Tag: europe

When in Germany, flee to Mallorca!

May 27th, 2024

Last month, my husband and I embarked on a last-minute trip to Mallorca, Spain. We knew that we wanted to visit somewhere warm before his work took him away from home once again, and Mallorca seemed like the perfect getaway. Warm, relaxing, and near the beach. Why else would it be so popular amongst the Germans? I was curious to find out.

Here’s a breakdown of our trip including lodging, transportation, and our favorite activities.

Transportation: Frankfurt Hahn, Ryanair, and the Palma de Mallorca Airport

Part of the fun of travel for me is getting to your destination. We flew out of Frankfurt Hahn, which is a small regional airport located about an hour and 20 minute drive away from Frankfurt Airport. The airport wasn’t very exciting, but it was different from any airport I’ve been to. The long-term parking that I paid for in advance was just a big lot across the street from the airport entrance. Once inside, everything is as you would expect in terms of the security checkpoint, then you can sit in an area with uncomfortable plastic bucket seats while you wait to stand in line at your gate. Once boarding starts, you’ll follow a path outside to the plane.

The flight was short and comfortable. There were only 2 boarding groups: priority or non-priority. There were no complimentary snacks or drinks, but there was a good selection of snacks, meals, and beverages to purchase on the flight. If you buy a regular ticket, you are only allowed one personal item that can fit in the seat in front of you and I think that’s plenty for a short trip. There was also more legroom than I’m used to, but I’m sure that’s specific to the plane and not the airline itself. All in all, it was a great value and it was just a normal flight for me. I’m not used to many frills when flying so this was perfect.

Once we arrived at the Palma de Mallorca airport, we followed the signs to exit and found our driver whom I booked online a couple of days before. Our driver didn’t talk much, and I think hiring a private transfer was a bit overkill because we booked a regular taxi on our way back to the airport that was cheaper, and just as comfortable. Leaving the Palma de Mallorca airport did not paint a clear picture of what we would experience on our return flight. On our day of departure, we arrived a few hours early because we figured there would be shopping, food, and places to sit around and lounge before our flight. What we found was a crowded, sprawling madhouse in desperate need of air conditioning. The only place we could find to sit was a MacDonalds since our gate was not assigned until about 45 minutes before departure we just wandered around different shops in the airport. Once we found our gate, we could finally sit and relax if it weren’t for a rowdy group of college-age boys with British accents shouting into a megaphone.

The Hotel:

Advertised as a 4-star beachfront all-inclusive Hotel for Adults Only, Pools, Spa & Sauna, Live Cooking. The Iberostar Cala Millor did not disappoint on food. I chose the all-inclusive package which comes with three meals, snacks, and certain drinks at the bar. When I was searching for last minute accommodation I knew that taking the stress out of finding a spot for each meal would be a huge plus since this was meant to be a relaxing couples trip. There is only one restaurant and it is buffet style, but you have a great view of the sea as you’re eating and the restaurant seemed to follow a different theme each day.

The hotel seemed to attract an older crowd which I didn’t mind at all. We enjoyed the quiet atmosphere, but it might not suit those seeking a more vibrant atmosphere with numerous activities.

They did have live music at night, but again, it was catered to an older crowd.

The rooms were clean, straightforward, and boasted beautiful views. The staff was exceptional, consistently friendly, and helpful, enhancing the overall experience. Like most European hotels, the bedding is simple. I ordered extra pillows and blankets to the room because I wasn’t getting that cozy feeling when I tucked into bed at night.

The location was perfect for us. A 15-20 minute walk got us into the shopping district in Cala Millor and an extra 20 minutes up the beach got us to Cala Bona. We were able to get the most out of our 5 days on the island without a car. The bus from Cala Millor to Palma was only about €7 each, but we chose to stay in the Cala Millor area for the entirety of this trip.

Overall, the Iberostar Cala Millor provided a serene and convenient stay, ideal for a relaxing couples’ getaway, with excellent food, a tranquil environment, and easy access to local attractions.

Activities:

Our favorite activity while in Cala Millor was a catamaran tour that we booked while strolling along the beach one day. We decided on a 5-hour tour with the Glassbottom MoonFish Catamaran group that stopped at several other towns and dropped us off in Porto Cristo for a couple of hours to visit Drach Caves. The caves were spectacular, and our tickets came with an optional boat ride plus a live classical concert performed by musicians in a rowboat. We were not allowed to take videos during the performance which was so beautiful. The natural acoustics of the cave made it an unforgettable, and one-of-a-kind experience, so if you are ever in Mallorca, it is a must-see in my opinion.

One activity that I would not recommend is a horse-drawn carriage through the town of Cala Millor. If you visit the shopping district in Cala Millor you are bound to see the horse-drawn carriages that you can either take to a nearby historic site, the Castell de la Punta de n’Amer, or you can opt for a ride through the city. I guess we were expecting to see parts of the city that we hadn’t already visited, but instead, we were pulled around through the busy streets that we had already been walking for a couple of days. It was not quite as romantic or scenic as I had imagined, but I appreciate the horse for being a good sport!

On our last day, we walked from the hotel to the Castell de la Punta de n’Amer which only took about 25 minutes. The Castell de la Punta de n’Amer is a historic castle located on the east coast of the island of Mallorca. The cube-shaped fortress was constructed in the 17th century and is nestled in a picturesque natural landscape overlooking the Balearic Sea.

Aside from these activities, we spent most of our time eating at the hotel and strolling the streets of Cala Millor between meals, with the occasional stop for espresso which was very European of us.

