Author: Grace in the World

I moved to Zaragoza, Aragon, Spain this year and want to share my favorite weekend escape: the Spanish Pyrenees

You’ll want a car (rent from the Zaragoza airport or train station) to fully enjoy the area but it is possible to get to Jaca by train or bus.

I’ll start with my favorite: Broto

This village is an easy escape from the city (just about an hour North of Huesca) and sits near Ordesa y Monte de Perdido National Park. (I actually haven’t even ventured into the park yet – the hiking trails are abundant around the village and neighboring Torla so I have yet to expand into the NP territory)

Why Broto? Torla is its slightly more popular neighbor, the gateway to the national park aka the first stop for tourists. So in my typical fashion I look for the next closest spot and there Broto is found.

Another good option (if you aren’t staying for more than one night/the above option minimum) is Hotel Latre.

There’s a great pizza place called Pizzería la Tea and a Spanish spot, Restaurante Arazasara R.

Be sure to check out the Cascada de Sorrosal (waterfall)

There are many hiking trails accessible from town so you can leave your car at the parking lot for the falls then head in any direction until you find a path (or consult a map  or/and a local). Note that you will likely run into many cows!

For a new view drive 10 mins North and park at the tourist center in Torla. I didn’t care for the town much (too touristy for me) but there are dozens of hiking options both from town (just cross the bridge) or just along the road en route to O y MP NP! I recommend you pack a picnic and climb to the tip top of one of those mountains for stellar views.

Broto feels like a dream escape for me and I hope you enjoy it to the fullest.

For an alternate expedition you can explore the city of Jaca and find many more great hikes around Villanúa and Canfranc-Estación.

I love love love LOVE Switzerland. Part of that has to be the company of my amazing friend and host Arta (who I met at a hostel in Costa Rica and instantly knew I loved), but it is a place that makes me feel happy in just about every moment. Starting with the basics- the air and the water are unbelievably pure. I honestly miss breathing there.

There are public water fountains all around Zürich. Be sure to bring a reusable water bottle when you go (or just buy something in a glass bottle once you get there then reuse it) because the free, unlimited Evian-esque refreshment can’t be missed.

Another thing that cannot be missed is the chocolate. We literally went directly to the store and bought all of the kinds following my arrival at the airport. My top grocery store picks: Ragusa (dark chocolate), Branche Classic and Torino (both milk and dark). My mouth is watering as I write this. I’m not ashamed that the grocery store was also my last stop and I filled my tiny carry on bag with as much chocolate as I could carry home. For finer flavors head to Läderach (their white chocolate with berries is one of the best things I have ever tasted. Ever.) My number one tip is to indulge– you CAN take it with you.

For couple of days in Zürich…

On the first day wander around the old town, getting a little lost on purpose. Maybe try fondue? (It’s not for me but when in Switzerland…)

I loved seeing the Christmas Market in late November. If you do visit during the colder months please don’t miss hot spiced wine on sale at cute little kiosks. To drink something bubbly while seated on a fur-covered outdoor patio would also be ideal.

I keep to a relatively low budget (#teacherlife) so I opted for a few grocery store takeaway meals (not bad veggie quiche) from Co-op or made some pasta where I was staying. Grabbing a coffee while you’re out and about (and carrying a few chocolate bars in your bag) during the day is survivable for a few days 😉

A wonderful (and low budget) activity in Zurich is a hike to a lookout in Uetliberg. It takes about 20 minutes from the main station to Uetliberg on the S10 train. I like to get off one stop before Uetliberg and walk up more of the mountain. The panoramic view from the top is incredible and there is a hotel with a nice restaurant and patio. They have a very nice pumpkin soup which I pair with bread and wine. There are many little trails around the top so leave time to wander around for  a few hours up there!

Arta and I took a day  trip up to the top of the Matterhorn Glacier in the Alps. We didn’t go to bed early the night before trying to catch the first (6am) train and we did miss it. After eating a pretzel for breakfast + coffee from a vending machine, we were on our way. The journey is long. I recommend booking train tickets as far in advanced as possible because they only get more expensive. If you are staying for a few days look into rail passes. We journeyed to the ski town of Zermatt then rode several gondolas up to the top of the world. It was a complete blizzard for a while so we had a soup and waited it out… and finally the glacier was revealed. The intensity of the conditions up there, the beauty and scale of the natural features.. I can feel the energy of that experience even now as I write about it.

In warmer months I recommend a trip across Lake Zürich by ferry.

