Alqueva Lake & the Algarve

Aaaand we're going on another boat trip. This time on Alqueva Lake, the largest artificial lake in Europe. We're finishing it off with a few days in the Algarve (which is where we had our first holiday together, ahhhh). 

London - Lisbon
1 night

Hotel
TRYP Hotels

Lisbon - Almieira Marina
5 nights on Alqueva Lake

Hotel
Houseboat - Nicols Duo

Almieira Marina - Tavira
5 nights in the Algarve

Hotel
Fazenda Nova

Birthday Trip to Alsace

As far as I'm concerned , you're never too old for a birthday trip with you parents. WT is on business this year over my birthday (how rude!) so I'm off to Alsace for three days with M and D. (And, yes, we will be wearing matching shirts.)

London - Stuttgart - Strasbourg
1 night

Restaurant
Le Gavroche

Hotel
Du cote de chez Anne

Sights & Activities
Petite-France
Cathedrale Notre Dame de Strasbourg
Boat Trip

Strasbourg - Colmar 
(La Route des Vins)
1 night

Restaurant
JYS

Hotel
Villa Elyane

Sights & Activities
Obernai
Chateau du Haut Koenigsbourg
Ribeauville
Riquewihr

Colmar - Stuttgart - London

Sights & Activities
La Petite Venise
Musee Unterlinden
Eglise des Dominicains

Route 66: The Mother Road

I bloody love road trips. There's something so liberating about jumping in the car and driving. So today I find myself planning yet another one. This time along arguably the most famous roads in the US: Route 66. Eight states, three time zones, 18 days. The stuff of dreams.

Day 1: Chicago

Hotel

The Langham Chicago

Sights & Activities

Millennium Park & Buckingham Fountain

Michigan Avenue Bridge

The Magnificent Mile

Navy Pier

Hancock Observatory

Oak Street Beach

The Gold Coast

Day 2: Chicago to St Louis

Hotel

Moonrise Hotel

Sights & Activities

Ambler's Texaco Gas Station (Dwight)
Standard Oil Gas Station (Odell)

World's Largest Catsup Bottle (Collinsville)

Chain of Rocks Bridge (Madison)

Day 3: Six Flags St Louis

Hotel

Comfort Inn

Day 4: St Louis to Afton

Hotel

WorldMark Grand Lake

Sights & Activities

Meramec Caves

Day 5: Afton to Oklahoma City

Hotel

Holiday Inn

Sights & Activities

Blue Whale (Catoosa)

Tulsa:

Philbrook or Gilcrease Museum

River Parks

Boston Avenue Methodist Church

Rock Creek Bridge (Sapulpa)

The Arcadia Round Barn

Pops (Arcadia)

Oklahoma City:

National Memorial & Museum

Bricktown

Day 6: Oklahoma City to Shamrock

Hotel

Sleep Inn

Sights & Activities

Rig 114 (Elk City)

Day 7: Shamrock to Amarillo

Hotel

Marriott Courtyard

Sights & Activities

Devil's Rope Museum (McLean)

Groom [the water tower and the steel cross]

Cadillac Ranch

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Day 8: Amarillo to Albuquerque

Hotel

Hotel Andaluz

Sights & Activities

Midpoint Cafe (Adrian)

Blue Hole (Santa Rosa)

Sandia Crest

Albuquerque

Old Town & San Felipe de Neri

Day 9: Albuquerque to Santa Fe

Hotel

The Inn of Five Graces

Sights & Activities

Rio Puerco Bridge

Santa Fe

The Plaza

Canyon Road

Day 10: Santa Fe to Gallup

Hotel

Hampton Inn

Sights & Activities

Acoma Pueblo

Grants to Gallup via Hwy-53

Zuni and Navajo Indian Reservations

El Malapais
Inscription Rock

Day 11: Gallup to Flagstaff

Hotel

England House B&B

Sights & Activities

Painted Desert

Petrified National Park

Wigram Village Motel (Holbrook)

