THINGS TO SEE & DO IN BARCELONA WITH KIDS

Hi guys, hope you're all doing well? Safe to say a lot has changed in the last year and I've taken a step back from this blog, whilst adjusting to life in lockdown like a lot of you guys. Now with a light at the end of tunnel and hopefully I can get back to work filming weddings soon, I thought why not publish this post! Especially when travel is more likely this Summer :)

I'm super grateful we managed to have a really nice holiday in Barcelona last February before the world turned upside down! We wanted to somewhere not too far and some place warm, I last visited Barcelona 10 years ago so thought it would be really nice to go back with Hang and little one. We've been away on 4 holidays with our son, which were all beachy/resort holidays with shuttle services etc. So Barcelona was our first city holiday as a family but it was fine, my son had a great time exploring and I wanted to share some tips and things to in Barcelona with kids! Our son was 22 months when we were in Barcelona, which I think was a good age as he understands a lot more and didn't need as many naps.

I was a bit worried about being cooped up in a small hotel but I'm so glad we chose to stay at Midmost Hotel. It's a beautiful boutique hotel near the University area and was ideal as that's where the airport shuttle bus stops. It was also walking distance to a lot of the sights and restaurants, as we didn't want to rely on the metro to get around. There's also a really nice rooftop if you want to get some air and take in the views. We requested a cot in our room but little one preferred to sleep with us in the big bed!

FEATURE WALL NURSERY MAKEOVER WITH PHOTOWALL

Happy New Year everyone! Isn't it crazy to think we're in a new decade? To kick off the new year, I've got a very exciting interiors post (plus discount for you guys) I see so many dreamy nursery decor online but for my little boy, his room was definitely not Pinterest worthy. Even though it's relaxing and child friendly, it lacked style and character and wasn't very inspiring. So when Photowall - a Swedish wall-art company got in touch and asked if I wanted to collaborate, I jumped at the chance to make over the nursery with a feature wall! Firstly I was really inspired from what I saw from Photowall, their wall-art selection from murals, to wallpaper, to canvas prints opened my eyes to a whole new world of interiors and transforming your home. The more I read about the company, I was inspired by their story and passion for quality and creative design as well as giving back to the environment and only printing what they need. 

DAY TRIP FROM IBIZA TO FORMENTERA, BALEARIC ISLAND

I've never heard of Formentera, one of the Balearic Island in Spain until I saw someone posted it on Instagram stories. Next thing I know I'm reading up about this beautiful small island, how it has the best beaches in Europe and only 1 hr ferry ride away from Ibiza - too good to be true! It's a slice of paradise on the Mediterranean and as I read it has a good mix of environmental protection along with tourism. It's not built up and as it's 20 km of beaches, it's easy to explore too :)

I've been thinking about a mini break on my own without my son for a while, I've had a busy Summer with work filming wedding videos and being a full time mum, a getaway was definitely needed! I decided Ibiza would be the perfect getaway, it's only 2.5 hrs flight from London, the weather would still be hot in October and I could do a day trip to Formentera. I was happy to travel alone but asked my sister and she was happy to join me - it's turned out to be a super fun girls trip. Last time we were in Ibiza was for my hen holiday 4 years ago :) I would definitely recommend visiting this island, even if it's only for the day. Here's what we got up to, if you're planning a day trip from Ibzia, I hope you find it useful! 

HOW TO GET THERE

There's no airport on the island, so you can only travel there by boat. We booked tickets via Aquabus on Direct Ferries and for this time of year it was £20 per person. We travelled from Playa d'en Bossa port in Ibiza, which was where we were staying, you can also get the ferry from Ibiza Old Town. We got the 11.30am ferry there and the 6pm ferry back, the sailing time is around 55 minutes. In the off peak season, they run less frequently so check before you travel and in the Summer, pre book as I'm sure it's super busy.

