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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Tarxien Temples, and Vittoriosa/Birgu (Day 3)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, Tarxien Temples, and Vittoriosa/Birgu (Day 3)

This third day of our trip was the first time we ventured outside of the capital city of Valletta, and we managed to pack a lot into the day! In a way, we spent the day time traveling. We started the day by visiting two UNESCO World Heritage sites: Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, an underground Neolithic necropolis that pre-dates the Pyramids, and visited Tarxien Temples, a megalithic site that dates back almost as far. From there we headed to the Medieval Era by exploring the quaint streets and Inquisitor’s Palace in Vittoriosa (also known as Birgu), caught the ferry across the bay and entered the modern era with the long elevator ride up the Barrakka Lift and then an evening watching Malta’s Independence Day Military Tattoo event from an rooftop terrace restaurant.

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Valletta (Day 2)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Valletta (Day 2)

September 21st is Malta’s Independence Day to commemorate when it gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1964. It also just so happened to coincide with our visit. We had looked into any special events that would be taking place, and the main one is a 3-day (Fri-Sun) Military Tattoo evening performance in St. George’s Square in the central part of Valletta. Walking into town we passed right by the square with the temporary bleachers set up.

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A Week in Malta & Gozo - Valletta (Day 1)

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Valletta (Day 1)

Our travel to and first day in Malta’s capital city of Valletta was a whirlwind of new sights and sounds. We spent time getting oriented to our new surroundings and getting a taste of Malta’s flavor.

Europe, Southern Europe, Malta, Adventures in TravelLindseyDecember 30, 2019traveling to Malta from the US, how to get to Malta from the US, how to get to Valletta from the US, where to stay in Valletta Malta, grocery shopping in Valletta Malta, Wembley Store in Valletta Malta, where to get groceries in Valletta Malta, where to eat in Valletta Malta, eating at Moo's Kebab in Valletta Malta, turkish food in Valletta MaltaComment

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Trip Overview

A Week in Malta & Gozo - Trip Overview

For a country we had really never heard of prior to booking our trip, Malta was awash with so many of the things that appeal to us about traveling. We had a wonderful week-long trip to this three-island nation and managed to enjoy a wide array of activities.

In this blog, we will share how we ended up booking a trip to Malta in the first place, will provide an overview of the country (from language to culture to history to transportation), will share an overview of our itinerary and how we spent the week, and share our thoughts on whether we would return again (spoiler alert: we would) and what we’d do differently in retrospect.

Europe, Malta, Southern Europe, Adventures in TravelLindseyDecember 29, 2019should I visit Malta, what to do in Malta, a week in Malta, how to spend a week in Malta, where to stay in Malta, visiting Malta and Gozo, a week in Malta and Gozo, the history of Valletta, the history of Malta, where is Malta located, what language is spoken in Malta, what is Malta known for, how to get around Malta, how to get around Gozo, transportation in Malta, a week long itinerary for Malta and Gozo, visiting Mdina Malta, visiting Upper Varrakka Gardens Valletta, visiting Lower Barrakka Gardens Valletta, visiting Grand Master's Palace Malta, visiting Armory Museum in Malta, visiting National Museum of Archaeology in Valletta Malta, visiting Mdina in Malta, walled cities in Malta and Gozo, visiting St John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta, visiting St. John's Cathedral in Mdina, visiting Cittadella on Gozo Malta, what to do in Cittadella Gozo Malta, Heritage Hike on Gozo, visiting Xlendi Bay on Gozo, getting around Gozo, would you go back to MaltaComment

Scotland Geology: Book Series Review

Scotland Geology: Book Series Review

Traveling to Scotland or simply interested in learning more about the world beneath your feet? Check out our review of Set in Stone: The Geology and Landscapes of Scotland and other books by Alan McKirdy.

Book Review - Non-Fiction, Book Review, Book List, Books-ScotlandDustinDecember 19, 2019Geology, Scotland, Skye, Book Review, Nature, Science, Alan McKirdy, Set in Stone book review, Landscapes in stone book review, Scotland Geology books, Travel books, books about Scottish geology, what kind of geology is in scotlandComment

Our Travel Blogging Year in Review {2019}

Our Travel Blogging Year in Review {2019}

2019 was a big year for us as we officially launched our blog with the first post on March 4th! We also celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary on July 4th in Scotland. With 2020 on the horizon, we decided to sit down and reflect on this journey we’ve been on.

