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24 Hours in Limassol | A Cyprus Travel Guide

cyprus travel guide

I always have so much fun when writing my ’24 Hours In…’ posts. Of course most of us choose to spend slightly more than one day in a city, when travelling. However I like the idea of compressing everything into such a short amount of time. After all, if it doesn’t make it into my 24 Hour guide, is it even worth doing at all? So here is my Cyprus travel guide, and my recommendations for spending 24 hours in the city of Limassol!

cyprus travel guide

24 Hours in Limassol: A Cyprus Travel Guide

  1. Grab breakfast from a kiosk
    • The streets of Cyprus are lined with kiosks (mini supermarkets), that sell anything and everything. My go-to is a can of iced coffee & a doughnut for breakfast. The doughnuts in Cyprus are some of the best you’ll ever have!
  2. Walk along the beach
    • The promenade in Limassol is very people-friendly. Long stretches of footpath take you along the sea front, which is lined with cafes and the chance to dive into the crystal clear water whenever you fancy it.
  3. If you get tired, hop in a taxi
    • It shouldn’t cost more than €10 to get around the city, and it’s much easier to flag down a taxi than navigate the complicated bus system.
  4. Walk around Limassol Marina
  5. Have lunch at Pixida 
    • Fresh seafood…by the sea. What more could you ask for?
  6. Check out the modern architecture at Limassol Marina
    • Form meets function in the city’s newest development. It will certainly please your inner minimalist.
  7. Walk back through the old town
    • The old buildings are a stark contrast to the modern architecture of LM, but equally as beautiful (and with a history to match).
  8. Do dinner at a local taverna
    • You can’t come all this way without having a mezze!
  9. Finish the night at a local bar with drinks & shisha 
    • I’d suggest the Amathus hotel or Coya, but there are many accommodating bars & hotels along the strip.

cyprus travel guide

Cyprus Travel Guide – Helpful Tips

  • Hire a car or take a shuttle from Paphos/Larnaca airport – You’ll find the usual hire car companies, but if you don’t drive I’d suggest Shuttle Direct. SD is an affordable taxi service that makes you feel at ease.
  • There are LOTS of friendly stray cats, and they’re all fed well by the local residents. As adorable as they are, some of them are sick/carry fleas, so if you do touch them, make sure you wash your hands afterwards.
  • Toilet roll doesn’t go down the toilet in Cyprus. The pipes can’t handle toilet roll, and so you need to put it in the bins located next to the toilets. It might seem gross, but it’s really not that bad.
  • Drinking water from the tap isn’t really encouraged, and tap water isn’t a thing in restaurants here. Just make sure you have a bottle on hand (it’s super cheap at around €0.50).

Well there you have it, my Cyprus travel guide to 24 Hours in Limassol!
Don’t forget to check out the my other 24 Hours In… guides.

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bloomzy /

Is This The Death of Instagram & Can We Save It?

death of instagramIs This The Death of Instagram & Can We Save It?

Instagram is going through a bit a shit storm as of late, and that’s putting it nicely (sorry for the expletives). First it started with people liking old photos, then the confusing off topic comments came along, and suddenly a new algorithm. And now, well now we’ve got the constant following and unfollowing. And it’s left a lot of us feeling pretty jaded. Am I right, or am I right?

How & Why is it happening?

I’ve seen a lot of confusion on social, and people aren’t entirely certain what is going on. They’re seeing their follower numbers increase and decrease daily, whilst not actually moving at all. Big accounts have seen engagement drop (in fact we all have), and it’s left everyone asking why and how.

  • The New Algorithm Ever since Facebook bought out Instagram, they’ve constantly been adding and taking away features. The latest big addition was the new FB-feed style algorithm. Meaning we don’t get to see a chronological feed anymore. Instead we see the people Instagram thinks we want to see.
  • Follow, Unfollow Tools Yes, those people are not manually following and unfollowing 100 people a day. Well not the savvy ones anyway. For those of you that are up to date on your social tools, you’ll already know all about this. There are tons of sites and apps out there offering free or paid services that will automatically follow, unfollow, like, comment or send DMs for you via Instagram.
  • People Buying Followers This has become all too common. You’d be surprised at how many of the 10K+ crowd have actually earned their followers naturally and organically. The tell-tale sign is when someone has a lot of ‘ghost followers’. A ghost follower is an account that doesn’t have many photos, isn’t very active, but follows an awful lot of people. You can usually spot them by the lack of profile photo.
  • It’s Become Saturated There are just too many accounts now (over 600 million), which means it’s harder than ever to get yourself noticed.
  • But It’s Still a Big Accounts Game Even if people did want to get themselves noticed, it’s still pretty difficult when the big accounts are the ones being featured and mentioned.

