10 BEST PIECES OF LIFE ADVICE FOR YOUR TWENTIES.
Monday 26 August 2024
1. Say yes to things.
2. Always have some money to fall back on.
3. Audit your life and friendships now and again.
4. It's ok to change your mind about what you want to do with your life.
5. Stop thinking you're never going to find anyone.
6. Look after yourself.
7. Think of how you'd like to be remembered.
8. Don't be afraid to put yourself out there.
9. Don't compare your journey to others.
10. Stop thinking 'you have time'
I'll end this post in a similar way to my last one, remember that you're never going to look back on your twenties and think "I wish I would have had less fun" So make good choices, take risks, meet new people and don't stress about the small things!
A WEEK IN THE BALTIC CAPITALS OF LITHUANIA, LATVIA AND ESTONIA.
Thursday 25 July 2024
VILNIUS, LITHUANIA
- St Anne's Church
- Bernadine Gardens
- Church St Casimir
- Halle Market
RIGA, LATVIA
- House of the Blackheads (pictured below)
- St Peter's Church
- Livu Laukums Square - we sat here for a drink in the afternoon and tried the local liquor 'Black Basalm'
- Powder Tower
- The Three Brothers
- Bastion Park, Freedom Monument & Opera House: you can either walk 15-20 minutes out of the Old Town or grab an Uber to this area. In Bastion Park you can also take a cruise around the canal and it's quite picturesque.
- Corner House Museum: this used to be an ex-KGB building in the city during the Soviet era. Here you'll be able to read about the shocking acts during the period Latvia belonged to the USSR, including forced migrations to Siberia, torture and espionage.
- Art Noveau District: this area is perfect for your Instagram feed as the buildings are so beautiful! There is also a museum you can visit.
- Central Market: Riga Central Market has an outdoor area and then 5 different 'warehouses' each dedicated to something different (fish, meat, dairy etc). It's worth seeing and you can sit and eat in some of them, but I'd avoid the fish one if you're sensitive to smells!
TALLIN, ESTONIA
- Tallinn Town Hall
- Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
- St Olaf's Church
- Viru Gate
- Kohtuotsa viewing platform (photo below)
- A day trip to Lahemaa National Park: Just an hour away from Tallinn, you'll find this National Park which is also home to the Jagala Waterfall. If you take a tour, you'll also get to explore an old fishing village, the seaside and walk along a forest trail.
- Visit the Eesti Museum: This is an interactive maritime museum, and you'll even find a pre-WW2 submarine hare and flight sumulators. Cost to enter the museum is 20 euros at the time of this article.
- KGB museum: if you didn't get round to visiting in the other two cities or simply fancy learning more about this time in history, then you can visit one of the two KGB sites in Tallinn.
MY FIRST HYDRAFACIAL AT INFINITY AESTHETICS
Tuesday 9 July 2024
So how does the HydraFacial work?
HOW TO SPEND TWO WEEKS IN COLOMBIA.
Thursday 6 June 2024
Colombia is a country which has definitely gained popularity in the last decade. What was once a country associated with drugs and violence, is now the perfect holiday destination if you love food, dancing, hikes and beautiful beaches. If you're wanting to visit Colombia for the first time but don't know where to start, this is how I recommend spending 2 weeks there.
Bogota
Bogota is a place you're either going to love or hate. Like any capital city, you’re going to find that the place is overcrowded and noisy but it is also where you're going to find the cheapest food and accommodation. I recommend spending 2 days in Bogota and staying in the Chapinero or Zona Rosa areas. My top recommendations for visiting Bogota are:
Take a food tour in La Candelaria district. Here you’ll try an array of local dishes including ceviche, ajiaco and tamales.
Visit the ‘Museo de Oro’ where you’ll find over 34,000 gold artifacts. The museum is also free to enter on Sundays.
Take the cable car to Monserrate for the best views from above of Bogota, as you’ll travel over 3000m above sea level.
Try traditional food in La Puerta Falsa, which has been in Bogota for over 200 years.
Walk through La Plaza de Bolivar, where you’ll also find a cathedral and the parliament building.