On the morning of our trip, it was particular grey and overcast and when walking up to the harbour we could see how choppy the waters were. We didn't think too much of this but once we settled onto the boat and it was sailing through the high waves, my stomach was literally doing somersaults! The boat was rocking left and right and my sister and I were holding on for dear life. We just had breakfast, which didn't help and everyone on the boat was clutching onto sick bags and looking a little green. I felt so nauseous and exhausted, I wanted to sleep but couldn't rid of the sick feeling and I knew we had a long journey ahead. It reminded me of the horrible boat journey in Bali, which was 2 hours of high speeds and waves! After I threw up 3 times, we finally arrived and I definitely needed to be on flat land! If it's a choppy day, pack some travel sickness tablets and a have a light meal.

EXPLORE

We finally arrived in Formentera and the weather was perfect, blue skies and sunshine. We didn't have too much of an itinerary except have lunch, visited the beaches and hire bikes. I've been to a few islands around Asia and Europe but Formentera felt different, it was tranquil and peaceful, clean and litter free. We walked through the harbour and along the beach front, the views were beautiful as we walked down the sandy paths, with the boats sailing on the water. We ambled along and took in the natural beauty of the island.

LUNCH

I wanted to eat at Beso Beach but was told it was closed - con of travelling off season. Islands I've visited in the past are full of beach front restaurants but it's more quieter here. We walked a long time before we found somewhere to eat (around 30 minutes walk!) There are more restaurant near the harbour but we wanted somewhere by the beach and was happy when we came across Restaurant Tiburon. It was quite busy and there were a lot of reserved signs but luckily we got a table. The menu is a mix of seafood, salads and meat dishes, it was tasty but expensive (€27 euros for pasta!) You're also paying for the location and vibes. We didn't want too eat to late and have a full stomach for the ferry ride back, so bear this in mind if you get sea sick :)

BEACHES

Once we walked out from the main road and though the clearing, our jaws dropped. The view of the beach was just breath taking! I know it sounds cliche but seriously the water was sparkling in the sunshine, it was such a gorgeous turquoise colour - so clean and clear. I've never seen anything like it. The sand wasn't white but the water made up for it and we had fun splashing around, it wasn't crowded with people or sun loungers, which made it a nice chilled and relaxing experience.  

We also explored the cliffs and coves further down the beach, it was amazing to walk down and have a little patch of sand to yourself - I said to my sister it felt like we were in Italy, very Talented Mr Ripley vibes! I wish we had more time to explore different beaches on the Island but we enjoyed the ones we saw.

BIKES

 

There are lots of ways to travel around the island - car, motorbike, quad bikes or push bikes. My sister and I couldn't resist the mint green bikes with the basket, I mean how cute do they look! There are lots of hire shops by the harbour, I would recommend hiring them at the start of your trip to make the must of exploring the island. We only had them for an hr but it was still fun riding them and the paths are wide and clear. It cost us €10 each for the bikes and a fun easy way to get around.

The 5 hours we were there flew by and we could of stayed there longer but it's hard to know how long we needed on a small island. You can stay over and really enjoy the island but a day trip from Ibiza is definitely doable too. I'm so glad I got to experience this beautiful island with my sister. The ferry ride back was thankfully much calmer and we made it back to Ibiza to enjoy Ibiza Old Town in the evening :)

It was great to have a baby free holiday and I missed my little man loads but from what I heard he had lots of fun with Hang and his cousins :) When I came home, he was more interested in the toy I got him than seeing me haha. Have you been to Formentera? I would love to know about your experience!

Feel free to Pin these images on Pinterest for future reference :)

Where's your favourite beach/Island?

Follow Hanhabelle

bloglovin | twitter | instagram | youtube

2 DAYS IN THE NEW FOREST, HAMPSHIRE

I hope you're having a good Summer wherever you are :) Just when I thought Summer was coming to an end, we've been having some glorious sunshine so I'm not packing away my sandals just yet! Over the bank holiday weekend in the UK, we booked 2 days away in the New Forest, Hampshire. I've not been there for over 10 years when I went bike riding with friends, so I figured a trip to the countryside was much needed. We had looked at going to Majorca but who knew a short trip to Spain would be so expensive?!

