Cannes is a luxurious town in a part of France known not for budget travel but for opulence and elegance. So how do you experience this most famous of French Riviera towns on a budget?

It’s not easy but if you’re willing to be creative and work a little harder than the normal vacationer, it’s entirely possible to experience the luxury of Cannes for less! I spent several days this spring touring the city and I found out there is a way for almost anyone on any budget to enjoy themselves.

If you’ve come to Cannes for the fashion, you’ll want to start on Boulevard de la Croisette. Boutiques like Celine, which represent the very best of French fashion, will inspire and inform you as to what’s currently in style yet other high-end designer stores like Chanel, Hermes and Cartier will make your wallet groan. So, head instead to Sandro or Maje for chic French style at half the price tags found on Boulevard de la Croisette. There are even outlets and less expensive, but still luxurious, boutiques back on Rue d’Antibes, which runs parallel to Boulevard de la Croisette. For affordable, yet luxurious, men’s fashion seek out San Francisco.

Perfume is another draw for many shoppers in Cannes. Instead of buying the latest designer scent at an astronomical price, take a day trip to Grasse which won’t cost more than 12 euros on the train, and make your own customized scent in the same place the high end perfumeries take their inspiration and science from. The personal nature of making your own perfume there is most definitely a luxury that’s still accessible.

Also on Rue d’Antibes in Cannes are wholesale pharmacies where you can stock up on French skincare at prices significantly less than full retail. Sizes are the same, the brands are the same, there’s no sacrifice in luxury – only a less painful impact to your wallet!

It won’t take you long to notice Cannes is filled not just with luxury clothing but with luxury cars as well. If you want to fit in and drive such a car along the palm tree-lined boulevards, consider renting a convertible for just a day or a portion of your trip, instead of the entire length of your holiday. Plan accordingly so you can really show off the car while you do have it, and then spend the rest of your time walking Cannes or utilizing its inexpensive bus system to get around!

If you’re visiting Cannes to experience the great restaurants and culinary culture, there is a way to experience that almost painlessly as well. Most of the best restaurants in Cannes have lunch menus that feature lunch-sized pricing attached to food that is every bit as luxurious as that found in the evening menus, for less. Often lunch is even cooked by the same chefs and features the very same ingredients. For instance, a restaurant that in the evening would cost 80 euros total for just one person could be experienced during the lunch hour for less than 25 euros. Most restaurants feature a prixe fixe menu enabling the consumer to enjoy wine, a starter and a main entrée, all for one set price. Choose to then cook dinner at home in your HouseTrip apartment and you could cut your food expenses in half without sacrificing experience.

The number 200 bus departs regularly from Cannes and can be taken all the way to Monaco for only one euro. While Monaco is even less inclined to be ready for budget travelers than Cannes, a save in the transportation department means you can splurge a little once you do get to the city that is actually a country, made famous by Princess Grace and James Bond.

By renting a HouseTrip apartment and following even a few of these simple tips to experience the luxury of Cannes for less, you should be able to have an affordable dream holiday in one of the French Riviera’s most sought after destinations – even during the film festival!

There is something of the spaghetti Western about the Villas Salobre, Gran Canaria, with its parched landscape and baking, empty streets. But the only thing I’ll be going mano-a-mano with is an over-sized G&T at the clubhouse.

I love the Canary Islands. I never fail to be amazed that it only takes just over four hours from London for the plane to put you down, blinking in a year-round haze of brazen sunshine the like of which you ignorantly thought you had to suffer at least twice that for. Others may look down on them as brash and inauthentic, but I’m with Oscar Wilde when he said ‘Being natural is simply a pose, and the most irritating pose I know.’ I have done the authentic experience with HouseTrip before in Amsterdam and loved every minute of it. But authentic isn’t what Gran Canaria was made for. It’s for sun, sea and surfing your way to the nearest cocktail.