Salento
After spending a busy two days in Bogota, you’ll want to fly to Pereira. From here you’ll need to take a 1 hour taxi to Salento (I recommend booking a transfer online) which should cost you £50 per car. The Disney movie Encanto was actually based off this Colombian town, and you’ll instantly notice the similarities when you see all the colourful houses and shops as you walk through. Salento is a small place, but I recommend two days here so you’ll be able to relax and fit in the following:
Start your day with a guided tour through the Cocora Valley, home to the largest palm trees in the world which can grow up to 60m tall.
In the afternoon, visit the Ocasa coffee farm to learn about the production of coffee in Colombia and sample some too. You’ll need to take a jeep from the main square to get to the valley.
Try a typical ‘Bandeja Paisa’ made up of rice, beans, plantain, avocado, sausage and chicken. We ate at Donde Laurita and it was delicious!
Walk through the Calle Real, you’ll find lots of jewellery shops and cafes through here.
Sit in the Plaza De Bolivar Salento for a drink and enjoy the live music and dances that are usually going on in the evening.
Medellin
If you’re looking to party in Colombia, then Medellin is where you’ll want to go out. There are two main nightlite areas in Medellin, Parque LLeras and Provenza, the latter is the ‘classier’ area where you’ll find locals and tourists and notable clubs like Perro Negro. Parque Lleras is a tourist trap where you’ll pay £18 for a G&T and the clubs tend to be seedier. 3 days in Medellin is perfect, and I recommend staying in Laureles or El Poblado. In Medellin:
Take a guided tour to Comuna 13. What was once one of the most dangerous places in Medellin, is now a cultural hub where tourists come to see the graffiti, music and dancing that fills the area.
An hour away you’ll find Guatape and El Peñol, which is essentially a massive rock that you can climb via 740 steps to get great views of the lakes that surround it.
Walk through Plaza Botero, where you’ll find over 20 sculptures designed by Colombian artist Fernando Botero.
If you want to try something unique, try an Amazonian tasting menu at La Chagra. You’ll need to have an open mind for this as some of the dishes contain ants!
Cartagena
My favourite thing about Cartagena was the contrast between the skyscrapers in Bocagrande, and the colonial architecture in the Old Town and Getsmani district. This is a city where you’ll mainly be walking around and relaxing on beaches or the nearby islands, and you’ll want to because it gets very hot and humid here. 3 days is plenty of time here and I recommend staying in the Bocagrande area or within the City Walls. In Cartagena:
Walk around the Getsmani district and get a photo with the Palenqueras (you’ll be expected to tip them)
Take a sunset cruise with an open bar or alternatively head to the rooftop bar of the Movich Hotel for the best sunset view.
Visit one of the beach clubs in Isla Grande, you can get here from the port and the ferry takes 1 hour. Bora Bora Beach Club is where most people go as it’s more of a party vibe, but if you want something relaxing and with anopen bar I recommend Luxury Island.
In terms of nightlife, XO rooftop is great and you’ll find typical reggaeton music here. If you’re into your cocktails, Alquimico was actually rated in the ‘World’s 50 Best Bars’ and the vibes are great too.
Isla Baru
To end your trip, I recommend unwinding in the all-inclusive private resort Isla De Encanto. Only a 1 hour boat ride from Cartagena, this resort in Baru has its own private beach, a swim up bar in the pool and breakfast, lunch and dinner provided. The staff was so friendly and it was a great way to relax and end our trip.
You can go snorkling, hire kayaks and hop to other islands from here too.
Where to stay in Isla Baru: Isla De Encanto
A REVIEW OF BERLOOK SWIMWEAR, MY SUMMER PICKS.
Sunday 21 April 2024
The warmer weather usually means new summer clothes and new bikinis, and I loved the ones that Berlook had to offer. If you're looking for swimwear that is sustainably made, comfortable and flattering, then keep reading to see my summer picks and my honest review on them.
The first bikini I chose was this white ruched styled one, which comes with a nude lining inside meaning that it's not see-through and you can confidently swim in it. This bikini is made from recycled nylon and it's super comfy. This bikini looks super timeless and luckily I had a bit of a tan from my Colombia trip to compliment the bikini!
The back of the bikini comes with two straps that you can't adjust, so make sure you read the size guide properly. You can find the links to the white bikini below:
White ruched floral cutout bikini top (M)
White o-ring high cut bikini bottom (M)
If you're looking for some timeless, sustainably made swimwear then I 100% recommend Berlook. The bikinis are comfortable, made from good material that doesn't go see-through when wet and the styles come in so many different colours. If you are interested, you can get a 20% discount on your order using my code 'gianas20'
5 DIFFERENT HONEYMOON DESTINATIONS FOR 2024.
Monday 11 March 2024
I’m at the age now where a lot of my friends and people around me are getting engaged, and one of the most exciting things that comes with that (apart from marrying the love of your life) is the honeymoon! Most people associate honeymoons with the Caribbean or overwater bungalows, but sometimes people don’t have either the budget or time for that or just fancy a different type of holiday. Here are 5 honeymoon destinations for 2024 for any type of couple.
1. Albania
If you want a bit more adventure from your trip, you can hire a car and travel around the country to places like Dhermi, Permet, Berat and of course the capital Tirana. Across the country you can find activities like white-water rafting, beautiful hikes and UNESCO sites. Their national dish is ‘Tave kosi’ which is made up of lamb with rice and yoghurt.
Honeymoon hotel recommendation: Xheko Imperial Hotel & SPA
Best time to visit: April - October
Photo Credit |
2. Caribbean Cruise
Cruise holidays are great if you don't want to do a lot of the planning yourself and want to see a few places in a short space of time. For your honeymoon, I recommend going with Virgin Voyages as they offer ‘adults only’ cruises and have more activities and parties catered for older age groups. More so, you can choose to buy the all-inclusive drinks package to make the most of your trip. Just make sure you purchase this online in advance as it will be cheaper than buying it when you get onboard.
If you have children and want to bring them along on your honeymoon, then a Royal Caribbean Cruise is probably your best bet as there’s activities for everyone, and a creche you can leave your kids at for a few hours should you wish to have some alone time! Your main expense for this holiday will be flying to the US, but the cruise itself is generally cheaper than the voyages from Europe.
Cruise recommendation: Virgin Voyages Valiant Lady
Best time to visit the Caribbean: February - May
3. Seychelles
Seychelles is a group of islands off the coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, and is one of the more unique honeymoon destinations as it offers something exotic and its close proximity to Kenya and Tanzania means you can combine a trip to Seychelles with an African safari in the Serengeti to give you the best of both on your honeymoon.
The archipelago consists of 115 islands, 25% of which consists of private resort islands which means most resorts have their own private beaches. If you’re looking for those famous overwater beach huts, you can rest assured that you’ll definitely find them here. This type of holiday will mainly revolve around sunbathing, snorkeling, exploring the national parks and enjoying some local food such as ‘kat-kat banane’ and lots of coconut curries.
Honeymoon hotel recommendation: Hotel Coral Strand
Best time to visit: April - May, October - November
Photo Credit |
4. Costa Rica
Costa Rica is known for having the world's greatest biodiversity and micro-climates, meaning there is a lot to do and discover. It’s a place that you definitely don’t want to stay in just one place and rather explore the whole country, but even just a week is enough time to explore the best that the country has to offer. I recommend visiting La Fortuna (where you’ll find the Arenal Volcano), San Jose, Tortuguero National Park and Puerto Viejo.
On your trip here, you can try horseback riding, ATV, zip-lining, kayaking, scuba diving and so much more. Not to mention seeing some of the incredible wildlife like sloths, squirrel monkeys and toucans. When it comes to food, you’ll want to try dishes like ‘chifrijo’ (fried pork with red beans) and ‘rondon’ (seafood and coconut stew).
Honeymoon hotel recommendation: Nayara Springs Hotel
Best time to visit: December - April
5. Finland
I couldn’t finish this list without including somewhere for those who prefer the cold weather. If you want somewhere to experience the Aurora Borealis whilst sleeping in a glass-roofed igloo, then you’ll want to stay in Finnish Lapland. Here you can also experience sleigh rides, husky safaris and of course, skiing. You can also complete your honeymoon with a therapeutic hot tub session, with a beautiful backdrop of the snowy mountains.
Honeymoon hotel recommendation: Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort
Best time to visit: December
Photo Credit |