Is This The Death of Instagram & Can We Save It?

Well this may not be the official death of Instagram, but it has definitely taken a fair few blows. It’s not safe to say yet whether it will come out of this whole, but with over 300 million daily users* it seems as though people aren’t completely tired of Instagram just yet.

Keep an eye out for my post on how you can save your Instagram account!

death of instagram

bloomzy /

24 Hours In Barcelona | A Barcelona Travel Guide

barcelona travel guide

Having friends in different countries can be heartbreaking at the worst of times, but incredibly exciting at the best of times. So when one of my close friends moved to Barcelona last year, I kept telling myself – this is just another excuse to travel. And I wasn’t lying, because this Summer we headed over to Spain to pay them a visit. It was my first time in Barcelona, but luckily I had the best tour guides in town. So here’s my Barcelona travel guide to 24 hours in Europe’s hottest city!*

barcelona travel guide

24 Hours in Barcelona: A Barcelona Travel Guide

  • The only place worth brunching
    • Caravelle is renowned for their brunches – and coffee – in Barcelona. If you love food, this is where you should start your day. I found them via BCN Best Coffee (they do other guides too).
  • Wander around Las Ramblas
    • It may be a bit touristy, but Las Ramblas has some great shopping, and even better markets.
  • Sip coffee with the Devil
    • Satan’s coffee corner is the perfect pit stop. Great coffee, and some interesting Japanese-inspired food.
  • Take a wander around the back streets
    • Satan’s coffee is perfectly located amongst some gorgeous back streets and alleys. Take a wander, you never know what you might find.

barcelona travel guide

  • Breathe in some art
    • Everyone and anyone knows Gaudi. So whether you’re a fan of art, architecture, or you just fancy walking around some pretty cool surroundings in the sunshine, Park Guell is a must-visit.
    • Tip: Book your tickets online before you leave. You’ll need to turn up at a specific time slot, and tickets sell out hours beforehand at the park itself.
  • Basque in your dinner
    • And your beautiful surroundings at El Nacionale. The Instagram worthy building features a selection of Barcelona’s best food. You’re spoilt for choice here.
  • End the night with a view
    • …and a gin and tonic, at Barcelo Raval Hotel’s 360 Terrace. Walk around and take in the whole of Barcelona by night.

Feel free to leave your own Barcelona travel recommendations in the comments.
And don’t forget to check out my other travel posts!

*As much as I’d like to, I can’t genuinely confirm whether this is the hottest city in Europe or not…it probably isn’t.

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Danish Architecture: A Copenhagen Love Story

Danish ArchitectureDanish Architecture: A Copenhagen Love Story

If you hadn’t already picked up on it, I’m a bit of an architecture geek. Unfortunately not the kind that has any knowledge on how to build a structure etc. Rather the kind that stands outside pretty (art deco, brutalist etc) buildings with my mouth gaping open – and my camera shutter clicking. I love spending my travels walking down streets and alleys. No I’m not up to anything dodgy, I just want to check out the buildings! Promise.

Danish Architecture: Why?

One of the main draws of Copenhagen – for me – was the architecture. It’s not as if Danish architecture is anything new. From traditional red roofed town houses, to contemporary glass structures, Danish architects are world renowned. The Sydney Opera House? Danish architect. The best house in the world? Danish architect. You catch my drift.

However I was eager to discover some of Denmark’s best structures, at home in Copenhagen.

Danish Architecture: Love or Loathe?

The residential buildings in Copenhagen are charming. They reminded me of Japan a little bit. But instead of having to look up, you also have to look down. You’ll often find cafes, shops and studios located in the basement of a building, if not at ground level. There’s also lots of space. It seemed as though the buildings in Copenhagen were built with space in mind. Or maybe this is just some of Scandinavia’s well loved interior design at work.

As for more formal structures, I was interested to learn (from the help of the internet, and a tour guide) about the methods and meanings behind them. From “blue buildings” with windows that reflect the sea, to diamond structures that reflect the sunlight and glisten, well, bright like a diamond. It’s hard not to fall in love with a city this transfixing.

See more of my Copenhagen travel guides.