JF Marrero

In Gran Canaria, only the phoney feel the need to call themselves travellers and bother the indigenous people; those who by nature believe in keeping it real have no trouble at all being tourists and frequenting purpose-built resorts. The Salobre – with its two huge golf courses, umpteen swimming pools, and perfect villas with plunge pools – fits this description to a tee-off.

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Only ten minutes in a taxi to Maspalomas promenade and the delightful inauthenticity continues. A girl croons New York, New York on the seafront. We go to a gorgeous Mexican & sushi restaurant. A white man sings the blues at The 19th Hole, a golf-themed bar, restaurant and shop where the waiters wear plus-fours and show you the menu on a tablet. The strange lunar sand dunes of Maspalomas are made of sand blown straight over from the Sahara. The Canaries are a mixed-up, shook-up shlock of the new, and I’ve never had a bad time there. I invariably stay in 5-star hotels and limp off the plane at Gatwick having lost much of my life-blood through over-generous tipping (a better rush than any drug, in my experience) so I was interested as to what the benefits of borrowing someone’s house would be.

It was very, very cheap, comparatively, which until recently I would have only used as a diss – but desperate times call for desperate economies, and when you could go on four of these trips for the price of one week in a 5-star sleep-factory, needs must. Another pleasing aspect was the privacy angle, which if you’re as keen on loud, sweary marital combat and equally vocal making up as I am is much nicer for the neighbours in a detached villa rather than a hotel room. Though I missed being on a beach, a shuttle bus left for a beach club on Maspalomas prom several times a day.

The week passed in a blur of blazing sunshine (while there was springtime snow at home), extreme drinking and aggressive splashing in the various pools and once more I left the Canaries keen to return ASAP. You can keep the authentic pleasures of Tuscany and Provence – I prefer my peasants wielding tequila guns and pirate hats.

So Starbucks take a seat and learn at the knee of the masterful Viennese. You can keep your power bloggers and pundits and Capitol Hill speech writers and anyone else with a notebook and a half-caf-skinny-mocha-choca-frapuccino-kitchen-sink-in-a-styrofoam-cup-with-lid-and-cuff-wholemeal-lo-fat-zero-carb-no-cholestrol-zero-taste-muffin. In Vienna, coffee comes marvellous as standard however it’s served, the cake has songs written about it (nobody’s humming anything about a ‘Fat Free Brownie’) and everyone’s relaxed and at home (most Viennese have favourite Coffeehouses which are just like their second homes really).

‘House Waiters’ are known for their ‘schmäh’: sense of humour and chat. Sitting alone is perfectly acceptable (you don’t even have to accessorise with electronics or a book). Nobody minds if you linger long over your coffee (you could be thinking great thoughts). And don’t be surprised at the glasses of water that appear on your table; in Viennese Coffeehouse tradition you’re a ‘guest’ and the water says you’re welcome to stay as long as you like.

Now you know the basics of what makes Vienna’s Coffeehouses the best in the world, here are a few specifics. Word of warning though: no matter how finely tuned you think you’ve got your local coffee order the Vienna experience is guaranteed to ruin it forever.

Café Central, Herengasse 14

Possibly one of the most famous and illustrious of all the great Viennese Coffeehouses (and that’s going some), Café Central was also the place where Sigmund Freud liked to while away a few hours – no doubt pondering his own and others’ neuroses. With its magnificent and vast ‘column and cloister’ Moorish interior, Art Deco design details and aura of hushed traditionalism Café Central should either be the first Coffeehouse you visit and judge all others by comparison or the last on your list for a perfectly grand finale.

Try ‘Weiner Melange’. In an effort to describe its ethereal delights people call it a cross between a Grand Crème and a Cappuccino – it’s not. It’s milder, creamier and infinitely more delicious.

Café Demel, Kohlmarkt 14

Café Demel is blonde parquet floors, creamy walls, deep cushioned window seats and the type of understated elegance that makes you just want to move in and live here permanently with your staff and quite probably a coach and four. Unsurprisingly this Coffeehouse is where the ladies of the Austrian Aristocracy drank a cup of hot chocolate on the first cold day of every year. A ritual that might have had something to do with  Café Demel being part of K&K Hofzuckerbäcker, possibly one of the most celebrated chocolatiers in the world – just a thought.

