Underrated Places in Europe that You Need to Visit

Hey Owlets,

A few weeks ago I asked on Twitter what you thought were the most over-rated places in Europe, and that tweet blew up to the point that I couldn’t reply to everyone because I got blocked for sending too many tweets! Having been quite harsh to a few places that you really didn’t agree with in my last article, I thought it was only fair to be a little more positive and also give the most underrated places a mention. These are the places where you stand in your idyllic surroundings and think “why aren’t there more people here?” and the answer is most likely that they’re not heard of it yet - as much as I would like to keep them to myself and continue to enjoy these beautiful places in peace I think it’s only fair to share them with you. 

Is Instagram Ruining Travel?

Hey Owlets,

One of the things I’ve heard being complained about more and more in the media recently is “Instagram tourism” and to be honest it’s starting to annoy me. In case you don’t know what that is it’s when people choose to visit places specifically because they’re pretty, photogenic or unique either with the intension of sharing it on social media, or because they saw someone else share it on social media  and wanted to see it for themselves - basically if it’s travel related and it goes viral then it’s probably going to be the subject of an Instagram tourism rant at some point. Being that my job is to show you interesting and unique places to visit, I’m getting a little fed up of every major news outlet shouting that Instagram is ruining tourism. Instead, here’s my take on Instagram from an Instagram tourist’s point of view.

5 Ways to Beat Sea Sickness

Hey Owlets,

Cruise ships are absolutely my favourite type of holiday and in recent years they’ve gained a lot of popularity, but unlike traditional holidays they come with the risk of a very unique illness - sea sickness and you might think “I’ve been on boats before, I’m fine” but I thought that too and I was very wrong, no one is immune. In 2017 I went on my first cruise and by day three I felt drunk (no, I wasn’t), like I had flu (I didn’t), tired, sick and like I had a migraine all at the same time and it was all due to sea sickness. Having said that, I don’t want to put you off if you’ve not yet been on a cruise because it’s hands down the best thing I’ve ever experienced and seasickness can be very easily treated - here’s my tried and tested cures so you can get on with feeling better and enjoying your holiday.

The 3 Most Overrated Places in Europe

Hey Owlets,

When I’m travelling I like to make the most of every second and even if I don’t love where I’ve ended up I’ll still try to find the beauty in it, both for my own pleasure and because I want my blog to be a positive space that encourages you to get out and explore. Having said that, some places just don’t live up to the hype and despite your best attempts to make the most of your time there you can’t help but sit and think “why does everyone love this place?” so today I wanted to depart from my usual content and have a laugh and a chat about some of the places that just didn’t live up to my expectations.

What to Do in Rotterdam

Hey Owlets,

I think I might have found a new favourite cruise ship port - something to finally over take Lisbon! Ever since Amsterdam introduced a tax on cruise ship passengers cruise lines have been looking for nearby alternatives - enter Rotterdam. Just over an hour from Amsterdam it's the perfect port for cruise lines to offer something for everyone - there's plenty of excursions offering to show you around the famous city, but for those who don't want to spend two hours on a coach then Rotterdam is an incredible city itself, full of history, unique architecture and plenty of attractions to visit during your stay. When I visited I actually ran out of time because there was so much to do so here's my list of everything you need to see while you're in the city, whether you're there for a day on a cruise ship or you've booked a weekend away.

Review: Radisson Blu, Birmingham

Ad - post created in collaboration with Radisson Blu

Hey Owlets,

One of the little things I love about travelling is getting to stay in so many places, see how each brand has chosen to design their hotels and getting to wake up in a different environment - but I have to admit I do love a bit of luxury. Last week Radisson Blu invited me to explore Birmingham with them before the launch of their new breakfast, so of course I had to give you a sneak peak while I was there! 

My Thoughts on RyanAir

If you're asked to think of a travel brand that everyone hates, I'm pretty sure RyanAir will be the first to come to mind. RyanAir is the airline that everyone loves to hate - be that complaints about strikes, baggage, rude staff, delays or cancelled flights - you can pretty much guarantee you're going to see them making headlines for the wrong reasons. 

Having never flown before I tried everything to book with a different airline; I was nervous enough about flying without it being on one of the UK's most hated airlines. Unfortunately RyanAir's cheap flights tempted me just like they do most people so I gritted my teeth, booked my ticket to Romania and prepared myself for three hours of hell on board the dreaded blue and yellow planes - what I experienced instead has left me a little confused.

Why You Need to Visit Timișoara, Romania

Content created from a press trip

Hey Owlets,

Timișoara has been announced as the European Capital for Culture in 2021. If you're like me your first thought was "where on Earth is that?!" closely followed by "why?" - I know when I saw the itinerary for my Romania trip both of those questions popped into my head in pretty fast succession. By the time we arrived I still had no idea what to expect, but Timișoara quickly became my favourite place of our entire road trip across Romania - here's why it should be at the top of your bucket list too.