Town of Kotor and the Caves of Montenegro

Montenegro was the last stop-off of the Adriatic cruise. A speed boat trip took us around the coast  line of the miniature country viewing the clusters of identical villages that sit on the edge on the mountains. The speed boat trip led us to the caves similar to the infamous Algarve caves but on a smaller scale. We swam in the water of caves which was a great experience that I'm so glad I did; because of how deep the water was it would normally hold me back (not a strong swimmer ha). The rest of the speed boat trip took us to one of the popular beaches which was peaceful to relax similar to  those in Croatia: crystal clear waters and sea life.

The port we stopped off at was near to the town of Kotor. This is a very old traditional town that has welcomed tourists with its culture despite it's close-knit community. Many shops were selling original pieces of artwork and jewellery prided by the local artists that I myself bought which pictures the typical homes of Montenegro as illustrated in the images below. 

Overall photos do not do any justice to the beauty of this country. It is breathtaking to be surrounded by mountains wherever you are and I thought my book (see image below) that I was reading was fitting to the location. Excellent book by the way but who am I to recommend books, read Emily's blog for that ;) 

The Caves of Montenegro

The old town of Kotor

Beautiful Coastline and Homes

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini

Thank you for reading! -apinchofsaffron xx

Krka National Park & Islands of Music, Croatia

The Krka National Park is one of the most stunning natural places I have visited and is a taste of paradise. We travelled from the port of Split in Croatia to the National Park which is open to the public either to walk about or take a dip in the waterfalls. The Krka Waterfalls is the jewel of the national park as you can literally swim under the waterfalls yet it was packed with locals, tourists and there are strong currents therefore you can't get too close. The currents may pull you along the refreshing (but slightly mucky) water and the surface of the floor is very rocky however, that does not sidetrack from the natural beauty and enjoyment at this National Park.

The second day in Croatia was spent in Dubrovnik on a tour of the Elaphite Islands: Lopud, Šipan and Kolocep Island. The tour was named Islands of Music as we travelled by pirate boat, (looked like one) with traditional Croatian music playing sailing the seas: an idyllic scene. The islands, as illustrated in the images, are truly beautiful. The waters are crystal clear so as to see the minute fishes swimming nearby the white sandy beaches. The islands are an extremely calming place to stay as it is not packed with people, due to the size of population, nor packed with cars. As the islands are relatively small your legs are the main transportation or alternatively, bicycles with a small crate attached for storage (or smaller passengers). Šipan Island provides the most undisturbed atmosphere yet it is not a place of affluence. The houses often lack a lavish appearance because in the past it was thought to ward off pirates as they appeared not to be worth stealing from! Overall these islands are a tranquil escape from the city life, only 30 minutes from Dubrovnik, worth a day-trip or longer.  

Krka National Park 

Krka Waterfalls 

Kolocep Island Harbour 

Šipan Island Harbour 

Šipan Island Homes 

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Black, White and the colours of Burano

Printed Playsuit: Primark 

Leather Backpack: Accesorize 

Leather Coral Sandals: Primark 

Circle Sunglasses: Matalan

-apinchofsaffron x

Murano, Burano and St.Marks, Venice

Firstly, in the beautiful Venice, we went to the island of Murano; famous for the traditional Murano glass making. I witnessed the art of the glass-blowing in the showroom of a family-owned, yet established, shop that showcased the finest pieces of glass from delicate jewellery to golden encrusted vases. If you are interested in this art and want to buy the Murano glass the best place to get it is definitely on the island. The certified stamp of Murano confirms it is the 'real deal' and is often cheaper than buying it in St. Marks square!  

The Burano island is widely known for the lace-making and the distinguishable colourful houses upon approval. The unique colours of each individual house is so that fisherman would be able to navigate in thick fog when primary industry, fishing, dominated and was the main source of income for the Islanders. Many pizzerias can be found in Burano but the recommendation would be to try the local pastry 'bussolà', a sweet lemon-flavoured biscuit.

St. Marks square is really worth all the fuss. Aside from the jam-packed streets, the architecture in the square is magnificent in its structure and history. Sadly there was not time for gondolas (they're a fortune anyways) but I wish we had longer in Venice. We rushed to see the iconic Pier Rialto but ended up on the bridge, getting one photograph with the scaffolding in and rushed back again. A weekend trip to Venice, personally, would be enough time to explore the sights more fully which I hope to do soon, in the near future. 

Murano Glass-making Showcase 

Coloured houses of Burano Island 

St. Marks Square

Hidden Canals 

Pier Rialto Bridge 

Thanks for reading! -apinchosaffron x