Leave time to stand in the middle of the chocolatier, close your eyes and just breathe – forget Freud this is real Viennese therapy.

Café Hawelka, Dorotheergasse 6

If a café could be a love story it would be Café Hawelka. Run by the Hawelka family since it opened in 1939, the very elderly Leopold Hawelka was unabashed when he said, ‘without my wife there would be no Hawelka’. Even though Leopold passed in 2011, this iconic figure has been immortalised in the furnishings, decorum and tall tales inside this, the little coffeehouse that could. Café Hawelka is the polar opposite of the Demel and the Central: earthy, bohemian, lively and open unusually late (till 2am every day except Tuesday). Café Hawelka is where to see Vienna’s literati and creative types.

Go later in the evening for Hawelka’s famous Buchteln (deliciously yeasty sweet buns) – good with coffee, great with beer.

Café Prückel, Stubenring 24

Café Prückel is a mere child by Viennese Coffeehouse standards but its immaculate 1950’s interior is as charming as the Rococo or Art Nouveau drama of its more traditional elders. Join the very mixed crowd for the café’s regular book readings, exhibitions and live piano sessions as well as all the usual Coffeehouse deliciousness.

Café Prückel is directly opposite the Museum of Fine Arts (MAK) on Vienna’s famous Ringstrasse.

Café Sacher, Philharmonikerstrasse 4

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Only one of the most famous of all the famous Coffeehouses and definitely one of the most glamorous, Café Sacher is part of the Sacher Hotel and home, of course, to the Sacher Torte. Widely considered to be the first chocolate cake, Sacher Torte is much copied the world over but never, ever comes close to the sinfully good confection created on home ground.

You have to taste the torte but it goes best with a summer afternoon on the Café Sacher’s delightful open air terrace.

Café Schwarzenberg, Kärtner Ring 17

The first café to open on Ringstrasse Boulevard, Café Schwarzenberg is opulent, whispery rich and incomparably chic. Whatever you do don’t worry about how you look, the Viennese in haute café mode are effortlessly elegant and there’s no point in competing. But should you feel like slipping into something slightly smart Café Schwarzenberg hosts regular concerts to go with your coffee and cake.

Try the famous and dangerously decadent Café Schwarzenberg Trüffeltorte – ask for two forks and share.

Grand, decadent, artistic, elegant, understated or chocolaty, choose your Viennese Coffeehouse with care. Pay attention to the details. And don’t forget to turn your laptop off – in Vienna if you’re not deep in conversation or deep in thought you’re just not Coffeehouse material.

The tumultuous and roiling Atlantic means that Cornwall has some of the best surf spots in Europe, so even if you aren’t much of a surf-dancer, Cornwall is a great spot to chill and soak up the laid-back surfer lifestyle.

Have a fantastic weekend whatever you do.

Kfein

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Featured image by teosartori.

And there are many good reasons why; the small island with long, sunny summers and white sand beaches has more family fun potential per square mile than most entire islands. Read on for just the tip of the sand castle of what you and your family can do on the island of Majorca.

Palma de Mallorca

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The capital city of Majorca island and the surrounding Balearics has a reputation for being a haven for the rich and famous during summer months and along with the paparazzi, this has brought a certain class to this historic city. That’s not to say it’s not family friendly; because it is. From the miniature village museum of Poble Espanyol showcasing Spanish and Balearic architectural history, to the famous Palma Aquarium or the curious museum of antique dolls there is a wide variety of child-friendly activities. Depending on how much of a funny face your kids pull when you mention the word “Cathedral” see if you can head to the city’s cathedral to grab a quick glance at Gaudi’s Chapel and you can reward  (or bribe) your patient kids by then spending the afternoon at the beach which is only a ten minute walk away.

