Street Food Cartel Glasgow


Walking along the industrial street which was peppered with street art we weren't quite sure what we were letting ourselves in for. It was an unusual venue for dinner to say the least. But Read more

One Year as a Full Time Travel Blogger and Writer


As I write this from my bedroom office it's a year to the day I put down my pen at the end of my last exam of my university career. A month and a Read more

Where to Stay in Brighton, Vine Street Studios


I've written previously about my penchant for finding an amazing apartment or house instead of a hotel in certain destinations, and sometimes that can be as tough as searching for a proverbial needle in Read more

Brighton Street Art


Colourful, quirky, mysterious, creative, friendly, bright, eclectic. These are just a few words which immediately spring to mind when attempting to describe the city of Brighton, on England's southern coastline. Blinding sunshine and a sharp, Read more

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Croatia

The Beauty of Dubrovnik

Posted on February 28, 2013 by Emma Gray in Croatia | 5 Comments

Dubrovnik was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 because of the stone protective walls which stretch for almost two kilometres around the city. I’ve walked on the walls twice and the views from the top are simply stunning and are certainly well worth the climb. I’ll warn you now, though, it can be quite slippery underfoot so make sure you have sensible footwear on if you plan to do this – trust me, I know this from experience. Walking in a pair of incredibly pretty, but highly impractical sandals is best avoided lest you end up with a sore bum and even sorer sense of pride!

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Me loving Dubrovnik (not pictured – pretty, but lethal, shoes!)

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Stunned by Split

Posted on June 25, 2012 by Emma Gray in Croatia | 2 Comments

Of all the ports of call on my cruise the Croatian city of Split was the one I was most surprised by. From the moment I stepped onto dry land I was absolutely blown away by how beautiful the city is. I entered the heart of the city inside the protective walls via a long tunnel that was a blissfully cool haven from the blistering heat outside. The small stalls inside sold many typically tourist items but if you were willing to look past that there are some smaller works of contemporary art and quirky one-off items to be found.

THINGS TO DO IN SPLIT

Leaving the cool of the tunnel behind I found myself standing in front of the Cathedral of Saint Dominus and the bell tower, which serves as one of the main symbols of the city.

SPLIT BELL TOWER

If you’ve read my article on climbing the Duomo in Florence then you’ll know that I’m partial to walking up hundreds of steps for a panoramic view so, of course, I had to climb the bell tower.  A mere €1.50 and 180 steps later in 30 degree heat and this was my reward…

THINGS TO DO IN SPLIT

THINGS TO DO IN SPLIT

THINGS TO DO IN SPLIT

Split Harbour

The captivating image of the bright terracotta roofs contrasted against the still turquoise waters of the Adriatic reminded me of Dubrovnik. Although I found it not quite as impressive as Dubrovnik, the view was still beautiful and it gave me a better impression of the size of the city.

One of the things I enjoyed most about the city was simply walking through its ever-changing streets. There are grandiose wide streets which are busy with tourists and locals alike and then there are those quiet, tiny little streets which you’ll often stumble upon in Split. These are always my favourite streets, the ones which really can’t be classed as a street- more as an alleyway or lane. They always offer a moment of peace in a city like Split which is overrun with tourists in the summer months. In these peaceful side streets it was hard to believe Split is home to nearly a quarter of a million people.

THINGS TO DO IN SPLIT

Wandering down some of the less populated streets also allowed me to discover some quirky architectural features that I wouldn’t otherwise have seen. I saw arches, clocks, faces carved into the stonework and many more. The whole city has many interesting nooks and crannies just waiting to be found. Plus we came across a pretty incredible ice cream parlour with at least a million different delicious flavours. I’m making myself hungry just writing about it!

Before you leave Split behind, in order to bring good luck you have to be sure to rub the foot of the statue of bishop Gregory of Nin, which stands just outside the northern walls of the Palace.

THINGS TO DO IN SPLIT

I think we all need a little bit of extra luck sometimes and I guess that’s why his foot has been so well rubbed! What luck am I hoping for? A return visit to Split, of course! One day simply wasn’t enough to explore the city and now it’s definitely on my list of places I want to return to and spent some more time discovering more of the best things to do in Split.

And maybe I’ll check out some more of that ice cream whilst I’m there…!