In retrospect, it seems surprising we never thought about travel blogging given our love of travel, writing, photography, and reading (often travel-inspired or travel-related). Writing the blog, sharing our experiences and travel stories with our readers, and working together on this creative endeavor have brought yes, more work, but also more fulfillment to our day-to-day lives.

General Blogs, Year In ReviewLindseyDecember 16, 2019To Make Much of Time, To Make Much of Time travel blog, Travel Blog, travel blog, travel blog couple, travel photography, travel blog photography, travel blog year in review, year in review 2019 travel blogComment

Scottish B&B Review: Westerton Bed and Breakfast

Scottish B&B Review: Westerton Bed and Breakfast

Located in the town of Callander, Scotland, right near the boundary between the Highlands and Lowlands and nestled against The Trossachs National Park, Westerton Bed and Breakfast is a luxurious, adults-only Victorian home. Westerton has large rooms, a garden for a yard, and considerate and attentive host/owners.

Annual Gift Guide for Travelers {2019-2020}

Annual Gift Guide for Travelers {2019-2020}

Most of us have someone in our lives who loves to travel or is dreaming of taking more trips to explore the world. Check out our 2019-2020 annual gift guide for ideas centered around all sorts of different travel interests - from literary travelers to practical travels and foodies.

Scotland: Travel + Packing Tips

Scotland: Travel + Packing Tips

Here are some tips that we picked up in advance of and while on our trip that will hopefully help you plan yours! Read more about car rentals, tickets to purchase in advance, and packing tips.

Europe, Western Europe, United Kingdom, Travel Tips and Apps, Scotland, Northern Europe, Adventures in TravelLindseyDecember 7, 2019To Make Much of Time, To Make Much of Time travel blog, Scotland road trip, Travel tips for Scotland, Packing Tips for Scotland, what to pack for summer trip to Scotland, should you buy tickets before going to Scotland, what to know before renting a car in ScotlandComment

Scotland: Read Before You Go {Non-Fiction}

Scotland: Read Before You Go {Non-Fiction}

Scotland is a country with a long, sordid history. Perhaps its struggles match the dueling nature of its own environment: grandeur and beauty mixed with its hard-scrabble northern world. There were two non-fiction books I read before traveling to Scotland for our 10-day road trip that set the backdrop and provided context that made our trip more meaningful. Neither are quick reads, but both are truly worthwhile reads for those wanting to better understand this country that has long labored to define itself.

Book Review - Non-Fiction, Book List, Books-ScotlandLindseyDecember 5, 2019To Make Much of Time, To Make Much of Time travel blog, bookish travel to Scotland, review of How the Scots Invented the Modern World: The True Story of How Western Europe's Poorest National Created Our World & Everything in It by Arthur Herman, book review of Scotland: The Story of a Nation by Magnus Magnusson, books to read before visiting Scotland, books to read about Scotland, non-fiction books to read about Scotland, non-fiction books about Scotland, non-fiction books to read before you go to ScotlandComment

Scotland: Food + Drink

Scotland: Food + Drink

During 10 days in Scotland, we had the opportunity to check out quite a lot of the food and drink scene - everywhere from big cities to small towns! In this blog, we’ll provide our perspective on what you can expect, provide tips for what to order as you eat and drink your way through Scotland, and offer a few of our favorite restaurants as recommendations.

Scotland: Accommodations

Scotland: Accommodations

Scotland is a diverse country - from bustling cities to popular rural outposts and small towns. In planning our 10-day road trip through the Highlands and Isle of Skye, we realized we couldn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach to the five different locations where we needed to book overnight accommodations. Because we have only been to this portion of the country, we cannot speak to accommodation options outside of this region.