Theme and Adventure Parks 

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Love ‘em or hate ‘em amusement parks are a parent’s best friend on holidays for tiring out children and providing plenty of entertainment in one spot, albeit at a cost. You can afford to be picky in Majorca when it comes to choosing a theme park to suit your little ones. There’s the Amazen Laberintos theme park dedicated to mazes, the Jungle Park at Santa Posna, the upside down house and interactive rides at Katmandu Park in Magaluf and a trio of waterparks in Magaluf, S’Arenal and Port d’Alcudia. That’s not even mentioning the many adventure and nature parks dotted across the island. For something a little different head to the Ostrich Farm in Artestruz where you can get up close to these giant birds and even ride an ostrich if you’re feeling brave enough.

Trains and Trams

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Over on the west side of Majorca is the peaceful countryside town of Sóller, an ideal location for a relaxing family holiday, though for kids the adventure will be getting there if you hop on a train from Palma. Zig-zagging across the island’s mountainous and exotic terrain, children of all ages will be fascinated by this journey in an early 20^th century train, which chugs through a tunnel in the mountains. Once in Sóller make another excursion – this time by tram – to reach the nearby coastal town of Port Sóller where there is a beach with child-friendly shallow waters and beautiful views of the Tramuntana Mountains across the horseshoe bay.

Food, glorious food!

Bill on Capitol Hill

While Majorcan families don’t eat until late at night, most places on the island are used to serving food earlier to small (and big) ones not used to waiting that long for their food. Local foods that you can see growing across Majorca and then enjoy on your plate include olives, almonds, oranges, lemons and wild mushrooms though we of course, recommend letting the professionals do the picking. Pork and fish are often the staples of meals and if you want to indulge hungry children with a local specialty maybe order Sobrassada, a Majorcan sausage, though we anticipate they’ll be more impressed by the sugary sweetness of bunyols, small doughnuts made from a potato batter and dipped in sugar.

And did we mention that summer has already well and truly begun over on the island of Majorca? With over 1000 holiday homes to rent easily and affordably, you should start to think about planning your family break there now.

Featured image by Luis Hernandez

But, much as we like a film set entirely on a circling plane waiting for a convenient ‘crash landing slot’ and featuring air stewards in body-con uniforms lip-synching disco anthems, we can’t deny feeling a little cheated by the notable lack of one essential in this latest Almodovar outing: Pedro, where’s Madrid?

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The director may have been born in La Mancha and his home town, Calzada de Calatrava, is very proud of its famous son, but when it comes to making movies Pedro Almodovar is Madrileño to the core; he doesn’t do adoring, he doesn’t do postcard, he seldom does pretty but his take on Madrid is the city at its louche, sexy, seedy, enchanting and irresistible best.

We’ve no doubt Almodovar will be back filming in Spain’s capital very soon. In the meantime here are a few of his finest Madrid moments for you to enjoy. As the man says, ‘I like the idea of helping people to have fun.’

El Rastro Flea Market, Barrio de Ebajadores

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When 17 year old Pedro Almodovar first arrived in Madrid in 1967 he worked Sundays at El Rastro. 16 years later this huge flea market, one of the oldest and most famous in Europe, featured in the opening sequence of the young director’s first movie ‘Labarinto de Pasiones’ (1982). El Rastro is in the centre of Madrid and open from 9am to 3pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Get there about 10.30 for a browse around the 3500 stalls and shops and you’ll be ready for a tapas lunch in one of the local bars or cafés. Then spend the rest of the afternoon catching up on what you missed in the morning. Good for: young designers selling clothes, bags, shoes, jewellery; rare and collectable books; paintings, drawings and art supplies; and at Calle Mira el Sol, movie memorabilia – of course. Kids furiously trading cards and magazines is a not to be missed moment of young Madrileño passion.

