​Do you sometimes go on holidays or a long weekend away with a huge to do list of things to do and see, where to eat and drink, where to shop etc.? To do list as in you absolutely have to have done all of this before the holidays or weekend is over? 
If you are planning on waking up and getting out of the hotel/B&B/apartment where you are staying as soon as possible and focusing on making sure you tick everything off the list by the end of the holidays, the following probably will not suit your perfect type of holidays.

Because as much as I like to keep a handy list of museums, sights, restaurants, cafes, book shops and design shops, if I have not visited, seen, eaten and bought everything on it, it will not be the end of the world. It might even be the perfect excuse to plan to visit the town/city/country again.
The reason is that lately, I have enjoyed a slower pace on holidays and weekends away, especially when I really needed it. I might have had my eyes on a specific cafe that I read reviews about but on the way there, something more interesting would come up.
​An impromptu stop for a hot chocolate and pastries instead? A sign for a museum that was not even mentioned in guide books but looks intriguing enough for you to pay it a visit?A hidden design/book/clothes shop that looks wonderful and sells all the things you like? Just go for it!

Slow holidays and weekends away also mean that you get to take the time to observe your surroundings, appreciate the little things you would not have otherwise even noticed. 
I could really go on about it but I am sure you get the idea. So for now, how about I take you on a mini virtual tour of our latest slow weekend away?

Another trip abroad, another suitcase filled with the lovely things we brought back.
Traveling abroad is always the occasion to get a few things that will remind us of our trip after we are back home. Most times, they are edible things that will last a couple of weeks and sometimes it could be something such as a loaf of bread and fresh pastries from a local bakery picked up right before heading to the airport. Those are perfect to have the next day as a mini extension to our holiday time.

A trip to France is always the occasion to fill the suitcase with delicious things. I sometimes even get a variety of cheeses and charcuterie vacuum-packed but we skipped it on this occasion since we were staying at a hotel for the last bit of the trip. Here is a selection of what we brought back from la Belle France this time:

On the occasion of a family event last month, we spent a week in France. We planned it so there would be three days at the end of our stay that we could spend in Nantes. As you know if you have been following this blog for a while, this city is one of my favourites. Not only because I have family there or because I used to study at the Université de Nantes, but because every time I spend time there, I always seem to discover something new: a museum or gallery I had never visited before, a specific building or area I had never seen, older and newer cafes or restaurants I had not heard of, etc.
Just like the time we were there before Christmas last year, we stayed at Hotel La Pérouse which is a very central base when you like walking around rather than taking public transports. It is also very relaxing and just like last time, we really enjoyed our stay in this hotel.

Are you ready for another mini visit of Nantes? It's definitely warmer and sunnier than on the previous occasion. Here we go:

Two weeks ago, we went on a long weekend to Catalonia. We were going there on the occasion of the Vida Festival but since we were flying in Barcelona, we decided to visit a little bit of this beautiful city too.
I had been there about 13 years ago but, long story short, it was not a very memorable trip. This time, I had the chance to enjoy it properly in the company of E. and also my brother S. who lives there.

Barcelona is an amazing city with a lot to do, see and eat. We managed to spend a bit of time exploring parts of it at the start and end of our trip. It probably was not enough to see a lot of things but we managed to take advantage of our time there properly with a mix of sightseeing, catching up with my brother and enjoying many food delights.
The rest of the long weekend, as mentioned above, was spent outside of the city at Vilanova i la Geltrú where Vida Festival was taking place in a beautiful forest setting.

From my trip to Florida a few weeks ago, I packed up a few things in my suitcase to bring back as gifts or things for us to enjoy at home.
Whenever I travel somewhere (especially when it's a different country), I like to get a selection of things to bring back and those things are usually food related, books and/or artwork.

Wonderful friends, sunshine, relaxation and amazing food. This is how I could sum up the holidays I spent in Tampa, Florida, a few weeks ago.
I actually only planned this trip a couple of weeks before I left. It was the third time I was receiving promotional emails from an airline with direct flights to Orlando from Dublin. I needed a holiday and I wanted to catch up with my best friend: the decision was made!
On our last trip to Florida, we had mostly been traveling outside of Tampa with our friends so this time, I was happy taking it easy and discovering more of this city itself (with the occasional little trips elsewhere). In no particular order, here are some of the highlights of this trip: