, and cheaper ways to explore a destination. 

Have you ever gone on one of these tours? Did you like it? Hate it? Let us know about times you did something out of character on your travels in the comments!

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