Our trip to the Cala Millor was not the most adventurous, but it was possibly the most relaxing. The peaceful atmosphere and beautiful surroundings provided the perfect setting for a restful vacation. I hope this review helps you in making your travel plans or gives you some guidance on which area of Mallorca might best suit your expectations. If you’re looking for tranquility, good food, and a scenic, serene environment, this might be the ideal spot for you.
Lasting Impressions from the Cologne Christmas Markets

December 6th, 2023

Let me preface all this by saying that German Christmas Markets do live up to the hype.

As an American expat navigating the bustling streets and vibrant stalls, I discovered that the hype surrounding German Christmas Markets is not only real but wildly understated. Join me as I share my whirlwind experience in Cologne, a city that turned my hectic relocation chaos into a magical Christmas wonderland.

After a grueling 90 days or so of chaos associated with this move from Oklahoma to Germany, my husband and I got out of our little bubble and left the dogs with a sitter for the day. We spent last Saturday, December 2nd in Cologne Germany for the Christmas markets and I was blown away. Cologne is one of the most popular markets from my understanding, and I could see that during my visit. The crowds were overwhelming, but I had some hot mulled wine, or glühwein, to ease my nerves. We opted for group travel for our mode of transportation from Baumholder to Cologne, but the trip was completely self-guided once you arrived. This made things super convenient but also limited our time to about 5 hours. If you are traveling from the US specifically for the Christmas markets, I will assume that you are going to have more time to explore this city.

Budget

Eager to indulge, I budgeted €120 per person for the day, a figure that included food, gifts, and, of course, glühwein. We ended up spending around €60 each simply because the crowds made it difficult to easily get to all the stalls, those not inclined to shop excessively could comfortably stick to a €60 budget. It’s all about finding the right balance for your travel needs.

A quick note on transportation: the bus/shuttle from our base to Cologne was about $80 per person, but that cost won’t apply to a whole lot of people reading this. Your transportation costs are going to vary.

I didn’t keep an itemized list of everything that I purchased because I was simply distracted by all the activity and, of course, the towering 516-foot-tall cathedral above me!

Here is a rough list of everything that I was able to get with €60; an order of Käsespätzel or potato pancakes, 3 mugs of glüwhein, 4 decorative gingerbread cookies, a package of roasted nuts, a bar of handmade soap, several postcards, and nic nacs at the Cologne Cathedral gift shop, and a votive candle holder with a spinning top. I think my money went a long way for one day.

Clothing

This is an important one in Germany! I saw many people wearing what looked to be brand new Doc Martens and I just knew their dogs would be aching by the end of the day. Wear comfortable shoes that will keep your feet dry. You can find stylish shoes that don’t need such a long break-in period like Doc Marten boots. I wore a pair of Columbia snow boots and wool hiking socks that didn’t look as sleek as the black leather combat-style boots (believe me, I’ve been there), but my feet were warm and comfortable throughout the day. These cities are bound to have portions of the original cobblestone road in areas so wear some shoes that give you stability. I won’t go into a whole lot of detail on gear because you know what is most comfortable for you.

Remember to pack a good base layer. I found a pair of fleece thermals before we left for Germany and I believe they were from Walmart. Over the base layer, I wore a pair of Lululemon leggings, a thin sweater, a knee-length puffer coat, a long fuzzy scarf, and a warm (water-resistant) beanie. This outfit worked out perfectly for me. I’ve had about a month of

German weather to experiment with different layers so that helped me out a lot.

Accessories and gear

My husband wore a medium-sized cross-body bag and I wore a Fjällräven Kanken backpack because it has been great for travel in the past and it is one of my most water-resistant bags. Both bags worked out great for us and I would recommend not planning to bring anything large or bulky.

We each packed an umbrella in case of rain or snow, but with the crowds on a Saturday in Cologne, we wouldn’t have been able to use the umbrellas even if there was snow or rain. We had a dry day so we left the umbrellas on the bus. I will bring them again for our next trip to Rothenburg just to be safe because there is nothing worse than being cold, wet, and stuck outside for hours. I am expecting the crowds to be less dense at Rothenburg as well.

I also packed my waterproof camera, but it turned out to be to much effort to switch between my phone and my camera within the crowds. If you plan on photographing the markets, try to visit on a weekday so you can get some actual shots of the booths and activities. A lot of my photos included a sea of strangers’ heads with the tops of buildings in the background.

What I would do differently

Next time, I am going to try to learn to pronounce some of the typical food and drink items at the German Christmas markets beforehand because ordering food or drinks other than glühwein was pretty nerve-wracking for me. I mispronounced feuerzanenbowle, which translates to fire tong punch, and is delicious and heavy on liquor! The lady taking orders was very concerned and didn’t have the greatest sense of humor about it. I would also plan to stick it out in the food lines and try some different things. The crowds got the best of me and I ended up eating McDonald’s on the drive back home for dinner. I’m eating that Christmas market food next time! I would try to talk to more people and immerse myself in the experience rather than trying to rush to see everything. I know we will have a similar time constraint at the next market so I will try to be more realistic about what we can fit into a few hours. Lastly, I’d like to get some better-quality photos at the next market and fewer videos. I got caught up in the moment and forgot to snap photos and now I am forced to grab screenshots of my iPhone photos which aren’t going to be the best camera. I might resort to using only my camera and leaving my phone in my bag for most of the day.

If you plan to visit the Christmas Markets in Cologne, Germany, I wish you all the best. Don’t miss the Cathedral, and get in line for some amazing food!