Accommodations, Europe, Northern Europe, Scotland, United Kingdom, Western Europe, Adventures in TravelLindseyNovember 26, 2019To Make Much of Time, To Make Much of Time travel blog, Travel Blog, travel blog, travel blog couple, travel photography, travel, Travel Tips, travel photography blog, travel tips, Europe road trip, road trip in Europe, best road trips in Europe, Europe, Northern Europe, Accommodations, Accommodations in the United Kingdom, Accommodations in Scotland, What to expect with Scottish accommodations, how to book accommodations for Scottish road trip, where to stay for Scottish road trip, Where to stay in Edinburgh, Where to stay in the Cairngorms, Where to stay near Aviemore Scotland, Where to stay in Grantown-on-Spey Scotland, where to stay in Portree, where to stay in the Isle of Skye, where to stay in Corpach, where to stay in Fort William, Where to stay in Callander Scotland, weird things in Scottish hotelsComment

Scottish B&B Review: Firhall Highland Bed and Breakfast

Scottish B&B Review: Firhall Highland Bed and Breakfast

Located in the charming Cairngorms National Park, tucked away in the Scottish Highlands is an absolutely fantastic bed and breakfast. We’ve stayed in countless B&Bs over the years and while many are memorable for different reasons, a much smaller number make it to our list of the top places we have stayed. Firhall Highland Bed and Breakfast is one of those special places. We kind of wish we could move in. Permanently. Is that an option?

Scotland Road Trip: Callander (Day 10)

Scotland Road Trip: Callander (Day 10)

Wanting to stay near town and avoid a lot of driving before our long flight and trek home the following day, we spoke with the B&B’s owners to get some recommendations on local hikes. We decided on Bracklinn Falls hike, which begins just a little over a mile outside of the town of Callander.

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Scotland Road Trip: Fort William to Callander (Day 9)

Scotland Road Trip: Fort William to Callander (Day 9)

The ninth day of our road trip took us out of the Corpach/Fort William area, through Glencoe Valley, to the village of Luss on Loch Lomond in the Trossachs National Park and finally to the adorable town of Callander, the last stop of our trip and where we would stay for two nights.

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Scotland Road Trip: Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig (Day 8)

Scotland Road Trip: Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William to Mallaig (Day 8)

Along the route, which is 42 miles out, the train passes over Glenfinnan Viaduct, makes a short stop at the Glenfinnan station, and then passes through Arisaig and culminates in Mallaig, the end of the line and a cute coastal town. Glenfinnan, in addition to being home to the picturesque viaduct, is also where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard in Scotland, the start to his march to retake his throne that would crash down a mere eight months later at Culloden Battlefield, which we had visited earlier on this trip.

Scotland Road Trip: Isle of Skye to Fort William (Day 7)

Scotland Road Trip: Isle of Skye to Fort William (Day 7)

We had seen many people recommending this site online, and it is clearly very popular with visitors. The owners of the land have set up a large, extensive mountainside gravel parking lot which is the only real place to park. I don’t recall the exact price - it wasn’t cheap but wasn’t astronomical either. Some people try parking alongside the road to avoid paying, which given the windy nature of the roads is not the safest (in my opinion), and honestly, if this private land is being used as Scottish law permits, I think the owners should have every right to profit off of it given the significant crowds.

Scotland Road Trip: Isle of Skye (Day 6)

Scotland Road Trip: Isle of Skye (Day 6)

Our plan for the day involved taking a roughly two hour loop road around one of the peninsulas of the Isle of Skye and doing short hikes to places of interest. This loop road around the isle that can get fairly crowded at times, and there are concerns in the area of over-tourism. In our experience, there was not anything like the traffic we have heard about, but this was certainly a fairly popular area and more populated than other parts of our trip.

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Scotland Road Trip: Grantown-on-Spey to Isle of Skye (Day 5)

Scotland Road Trip: Grantown-on-Spey to Isle of Skye (Day 5)

Today involved a long car ride punctuated by several stops at some amazing places; the neolithic burial mounds at Clava Cairns, Culloden Battlefield for a slice of British and Jacobite history, and Loch Ness’s famous Urquhart Castle. Looking back I can’t believe we managed to pack all of this and a four hour car ride into one day!

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Scotland Road Trip: Grantown-on-Spey (Day 4)

Scotland Road Trip: Grantown-on-Spey (Day 4)

No adventure in the Cairngorms would be complete without at least one good hike. After a wonderful breakfast at our B&B we headed out to the remote Glen Feshie for an excellent day spent reveling in the Scottish countryside.