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Naples to Sorrento | Italy Travel Diary

naples to sorrentoNaples to Sorrento | Italy Travel Diary

Travelling with a friend for the first time is always a bit daunting. The most difficult task being, where do you go? You may have conflicting views as to what makes the perfect Summer holiday. One of you may be a city type, the other a beach type etc. etc. You both want to make the other person happy, but ultimately come to a compromise.

So when Eva and I decided to take a short break together recently, we spent a lot of time deciding on the perfect location. Oddly enough, it wasn’t because we couldn’t agree, but because we had too many places we wanted to visit together! Finally though, we decided to pay a visit to ancient Napoli, and the gorgeous Sorrento.

Naples to Sorrento… Why?

One of the things that cements mine and Eva’s friendship is our love of culture. I knew this wasn’t going to be a sit down and chill by the pool holiday. Oh no. This was a get up and go, and travel across Italy kinda holiday. The kind where you pop in and out of museums, art galleries, bars and restaurants all day. But that’s fine, because I’m all about cramming in as much as possible. Naples itself has a lot of history, and I was eager to explore it.

Naples to Sorrento… How?

The trip from Naples to Sorrento is relatively easy, and incredibly inexpensive. It costs around €4 for single ticket from Naples main station (Napoli Centrale). Sorrento was the last stop, so we were able to sit back and enjoy the ride, albeit it a very hot one. The journey is beautiful, passing Pompeii (Mount Vesuvius) and the coast. I’d happily do it again just for the scenery.

Would I go back?

The streets in Naples are lively, and filled with stories. However my favourite places were the old town – stunning. And Piazza Vincenzo Bellini – amazing nightlife. Not to mention, the food is great. Fresh seafood, pasta and pizza (try a ‘deep fried pizza’) is easy to find. Whilst the prosecco and bellinis were the best I’ve ever had. I’d go back just for them!

Sorrento on the other hand is a little too touristy for me. If you don’t mind putting up with overcrowded streets full of tourists, then go for it. Because Sorrento is genuinely beautiful. In all fairness, we did go during peak season. I’d love to go back at a quieter time of year, to experience it a little differently.

Read more travel posts here.

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bloomzy /

24 Hours In Copenhagen | A Copenhagen Travel Guide

copenhagen travelOne of my favourite travel adventures this year has been my trip to Copenhagen. My first foray into Scandinavia. Well, unless you count watching Scandi-dramas, reading endless design books, and a perpetual desire for Danish pastries. Yes, I was over the moon to finally be here – I’m totally a Scandiphile – and trust me, I had an awesome time. So without further ado, here’s my Copenhagen travel guide to help you through your 24 hours in the City of Cool!

copenhagen travel

24 Hours in Copenhagen: A Copenhagen Travel Guide

  • Stay at: an Air Bnb in ‘Indre By’
    • Hotels can be crazy expensive in Copenhagen, but have no fear, Air Bnb is here! Prices are more than affordable, and you get to stay with some of the locals – it’s win, win.
    • Otherwise known as the Downtown Copenhagen or simply K, Indre By is as central as it gets. Park yourself here and you’ll be right in the middle of it all. We stayed in Strøget – an area with plenty of shops, restaurants and things to do. I’d also recommend areas such as Frederiksberg & Vesterbro.
  • Have a Danish for breakfast 
    • Come on, you can’t come all this way without trying one of the countries most famous foods. Trust me, these are nothing like the ones you’ve had at home. They’re found in most cafes, and pair perfectly with a coffee.
    • Tip: try the Kanelsnegl from Vores Broed.
  • Grab a bike! 
    • Copenhagen is very cycle friendly. Every road has a designated lane for cyclists, with some areas only accessible by bike. It’s safe and easy to navigate, as well as being a fast way to get around the city. I’d recommend Donkey Republic – bikes that you can lock/unlock with your phone, for only £6 a day!

copenhagen travel

  • Go up the Rundertaarn (Round Tower)
    • This beautiful 17th century tower is only £3 to enter, and features a round “staircase” and a lovely view from the top. The inside is so Instagram-able though, you may not want to leave.
  • Pop into Trinitatis Church
    • Next door to the Rundertaarn is a beautiful example of Danish architecture – Trinitatis Church. It’s free to enter, and open to all.
  • Have lunch at: Torvehallerne
    • This street food market offers up some of the best food in CPH. If you want something entirely Danish, try Hallernes Smørrebrød. These open sandwiches are packed full of ingredients, and flavour. Tip: grab a few and share.
    • Stop by The Coffee Collective after for an espresso. You know, to keep you going.
  • Check out the view from Christiansborg Palace
    • The former palace, now parliament, allows you to go up the viewing tower for free. The view is breathtaking, and on a good day you can see Sweden (including The Bridge). The restaurant below offers up delicious food, presented beautifully. Again, with a view.