An easy route is to train from Zürich to Rapperswil then have a lunch, walk around (see the castle etc.) before ferrying back into Zurich via the lake. I had a lovely meal at Kaffee Klatsch in Rapperswil.

I hope to return to Switzerland again and again. It is a place that instantly felt good and is home to some very dear friends as well. Happy travels – enjoy Suiza!

I just returned home to Murcia (Spain) after an amazing trip to Greece with two fantastic women: Amy and Lucia. We were also joined by Annie. Coming off of time with ladies who support one another and enjoy each day fiercely, I’m feeling quite lucky. I’ve made a new commitment to center future travel more around who I’m with than where I’m going. I believe this will lend more community to my life. I feel deeply that it is the interaction we have with others, the love we share, which fulfills. Here is some information about our time in Athens, Mykonos, Delos and Santorini. I hope it will inspire other groups of friends to take a journey with their people and I hope these beautiful destinations will be enjoyed as much by all of you readers as they were by me.

First stop: Athens.

I recommend taking an Uber from the Athens airport into the city center. We found many great Airbnbs available. Avoid staying in the Omonia neighborhood. I’ve heard mixed things about safety in Athens. We were cautious but felt safe during the day in the tourist center. We headed home before midnight (when the train shuts down).

We had one full day in Athens and one half day. We started day one with a free walking tour: https://www.athensfreewalkingtour.com/en/ which we really enjoyed!! Our tour guide was knowledgable and made the history of the city come to life. He recommended a great Lunch at Vegan Nation afterwards. Then we walked through the romantic Plaka neighborhood en route to the side entrance (shorter line) of the Acropolis. After an unforgettable morning, we headed for afternoon cocktails at A for Athens – a fantastic rooftop bar with an incredible view of the Acropolis and ruins below! The rest of the evening included greek salad, tzatziki, muscat and the most delicious baklava. Greek food is so good!!!

Day two focused on the National Archeological Museum (free for students!). My history books came to life in this place. I recommend a full day with a break for greek coffees and spanakopita in their garden cafe halfway. This, for me, was a must in Athens (like the Acropolis).

We took a very nice high-speed Hellenic Seaways ferry to Mykonos and happened to come across Sakis Gyros upon arrival. This place became a (cheap!) staple- we enjoyed one vegetarian pita per day (or try the chicken souvlaki pita if you’re not veg) on the rooftop patio of our Airbnb. We had a lot of rooftop meals because food is pricey in the touristy Mykonos town and our view was incredible. Try to find the AB grocery store (it’s next to bus station and doesn’t appear to be on Google Maps) for decent (but still price inflated) grocery items.

For (stupidly expensive!!!) cocktails, two recommendations: Passo Doble for the good drinks (I loved the passionfruit mojito) and Bar 180° for an unbeatable sunset view (order the “porn star”)- it’s well worth the uphill trek (don’t wear heels).

For a little touristy excursion, take a day trip to Delos. The ferry costs 20 euros round trip. Head down around 9am and you’ll be back around 2/2:30. Pack a picnic! You can hike to the highest point of the island for a phenomenal view (and a momentary escape from other tourists if you’re fast)!

Next up, Santorini

In Santorini  we stayed in Finikia in a very cool cave house (pictured below and again, an affordable Airbnb) which is walking distance from Oía (pronounced ía).

We loved the food and house white at Lefkes & visited a nearby winery Domaine Sigalas – walk in, try the vinosanto.

If you’re in Oía please go for dinner at Fino. Fantastic. This is where we celebrated my birthday. Marykei bar is the only bar in Oía but it’s lovable. They serve ice cream during the day and cocktails at night. Smart. A few other good places to eat in Oía: Kyprida, Melitini and Sunset Cafe (we tried the first and were told the last two were good though we opted to cook at home a bit to save money)

A highlight of our experience was the scenic Oía-Thira 10k hike. We took our time, stopping for a picnic halfway. In Fira (Thira) we were able to grab groceries at the supermarket then we took a bus back to Finikia.

We loved visiting the town of Pyrgos for a day! It was orthodox Easter Eve and the city streets and rooftops are lined with candles- truly a sight to remember.

Other things to do on the island of Santorini: Many people enjoy renting four wheelers to get around but the bus is also cheap & easy (this was our option). We visited the black sand beach briefly. There’s also a red (rust) colored beach and white (beige)- many colors due to volcanoes!

We loved traveling in the off-season/shoulder-season (late March/early April) because prices and crowds were LOT lower. Still, I’ll note that this trip was quite a bit more expensive than I’d imagined- we all double our daily budget. FYI.

Bon voyage!