Café del Circulo de Bella Artes, Calla Alcala 42

Victoria Abril and Peter Coyote sit surrounded by ludicrous Belle Epoque opulence, she looks gorgeously sinister and he muses on the ease of murder. The film is Almodovar’s ‘Kika’ (1993) and the opulence is courtesy of Café del Circulo de Bella Artes. As part of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, the Café del Circulo is almost sacred in Madrid (the Academy’s former pupils include Picasso and Dali and the Café has an astonishing art collection spanning five centuries – yes, that Goya on the wall is authentic). This is a superbly decadent place to pay tribute to the lush, overblown, melodramatic darkness of Almodovar and it’s also excellent for breakfast – popular for Sunday lunch so get there early – and there is no shame whatsoever in taking a drink at the bar as early as 10am (you’re on Spanish time in Almodovar’s Madrid remember).

Plaza Mayor, Calle Mayor

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‘La Flor de mi Secreto’ (1995) involved quite a bit of dancing and while we couldn’t find the location for the pas de deux with Marisol Muriel and Joaquin ‘any old excuse to get my shirt off’ Cortés, we can point you to Plaza Mayor right in the centre of Madrid. Here, one of ‘La Flor de mi Secreto’s’ main characters dances alone in the early morning across the vast deserted square surrounded by upright bourgeois architecture. We’re thinking you won’t have Almodovar’s clout with the local council so you’ll have to brave some crowds but Plaza Mayor’s worth it for deep fried calamari sandwiches and cold cider.

Cine Doré, Calle Santa Isabel

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Cine Doré is one of the unsung heroes of Almodovar’s disturbing and touching ‘Talk to Her’ (2002). In Madrid’s hectic but seductive Anton Martin District it’s a beautifully restored 1912 cinema showing up to four programmes a night for a few euros. Classics, foreign language (not Spanish), documentaries and indies show every evening except Monday. The cinema is also next door to the National Film Library and doubles as their screening room so little seen gems are not unusual.

Cementeria de la Almudena

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If you like a cemetery (Almodovar does) this is the largest one in Europe. Over 5 million souls rest in 120 acres under monuments ranging in style from Neo-Classical to typical Madrileñan. Don’t expect leafy and wistful like Highgate or parts of Montparnasse, this is a typically austere Spanish cemetery but fascinating all the same. Almudena makes brief appearances in quite a few Almodovar movies notably ‘Volver’ (2007) and ‘Carné Trémula’ (1997).

Lavapiés District (close to El Rastro)

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With its narrow winding streets and alleys, skinny buildings and endless balconies Lavapiés not only turns up regularly in Almodovar films it’s also one of our favourite places to stay in Madrid. Lavapiés was originally the city’s Moorish quarter, then mainly a working class district and now it’s Madrid’s centre for alternative, artistic, ethnic and 24/7 something going on somewhere.

Museo Chicote, Gran Via

Fernando Carmona Gonzalez

Not strictly a location in any Almodovar film (although the neon and traffic insanity of the Gran Via are writ large in ‘Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown’ (1988)) Museo Chicote is a Madrid icon and has played host to the likes of Hemingway, Grace Kelly, Sophia Loren et al in its time. Today it still attracts movie stars, Madrileño ‘it’ types and Pedro Almodovar. 1930’s decor, seriously good DJ’s after midnight and claims that over 100 of the world’s most famous cocktails were first mixed here.

Bocaito, Calle Libertad

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One of the best tapas bars in Madrid and a favourite haunt of Almodovar who’s quoted as saying, ‘Bocaito is the best anti-depressant ever’. Fantastic olives and jalapeno peppers are another good reason to go.

Madrid is all over almost all Almodovar’s movies and, while he’s had flirtations with the likes of Barcelona and Toledo and even Santiago de Compostela, it’s the capital he comes back to time and time again.

We’ve scratched the surface and given you a few ideas (we hope). But to be honest Madrid, like every great European city, makes you feel like you’re in a movie anyway. So our last word on the subject has to be: visit Madrid and make sure you’re as glorious as Penelope Cruz or as elegant as Antonio Banderas at all times and you’ll be just fine.

Los Amantes Pasajeros (I’m So Excited) opened in the UK on Friday 3^rd May 2013.

This year’s competition will take place in Malmö, a fun place filled with bicycles and outdoor cafes. But one of our favourite things about Sweden is its ancient Right to Roam law (allemansrätten) which you may not know about. This gives members of the public the right to access, walk, ride, ski, cycle and camp on practically any land, even most privately owned land, picking wildflowers and mushrooms as you do. So take a good hard think about visiting the beautiful Norse countryside and exercising your constitutional right to gallivant.

Please enjoy this collection of images from around the country, and have a great weekend.

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Michael Cavén

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Featured image by just.Luc

Farming, hunting and forestry have been the backbone of Cyprus for centuries so getting about on foot has a long pedigree and even unofficial, off-the-beaten-track routes here are eminently walkable. Most trails are well signposted and mapped and, with a few exceptions, the level of difficulty and length can be worked out before you even begin to lace your boots.

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All the usual walking rules apply: water, high spf, food and low salt/sugar energy snacks, hats, walking shoes or boots, a map (take a paper one as back up because batteries can die), tell someone where you’re going and when you’re leaving and how long you’ll be and always walk to the ability of your youngest or least fit.

Cyprus is the easternmost island in the Mediterranean and its sub-tropical climate means mild weather all year round, but come summer it’s hot – not for nothing is it one of the most popular places in Europe for beach holidays. So it’s a bit of a given that walking anywhere you want to walk is probably best in spring and autumn, but you can trek Cyprus in any season if you tread carefully.

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Take To The Hills

The highest mountains on Cyprus are the Troodos, rising to 2,000m above sea level. Mt. Olympus is the range’s highest peak (before you go getting all excited, our scant knowledge of geography/ancient mythology  leads us to suspect that any mountain that’s kind of big and grand and lives round these parts, gets to be called Mt. Olympus – if you want you can call this particular one ‘Chionistra’, the locals do). This is the place to head if you’re hiking in summer on Cyprus.

There are four main ‘nature treks’ on the Troodos of varying length and difficulty so there’s challenge for the experienced walker or groups with same-ability members and glorified strolls if you’re just looking for a day out or you’re walking with children or in a mixed-age group.

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Atalante – 10km round the base of Chionistra, moderate

This circular walk starts in the town of Troodos and takes you round the base of Chionistra. It’s not a difficult walk and there’s plenty of forest so it’s nice and shady in summer but take care in autumn and winter because they hunt on Cyprus – not for walkers we don’t think. Bit of a hunting side note here: care should be taken walking in most of Western Europe during hunting season– don’t ignore official warning signs and watch your feet in woodland and dense undergrowth, traps are legal in many places.

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Artemis – 5km upper level route round Chionistra, low

Again this walk starts in Troodos and takes you higher than Atalante so it’s great for views and vantage points. It’s not a stroll, but it’s not difficult and gives you a good introduction to the Troodos range if you’re thinking about moving on to some of the more ambitious walks/hikes.

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Persephone – 4km low level circular from Troodos, low

If you’re packing a picnic and walking with children this is the one for you; circular, easy going, well signposted, lots of pretty places to see and a picnic spot at the half-way mark.

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Kaledonia – 3 km walk to Kaledonia Waterfall, moderate

This can be a trek but it’s worth it for the Kaledonia Waterfall at the end, the highest waterfall on Cyprus. The walk starts between Platres and Troodos and climbs up towards the waterfall through woodland, it’s not a great distance but it isn’t a pathway so be prepared.

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Keep To The Coast

Cape Greco on the SE coast of Cyprus, close to Larnaca, is famous for its sea caves and there are several easy walks from between 5 and 10 km. The going is good. But build in plenty of time for exploring, swimming and sitting around enjoying the views.

