Discovering Ile De Ré

Discovering Ile De Ré

I've just come back from a lovely break away on the beautiful island of Ré, or if you're French - Ile de Ré. Just across the bridge from La Rochelle is where this quaint little island is hiding with beaches, harbors, cycling routes, seaside restaurants and complete tranquility. 

I think anyone with a busy life, job or living in a busy city then this would be ideal 'escape' from all of that. Here are some pictures from our trip and some recommendations of what to see and do, where to grab the best ice cream and where to shop on the island!

We were staying on the Rivedoux Plage area, the beach was gorgeous and quiet with cycling routes going to every different part of the island. My current read: the sun also rises.

We came across a little car boot fair (I swear I have a magnet for these things) and went to browse for some vintage bargains. I fell for this old cigarette tin mainly because 1. the design was so eye catching and there are palm trees on it and 2. I like the idea of owning something that's so old and holds so much history. I can imagine a man, or woman, flicking it open on a beach somewhere in France and taking out a cigarette. I mean how classy were cigarette holders compared to nowadays?! I'm using it for hair clips and I think it'll look real snazzy in my bedroom.

La Flotte de Ré

We stopped for a drink on our first night in La flotte de ré once we'd hired some bikes. Our camping site - Les Fougères - offered bikes however there are several places to hire bikes on the island. We stopped at Le Bariolé - a tapas restaurant and the perfect place to stop for a cocktail. We ordered some sangria and patatas bravas (you can take the girl out of Spain...) which hit the spot. The location was ideal with views over the harbor. Check out their Facebook here.

Saint Martin de Ré

The next part of the island we ventured to was Saint Martin de Ré, probably my favourite area from the whole trip. It was beautiful and lively with lots going on. We parked up our bikes and had a stroll along the harbors, had a little wander around and stopped for some ice cream and drinks.

La Martinière - 19 Quai de la Poithevinière

We stopped here at La Martinière for of course, ICE CREAM. This place was clearly in high demand as there were lots of hangry people queuing up in front. I got speculoos and rocher which was literally like going to heaven and having a little party in my mouth. You could also get crepes and gaufres here (waffles) - all your traditional French cuisine goodness. Check out their Facebook here.

Lazzara - 14 Rue de Sully

I came across this cute boutique called Lazzara which I was quickly drawn to - part of the shop being outdoors/waiting room area was what attracted me! There were lots of cute, unique pieces to browse at and it was such a pretty shop.

As you continue to wander along the rue de Sully, you can pop in and out of many different shops selling clothes, shoes etc and what the Ile de Ré is most known for, its salt! As well as artisan soap shops, independent boutiques and lots of places to pick up some essential flip flops or beach towels...

Little Casba - 19 rue Jean Jaurès

Little Casba was one of those shops where I kept saying "omg I want that", "omg", "omg" till I realised I was probably pissing off my dad after I said I wanted about the 100th item that had a pineapple on it. I'm sooo basic. Little Casba specialises in kids wear and homeware and has all the things you could want in your home and more. The shop was like a little treasure trove of goodies and so beautifully decorated making you wish your house looked the same. Check out their Facebook here.

Migration -  1C Rue de la Glacière, 17580 Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré

We made a little pit stop at Le Bois Plage, which was probably my least favourite as it was the most quiet with not particularly much going on, however that said, there were nice cafés to stop and chill and a few souvenir shops to browse in. I particularly enjoyed the shop, Migration, an interiors shop (because obviously i'm 21 going on 40). They had lots of cute tableware and authentic, nautical pieces to take home as a souvenir from the island. 

Gelateria del Mare - 3 rue du Marche, 17630 La Flotte

By faaaaaaaar the best ice cream with absolute 0 regrets I've ever had. I chose a scoop of 

salted caramel and a scoop of rocher (again) and it was marvelousssss. 

They had a zillion flavours from fruity, chocolate-y and everything your heart could desire.

Just look at that ice cream!

Soooo those are my recommendations for Ile de Ré for anyone that has the pleasure of visiting the beautiful place. If you're in the area, it's definitely worth popping here even if just for the day! There's no pressure or temptation to be doing, doing, doing all the time here, which is great. However, if you do like your adventurous, action packed holidays then there is plenty to keep you active on the island such as walking, cycling, jet skiing, boat trips, surfing lessons and more. If we were staying longer then I would have done a lot more of the latter - but eating ice cream and reading my book for a few days was just far too tempting.

A Madrid Travel Guide

A Madrid Travel Guide

I was working (it didn't really feel like work) for two months of my summer in the lovely capital of Spain that is - Madrid. As always, I document my travels, in fact I pretty much document my whole life and of course I want to share the highlights of the trip here on my blog. In this and the next few travel diary posts from Spain - I'll share some photos, my must see and do things and an overall review of the cities I visited during my stay...