SUNFLOWER FIELD, WRITTLE ENGLAND

There's something about sunflowers that scream Summer right? These gorgeous golden blooms are now in season popping up all over the place and I was keen to see if there was a field near London! I was planning on visiting Stanhill Farm but I read on their website because of the weather they've not planted sunflowers this year. Then I saw on Insta Writtle Sunflowers, a family run farm selling flowers in Chelmsford, Essex - a perfect Summer's day out!

My sister and I visited the fields yesterday and the weather was gorgeous, it was very quiet and peaceful, a small but blooming field with bees buzzing around and gorgeous wildflowers growing as well. You can buy freshly picked sunflowers £6 per bunch or two for £10. Side note you can't just wander in the fields and take a millions pics for the 'gram ;) you do have to buy flowers, which makes sense! You can also book a professional photography session on 19th August.

The conditions of the sunflowers varies, some were big and full of colour and some were wilted and small but generally they were a very pretty sight. It's a working farm so expect limited facilitates, bumpy grounds, no toilets or cafes but there is parking space. If you're planning on visiting, check their Facebook page for updates. We also explored Chelmsford park afterwards and it had a lovely lake, playground and cafe as well - a perfect Summer's day out :)

Writtle, Chelmsford CM1 3RU

Open Tuesday - Friday, 11am to 5.30pm

Saturday & Sunday 10am to 5.30pm

Have you been to a sunflower field?

Follow Hanhabelle

bloglovin | twitter | instagram | youtube

JARDIN MAJORELLE, MARRAKECH MOROCCO

Yay it finally feels like Summer, hope you guys have been enjoying the sunshine. I've been preparing myself for wedding season and will be busy over the next few months working, so I've been making the most of my free time with my little boy. I've also been trying to finish off blog posts that have been sitting in my draft! I shared a previous post on the beautiful Le Jardin Secret when I was in Marrakech in April and I also wanted to share my visit to Jardin Marjorelle. 

The iconic Jardin Marjorelle is all over Pinterest and Instagram, the bright blue and yellow building and exotic garden are hard to miss! The garden is located outside of the main square of Marrakech and isn't really nearby any other attractions but that doesn't stop the crowds from visiting! The gardens opens at 8am and I arrived around 9.30am and there were already 2 long queues as well as another queue for tour groups. It's 70 Dihram (around £5.70) for entry into the gardens and an extra 30 Dirham if you want to visit inside the museum as well.

When you enter the gardens there's a small fountain with beautiful tiles and lots of people I couldn't move but they quickly disperse and found myself under a bamboo canopy. I wasn't expecting that at all but it was beautiful to see the tall bamboo trees shooting upwards and of course reminded me of the bamboo forest in Japan :) As I made my way through the garden passing all the selfie sticks and cameras, there were lots of cacti trees, exotic plants and flowers. There were birds humming and water tricking, even though it was crowded it felt nice and calm wondering around the garden.

As I walked towards the small pavilion, from there you can see the Majorelle square fountain and Museum in all it's blue beauty! Jacques Majorelle was an artist and transformed the now famous Jardin Majorelle into a living masterpiece. The high maintenance costs of the gardens forced the artists to open to the public in 1947. It wasn't no where near as popular as it is today as it was almost empty (no Instagrammers back then for sure!)

After Morelle passed away, Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge who visited and loved the garden decided to buy the garden and restored it from being sold off and replaced as a hotel. They wanted to make "Jardin Majorelle the most beautiful garden - by respecting the vision of Jacques Majorelle." Isn't that amazing how something can be restored and be such a special and incredibly popular place in Marrakech now?

After Yves Saint Laurent passed away, a memorial was built in his honour as well as the street in front of the garden to be renamed after him. It was really inspiring walking around taking in all the plants, the vivid colours and art deco design. 

I would definitely recommend a visit here if you're in Marrakech. You can easier spend a few hours here - just arrive early before it gets too crowded. The gardens are very well maintained with several workers on site.

I personally preferred Le Jardin Secret (check out my post for more info on this secret garden!) as it was more spacious and I liked the Riad and pavilion but Jardin Majorelle definitely has it's own magical charm!

What do you think of Jardin Majorelle? Have you been to Marrakech?

Follow Hanhabelle

bloglovin | twitter | instagram | youtube