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The Akamas Peninsula on the NW Mediterranean coast is where you’ll find cliffs, sea stacks, lagoons and some of the island’s quieter beaches. The most popular walk is from The Baths of Aphrodite to Cape Arnaoutis. This stretches 16km there and back and covers the whole length of the peninsula: a favourite for bird watchers, botanists and wildlife enthusiasts.

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Mountains, forests and coasts are the obvious walking choices. But pre-history, history, ancient myth and legend combined with breathtaking scenery mean one of the best ways to enjoy walking on Cyprus is to build your own route.

If you can’t resist temples the island has dozens; make them the key to your walking holiday and map your own route to see as many as possible. Cyprus has some of the most beautiful and beautifully preserved Byzantine Churches in Europe (10 of them are World Heritage sites). The island’s home to the elusive Mouflon Goat (yes, we too thought Mouflon was something our mum made up to get us to wear scratchy jumpers), the super-vain Hoopoe and rare Griffin Eagles. So whether you make Aphrodite and her legion of lesser legends your focus, or go for wildlife, seafood, towns or villages, Cyprus is the ideal place to pick a walking theme and own it.

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And of course, if you’re self-catering and living local you’ve got an advantage straight off because no one will know how to walk Cyprus quite like a Cypriot.

Featured image by TeryKats.

Istanbul is a vibrant, colourful and culturally rich city. Not just in terms of mosques and art but also food. There is food on every street corner, with prices varying from the absurdly cheap and delicious to prices in higher end restaurants more in line with what western visitors will be familiar with at home.

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One of the benefits of renting a private apartment when exploring a city like Istanbul is the fact that there is a kitchen available to cook in. That means you can shop the markets and bring things home to try. Istanbul apartments are great value, but can be on the small side, so if you want to ensure that you have a kitchen that suits your needs, be sure to check the photos and amenity descriptions in the HouseTrip listings so that you are satisfied with what’s available.

Three apartments I checked out during my stay include:

This bijou apartment that is good if all you want is a refrigerator to store purchases and a microwave for reheating – but not so good if you are planning to cook:

This flat in Galata is the best equipped of the three with full kitchen facilities and great for friends as there are two beds in the property. The ground floor location makes it perfect for those with mobility issues:

My favourite of the bunch is this beautiful four-bedroom apartment with stunning views. The kitchen is basic but has everything you need. Just be prepared for the four-storey climb as there is no lift!

In order to explore the food to cook at home, I started first by looking at what it was that locals ate on the streets and at home. I explored the markets, always a joy, but in Turkey even more so. On the Bosphorus at the base of Galata tower, there is a buzzing fish market selling very fresh fish. One veg stall adds some colour but otherwise it is fish-fish-fish – your perfect stop for your homemade mackerel sandwich (an Istanbul favourite to eat on the Bosphorus). But still, what to cook at home? I think a mackerel sandwich is best enjoyed on the Bosphorus and my mind turns to breakfast or a quick meal in the evening to have with wine.

Let ideas compete

Istanbul is wonderful for breakfasts. A simple street side simit (bagel-like bread covered in sesame seeds) spread with kaymak (buffalo milk clotted cream) and honey is divine. I like to create a great fresh breakfast to power me through the day. One of my death row dishes is actually a breakfast, and it is a Turkish one: Çılbır, a soothing and delicious dish of poached eggs and melted butter infused with Aleppo pepper (easily available in Istanbul), also sometimes crispy sage. I love adding the sage, which crisped in butter is veggie bacon to my mind.

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I bet this sounds confusing. Cold yogurt, warm butter, hot eggs, hot pepper?! Yes, but this, I promise you is wonderful and I want to introduce you to it too.

Shopping for ingredients in Istanbul is a lovely experience. Most speak some English and even if they don’t, they are helpful. Istanbul is a city that lives and breathes food, and it is a city that still cooks every day, so you are never far from a local butcher or greengrocer. Butchers sell terrific and very reasonable kofte that you can buy to cook at home. I bought 12 for about £3 and they went down very well with a bottle of Turkish red wine bought from Sensas, a lovely Turkish wine bar near Galata (you can drink in or take home).

