I arrived on Iraklia, an unspoiled island in the Cyclades, with little idea of what to expect. Most people have heard of its busier and more popular neighbours, Mykonos and Santorini. However, Iraklia is small—comprised of just a handful of …
Things to do in Gävle, Sweden
Gävle, located just a few hours north of Stockholm, is a city often overlooked by Swedes. It’s visited even less by international tourists, and while first impressions might make Gävle’s absence from Sweden’s list of ‘Must-See’ places unsurprising, this small …
Wellness Retreat: The Dalecarlia Hotel and Spa
After a hard few months, I finally got to enjoy a relaxing spa weekend at the Dalecarlia Hotel in Dalarna, Sweden.
Little did I know, when I was floating in a hot tub overlooking Lake Siljan last weekend, that the …
Celebrate Fettisdagen with a Semla
Today is fettisdagen in Sweden, which means that the mostly-lagom Swedes will help themselves to a semla, or two or three. Semlor are rather large bread rolls filled with mandelmassa (almond paste), cardamom, and a very generous dollop of …
Julbocken: the Swedish Tradition that Usually Goes up in Flames
“Runway ready! How do I look?” tweets Gävlebocken, the official social media account of Sweden’s famous Christmas goat. Indeed, he’s not only famous in Sweden: according to the Guinness Book of Records, Gävle’s Julbocken is the world’s largest …
Enjoying the Swedish Summer in Öregrund
With over 3,000 kilometres of coastline, Sweden has plenty of coastal towns; and, although the most beautiful beaches are in the south, the east coast has many gems. The Stockholm Archipelago is a great place to begin if you are …
Åre: an Autumn Visit to Sweden’s Most Famous Ski Resort
With Covid still limiting overseas travel, I have travelled locally in Sweden over the past few months. Recently, I’ve been to Sundsvall, Västerås, Kristianstad and Stockholm. My favourite trip, however, was Åre, a lakeside ski-resort 600 km north of …
Malmö: Sweden’s Gateway to Europe
As the gateway to Europe, Malmö ‘s youthful, cosmopolitan vibe is distinctive from other Swedish cities. During the summer, tourists flood the city beach, and residents stroll through leafy parks or run along the beachfront promenade. Everybody cycles, the network …
Eating My Way Around the US
With my visit to the US coinciding with the fourth of July, I hoped to experience at least two of the ‘four Fs’ that form the tip of the cultural iceberg: food and festivals. I’m sure that fashion and flags …
Čičmany: Slovakia’s Charming Gingerbread Houses
Čičmany in central Slovakia comes straight from the pages of a fairy-tale book. The picturesque village sits in a verdant meadow surrounded by pine forests, but this is not what makes it so delightful. What’s more striking is the way …
Kayaking on the Danube in Bratislava
Peeping through the trees ahead of me, the iconic shape of the castle reminds me that although I am kayaking in the countryside, I’m actually still in the city. That’s the beauty of Bratislava, one of the world’s smallest capitals; …
Lofoten: A Winter’s Dream
Waking long before daylight, we found our car concealed beneath the icy shroud of the first winter snowfall. Once outside and puffing impatiently into my hands to enjoy a momentary sensation of warmth, I opened the door shattering the icy …
Clothes May Be Optional, but Masks Are Not!
Approaching a large metal gate crossing our path, my friend whispered ‘Do you think we can walk here?’
‘Well, it’s open, and there’s no sign saying we can’t’, I replied, trying to sound more confident than I felt. …
Lockdown! A Teacher’s Thoughts on the Corona Pandemic
It’s been 26 days since my world shut down. It’s been far longer for others.
It began slowly. Back, in January, news of an unknown virus in China reached us here in Europe. I barely took any notice – SARS, …
The Hidden Dangers of Quarantine
Stay indoors. Stay safe, they said. They’re right, of course: if you stay indoors you won’t catch Coronavirus, and – more importantly – you can’t spread it. But what I didn’t know is that being trapped indoors by myself …
Love in the Time of Coronavirus
With coronavirus currently decimating the travel industry, it’s a good time to write about my life as an international teacher instead. I don’t write frequently, because I can’t travel full-time like I’d hoped I would when I first started Runawaybrit. …
A Surprise Birthday Trip to Budapest
I left work on Friday with my bag packed for a surprise birthday trip. All I had been told was that the bus departed at 4pm and I would need my passport. Of course, I had a few guesses about …
Why You Should Visit the Bratislava Christmas Markets This Season
Once again, Christmas—the most wonderful time of the year—is upon us; and Bratislava just burst into life with festive crooners singing jovially of snow, sleigh-bells and chestnuts roasting on open fires. Ridiculously cute wooden cabins have sprung up around Historic …
Cyprus: Birthplace of a Goddess
Most people visit Cyprus during the summer, but you shouldn’t avoid this charming Mediterranean island during low season. Known for being the birthplace of Aphrodite: the Goddess of Beauty, Cyprus has much to love – even in winter.
Winter Sun
…
Why I Love Working in Europe (And Never Want to Leave)
Recently, I’ve been reflecting on why I love living in Europe out of all the places I could go. And, yes: publishing this post as Britain perches precariously on the brink of Brexit is ironic. Having worked in Vietnam, India, …