Lunch: Turquoise Room @ La Posada (Winslow)

Meteor Crater

Walnut Canyon National Monument

Day 12: Flagstaff to Grand Canyon

Hotel

El Tovar

Sights & Activities

Sunset Crater
Wupatki National Monument

Grand Canyon (Desert View Watchtower, Grandview Point, Mather Point)

Day 13: Grand Canyon

Hotel

El Tovar

Sights & Activities

Grand Canyon (Hopi Point, Hermit's Rest)

Day 14: Grand Canyon to Lake Havasu City

Hotel

Heat Hotel

Sights & Activities

London Bridge (Lake Havasu City)

Day 15: Lake Havasu City to Barstow

Hotel

Country Inn & Suite

Sights & Activities

Oro Grande (Steel Bridge)

Day 15: Barstow to LA

Hotel

Chateau Marmont

Sights & Activities

San Bernadino
Pasadena

Day 16 - 18: LA

Hotel

Chateau Marmont

Sights & Activities
Hollywood Walk of Fame
Grauman's Chinese Theatre
Movie Stars' Homes Tour
Sunset Boulevard and The Sunset Strip
Santa Monica Pier
Venice Beach's Ocean Front Walk
Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk
Mulholland Drive
Paramount Pictures
Beverly Hills's Rodeo Drive

Greek Island Hopping

So this Summer, we are going island hopping. In Greece. There are so many islands to choose from so we narrowed it down to a handful of islands in The Cyclades. We're also going to spend a couple of days in Athens, as I've never been.

Athens
2 nights

Hotel
Airbnb

Sights

Syntagma Square (changing of the guard, House of Parliament)

National Gardens (Zappeion, Panathenaic Stadium, Hadrian’s Arch & Temple of Olympian Zeus)

Plaka

Acropolis

Lycabettus Hill

Restaurant

Varoulko Seaside (best seafood restaurant in Athens)

Serifos
2 nights

How to get there:
Athens - Serifos
Aegean Speed Lines
Sunday 9th August
dep. 07:05, arr. 09:25
144 EUR

Hotel
Studios Amfitriti

Sights & Beaches
Livadi - the port and tourist centre
Hora - the capital
Ganema - beautiful, uncrowded beach 
Psili Ammos - considered the best beach on the island
Agios Sostis - sandy beach with church at edge of cliff
Lia - golden beach, surrounded by amazing scenery

Sifnos
3 nights

How to get there:
Serifos - Sifnos
Aegean Speed Lines
Tuesday 11th August
dep. 09:35, arr. 10:00
45 EUR

Hotel
Edem Hotel

Sights & Beaches
Kamares - the port & biggest coastal village, also has a blue flag beach
Kastro - walled cliff-top village
Panagia Chrissopigi - church built on a small island rock
Vathi - one of the best beaches on the island
Platis Gialos - most popular beach (blue flag)
Faros - fishing village with a few beaches

Cheronissos - northernmost beach on the island

Kimolos
2 nights

How to get there:
Sifnos - Milos
Aegean Speed Lines
Friday 14th August
dep. 10:10, arr. 11:05
53 EUR

Milos - Kimolos
Panagia Faneromeni

Friday 14th August

dep. 12:30, arr. 13:00

12.50 EUR


Hotel
Echinousa

Sights & Beaches
Prassa - like a Caribbean beach!
Aliki, Bonatsa & Kalamitsi - beaches on the southern side of the island

Milos
2 nights

How to get there:

Kimolos - Milos
Panagia Faneromeni

Sunday 16th August

dep. 10:30, arr. 11:00

12.50 EUR

Hotel

Tania Rooms

Sights & Beaches

Kleftiko - famous cove
Tsigrado - ladder beach

Athens
1 night

How to get there:
Milos - Athens
Aegean Speed Lines
Tuesday 18th August
dep. 11:25, arr. 15:30
170 EUR

Hotel
AVA Hotel

Restaurants

Strofi (view of the Acropolis)