Retiro Park

Madrid's very own Central Park is the buzzing and thriving center of the city. The perfect place to escape the intense summer heat is by coming here and cooling down in the shade under some trees or renting out a rowing boat. Though I only visited once during my two months (I was busy doing other things), I think I saw it at its busiest. If you love people watching, you could while away many hours here taking in the different sights.

All in the one Sunday I went to Retiro park I saw line dancers, tai chai/yoga/dancing classes, an outdoor orchestra, a Bolivian festival, children's theatre puppet shows, buskers playing Spanish guitar, bands, outdoor chess and more. This really is where it's all happening, a park filled with life and movement. The park is also home to the stunning Palacio Cristal (glass house) and other amazing pieces of architecture. 

San Miguel market

Calling all foodies! This was by far a favourite of mine in Madrid, because of, well, FOOD, duh. Whether it's lunch, dinner, snacks, dessert or tapas you're after - they have it all and more than your dreams could imagine here. I enjoyed wandering around the market and browsing all of the delicious, colourful food, sampling tapas (fyi: inexpensive), sipping on some traditional sangria and so much more. Heaven.

Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza & Reina sofia museums

If you're an art buff, or just love wandering around galleries - Madrid is stacked with culture. There are plenty of museums to visit in the city but the three I visited, and are recommended on most travel sites are the Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia museum. 

At the Reina Sofia

A great way to spend a hot day in Madrid is inside a cool gallery gazing at art - in the Prado they are currently running a Bosco exhibition - heads up: the queues are often long so get there early. I visited the TB museum in my last few days as it had been recommended to me by many - the museum has a mixture of both old and new art ft. paintings by Dali & Picasso and also two private exhibitions by Caravaggio and Caillebotte which I both enjoyed. Of all I enjoyed the Reina Sofia the most - I spent 3+ hours soaking up every single painting and sculpture there was to see. If you enjoy the more experimental, modern art then you will love RS museum too. They had an exhibition ft. the works of Wilfredo Lam who was such a fascinating man to learn about.

At the Reina Sofia

Botanical gardens

The botanical gardens in Madrid is like a massive green paradise of nature and quiet away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Nestled right behind the Prado museum and beside a busy road and you can't even hear a thing but birds, sprinklers and people chattering - it's the perfect place to have some chill out time, maybe read or draw. I didn't do that. I just took photos for Instagram.

The Golden Mile

I'm a shopaholic and preeeetty obsessed with fashion, whether or not I can afford it. So it was a real treat for me to walk along the golden mile, the street famous for it's designer shops, and browse the likes of Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Gucci and more. The window displays alone are works of art and seeing designer pieces in the flesh gives me goosebumps, it's like the clothes of Vogue have jumped off the pages and into real life. There's also the more affordable stores like Zara and Massimo Dutti, so you can grab yourself a souvenir from one of Madrid's most luxurious streets.

Plaza Mayor

One of the most common meeting points and most well known parts of Madrid is the Plaza Mayor - an open square in the middle of the crowded city lined with terrace cafes, restaurants and souvenir shops that is buzzing from day till night. I sat here one day for a café con leche (basically a coffee with milk but sounds way fancier in Spanish) and within an hour saw a Suzuki car ad being filmed, a waiter that got pooped on by a bird, a man serenading the tourists with Spanish guitar and tourists flocking for photos. Similarly to the Retiro, it's a place of life and constant movement and so is the perfect place to stop and watch the world go by.

Gran Vía

If you're crazy enough to venture onto this street amongst 1000's of others in the 35+c heat, well, then you're as stupid as I was. However, if you're spending the majority of your time in air conditioned shops then it ain't so bad. All your usual high street favourites are along the Gran Vía - Mango, Zara, Pull & Bear, Bershka and all their pals too - oh and the biggest, most extravagant Primark I've ever seen in my life. As well as shops, there are plenty of places to stop and refuel as well as a few theatres which reminded me a bit of Broadway, though I have never been there... anyway, you won't be bored here for sure.

Temple of Debod at sunset

A cliché thing to do in Madrid is see the Temple of Debod at sunset - and though cliché, very worth the hype. From here you will see some of the most amazing views of Madrid and the beautiful architecture of the Debod while the sun sets and reflects off the water surrounding it. Stu-nning.

So, those are my top things to do in Madrid but here are other things I'd recommend to do/visit:

- Party at the biggest pride in the world at Madrid Orgullo (in the summer)

- Try the best churros at San Gines chocolateria

- Sample Madrid's finest pastries and sweet treats at La Mallorquina

- Grab some bargains at the El Rastro market in La Latina

- Get a 1€ glass of wine at Copas Rotas (or several)

- Visit the rooftop bar of The Hat hostel

- See a flamenco show
- Marvel at the dramatic interiors of the Palacio Real

- Go to the 9th floor of El corte ingles near Gran Vía and visit the gourmet experience (all the cuisines you can imagine and a rooftop bar with panoramic views)

There you have it, my little travel guide to the wonderful city of Madrid! Stay tuned for a post on Pamplona and other places I visited in Spain!