There are many markets in Istanbul, but for a great local experience, hop on the ferry to Kadıköy. The local market there, just a stone’s throw from the ferry terminal is rich with wonderful spice shops, butchers, fish shops, general provisioners (where you will get all you need for your Turkish Eggs), pickle shops, everything that Istanbul has to offer in one compact space.

Enjoy Istanbul, and enjoy this lovely local breakfast.

Çılbır (Turkish Eggs)

Per person

2 eggs

3 heaped tbsp local Turkish thick yogurt

a generous slab of butter – about 25g

1 tsp Aleppo pepper (available in any provisions shop or spice shop)

6 sage leaves (optional)

Method

Poach your eggs by boiling some lightly salted water and creating a whirlpool with a spoon, drop the eggs one by one into the center and allow to cook for a few minutes until the outside white is set but the yolk is still fluid. The easiest way to do this is to pre crack the eggs into individual cups, reducing the drama of adding them.

While the eggs are poaching melt the butter gently and while still golden, turn off the heat and add the Aleppo pepper. If using the sage crisp the leaves in the butter before adding the pepper briefly – don’t let the colour darken or they will burn. Prepare the serving bowl by putting the yogurt inside.

When the eggs are done, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and place on top of the yogurt. Spoon the butter and pepper around the eggs and add the sage, if using.

Eat immediately, and enjoy!

Featured image by Alaskan Dude.

When landing in a new city for the first time, it can feel overwhelming. Where do you start? What should you do next? How do you make the most of your limited time? When my husband Dave and I travel, we always feel a little anxious when we get off the plane.  We don’t want to miss a thing, but then again, we don’t want to pack our schedule so much that we never find any time to relax.

Budapest is one of the most beautiful and oldest cities in Europe and it is made for relaxation and enjoyment. Its waterfront is a fairytale setting with castles, palaces and a grand parliament lining the banks of the Danube. It has fine dining, luxurious spas, tranquil parks a lively theatre district. But it is the beauty of Budapest that stands out and it’s impossible not to feel awe and wonder as you gaze out from the Chain Bridge connecting the two centres ‘Buda’ and ‘Pest.’

We had the chance to visit Budapest as HouseTrip Video Blogger Diplomats and we put together some ideas to help you settle in easier and make your vacation more enjoyable right from the moment you arrive.

Getting Started on the Right Foot.

The first thing we always do when we arrive at a new city is to visit the Tourist Information centre, pick up some maps and start planning. It helps to know where you want to go and how you need to get there. When trying to communicate in a foreign language, things can get confusing, so if you have a clear understanding of how to get where you are going and how to get back to your accommodation, you’ll feel more comfortable venturing out on your own and taking a walk around town

Once we are armed with our maps and guidebooks, we go back to our HouseTrip apartment, turn on some music, make some hot tea and figure out what sites we want to see. Being able to sprawl across a coffee table is so much better than having to try to plan on a bed in a tiny hotel room. We set our computers up at the desk, put our tea on the table and have plenty of room to plan out our routes.

Another advantage of staying in an apartment as opposed to a hotel is that we are almost assured to be near a metro or bus stop. Downtown apartments are made for using transportation and public transport is a great way to get around and save money.

If you’re feeling worried about the language, take a course. Fungarian.com offers introduction courses to the Hungarian language in a relaxed and fun setting. While you enjoy a coffee, you’ll learn the subtleties and nuances of this unique and difficult language. Knowing a few phrases like “hello,” “where is the…,” “How much is…” “I’ll have the…” and “My name is…” can be amazing ice breakers and will make you feel more comfortable when entering any shop or business and people will love you for giving their language a try.

So what are you waiting for, when are you going to start planning your European vacation? There’s plenty of HouseTrip apartments waiting for you to book them. Check out more Budapest Apartments with HouseTrip.