copenhagen travel

  • Take a Boat Tour from Nyhavn
    • Nyhavn is probably the most photographed of all Copenhagen. Boat tours run on a regular basis here, but I’d suggest Nettobådene (the small white kiosk opposite Charlottenborg Fonden). They run every hour, and cost only £4.80. Tip: these are half the price of others, but they do the exact same tour.
  • Shop til you drop in Strøget
    • Or at least until you have to catch your flight. Strøget features a variety of shops, all in central CPH, and only 15mins from the airport. You’ll find Danish brands and stores such as Mads Nørgaard, Naked, and Illums (the best department store in the world tbh). The Hay House is also in Strøget, and is definitely worth wasting your time in.
  • Try the Flæskesteg at Københavner-caféen
    • Københavner-caféen serves up traditional Danish dishes, in a relaxed environment. You must must must try the Flæskesteg (roast pork) – it’s super Danish, and incredibly tasty.

Feel free to leave your own Copenhagen travel recommendations in the comments.
And don’t forget to check out my other travel posts – More Copenhagen posts coming soon!

copenhagen travel

bloomzy /

Let’s Test the Honor 8 Camera! | Review

honor 8 cameraTesting the Honor 8 Camera in real London life situations

Does anyone actually remember a time before smartphones? No, me neither. As much as we all hate to admit it, our phones are a big part of our lives. I for one will admit that I feel lost without mine. That isn’t because I feel the need to constantly be doing something with my fingers. No. It’s because I feel disorientated if I don’t have a camera on me. That may be confusing, so let me explain myself…

The Honor 8 Camera: A Review

When I’m buying a new phone there’s only one thing I care about besides calls/text. The camera. Honestly, truly (anyone who gets that reference is my new BFF). I can’t live without a camera, and luckily nowadays I don’t have to, because every phone has one. However not all camera phones are created equal. So when I heard about the new Honor 8 and all of it’s shiny camera features, I just had to test it out!

Check out my review, and I photos took with the Honor 8 camera below.

The Tech

Following with previous models, the device holds a dual camera with two 12 MP sensors; one RGB sensor to capture colours and one monochrome sensor for detail. Minus an optical filter, the monochrome sensor captures three times more light than normal, improving the dynamic range of the image and reducing noise – even in darkness – delivering unparalleled picture quality.

On top of this, the Honor 8 camera supports an extensive set of functions and filters, from light painting and beauty mode to panorama frames, slow-mo, food mode, HDR, super night and water mark.

The Photos

We could talk tech all day, but does the Honor 8 camera pay off? Well I took the Honor 8 out for the day around East London to test it out. I took colourful photos, food photos, close-ups, even photos of moving water. I really put the camera through it’s paces.

The big screen was really helpful in framing my photos, and tapping on the screen brought up a selection of editing tools to help get the perfect shot. I was a little worried that the screen would show a preview of an image that wouldn’t actually translate to the photos. However the photos came out clear and sharp. The Honor 8 camera captures colour in an amazing way. The colour you see in front of you, is exactly what you see in your photos too. That’s not something a lot of camera phones can do. Probably the most remarkable was the photo I took of moving water. The image was ridiculously sharp; capturing every ripple and bubble. Colour me impressed.

Final thoughts?

The Honor 8 camera is seriously a massive contender for the best camera on a smartphone right now. I was blown over by the sharpness of the photos, and how crisp the colour was. And that’s just the basic camera! I don’t really take selfies, but the beauty feature is definitely a bit of fun. As is the ‘food camera’, which brightens and saturates images slightly – to bring the most out of your food photos. The pro camera is definitely useful for those who already know their way around an SLR. However it might be confusing for those who are new to these kind of tools. The night mode and water mark features are also quite exciting, and I’ll definitely be checking them out.

If you’re after a new phone and a camera is a big part of your decision, you should definitely be considering the Huawei Honor 8.

You can buy the Honor 8 at Three.

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The Huawei Honor 8 was gifted to me by Honor, however all views, photos and words are my own.

honor 8 camera
honor 8 camera

Honor 8 Camera

honor 8 camera