Amsterdam, one of the most popular city travel destinations in Europe, has had a new hotspot for tourists, city hoppers and business travelers since April 2019: the newly opened NH COLLECTION AMSTERDAM FLOWER MARKET in the middle of the vibrant city is convincing, not only because of its urban interior but also because of its welcoming gestures. Moreover, it offers passers-by an impressive view of the special design concept and an exquisite sea of flowers in the foyer through the glass front.
If the sun’s rays wake you up through the window at half past six in the morning and you can hear seagulls in one of the most beautiful and coolest cities in the world at the same time, the day in the Dutch capital can’t start any better. The view above the city from the NHCollectionAmsterdamFlowerMarket Hotel is simply magnificent from every side and different every time as well. We convinced ourselves of this during a tour in the hotel!
A sweet speciality of the house: Lemon mousse with chocolate scramble and blueberries.
The extraordinary taste of the house with the focus on fantastic flower arrangements, the handwriting of the visionaries and the creative there, can be seen in every room and every recreation area. Indeed, it is a wonderful feeling to be able to immerse yourself in a sea of flowers in the early morning, awaiting the guests in the breakfast room, with a promising view outside of the lively hustle and bustle of Amsterdam.
feel the nh collection
“feel unique”
“feel inspired”
“feel the extraordianry”
The NH Collections Amsterdam FlowerMarket is located in a prime location between the city’s typical canals, right next to a historic sightseeing hotspot: the Munttoren. Further sightseeing points are within easy to reach whether by walking along the canals or by public transport. By the way, there is a tram stop right in front of the entrance door of the hotel! The exciting Amsterdam nightlife at Rembrandtplein and Leidseplein is also only a few minutes away.
Tip: Take a culinary walk through the city! Absolutely exciting to see and discover are other houses of the NH Collection Hotels in Amsterdam. Each has its own character and a fantastic range of delicacies for gourmets such as the NHCollectionAmsterdamBarbizonPalace.
Another highlight of the city is the legendary d´VijffVlieghen restaurant. The building alone with its museum-like interior is worth a visit!
A boat tour through Amsterdam is highly recommended! Thus you will not only see some of the architecture of the city in a comfortable way, you will get a lot of information by your guide as well. By the way, did you know why buildings in Amsterdam are crooked? In former times, the houses were built on wooden posts so that they had a foothold on the swampy ground. These rotted with the time and this formed the inclined facades, which we know today. The typical architectural construction of the buildings with a narrow front was created quite simply for tax reasons. The narrower the houses, the lower the taxes. Otherwise the houses became longer and higher.
local fact
It’s forbidden to honk in Amsterdam City! There are also few cars on the streets of Amsterdam. That’s why you can see boats everywhere on the canals. Some of these boats even serve as permanent living spaces or Airbnb flats.
In spite of its historical townscape, Amsterdam is a lively metropolis. Hip, trendy, very suitable for parties, relaxed and nevertheless very culturally rich! A great city to discover it again and again. And of course to fall in love with every single time. Maybe in the new Place to stay the next time?
The much longed-for holiday is imminent, but the weather forecasts are bad. 80% rain on the planned four days of travel! And this in Cyprus, the island that is known as a perfect year-round destination because of its sunny, subtropical Mediterranean climate. This is not how I imagined the coming days! What to do? Cancellations and wasting hours and hours looking for alternatives? No, I’m not doing that. So I simply pack warm clothes and set off on my journey. After all, there is no bad weather, only bad clothing. That’s what we say in the mountains.
And see there, the trip from Larnaka airport to Parklane Resort & Spa at the South coast of Cyprus is not as dull as announced. A few sunbeams and the flowering yellow fennel plants along the streets create a holiday mood.
Welcome with Cypriot sweets
And now for the first time I enjoy the view from my balcony on the 4th floor to the nearby harbour of Limassol and the beach promenade. And I feel very comfortable right away. It is wonderfully quiet here before the approaching sunset.
REISE PARKLANE RESORT & Spa
The Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa is located about 35 minutes from Larnaka Airport and about an hour’s drive from Paphos Airport. There are numerous direct flights from Germany (Frankfurt and Munich), Austria (Vienna), Switzerland and Italy (Milan and Rome) to Larnaka.
Airlines: Lufthansa, Condor, Eurowings, TUI fly, easy jet, Aegean Airlines, Austrian Airlines and Wizz Air, Cyprus Airways, Germania, edelweiss air and Alitalia.
Parklane, Luxury Collection Resort & Spa DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE
Already the entrance to the resort with the special floor tiles in the Cypriot Lefkara pattern suggests a well thought-out design.
The five-star Parklane Resort & Spa opened its doors at the beginning of March 2019 and is located in the middle of a 25 hectare garden landscape on a 300 metre long sandy beach. The team of London architects from Harrods Interiors is responsible for designing the rooms and suites in a modern Cypriot style. The selected luminaires and design objects in the open areas and bedrooms as well as the works of art, which can be admired through the entire resort like in a gallery, are striking.
“Wall wood skupture” by British designer Giles Miller Studio 2,000 wooden discs on a 2 x 8 m long wooden panel“Wallpainting” by the Italian artist Roberto Ruspoli based on a Cypriot legend – Aprodithe and her children
ROOMS AND SUITS at Parklane Resort & Spa
The park suite villa with 3 bedrooms and bathrooms, living room, terrace, garden and private pool on 335 m2 (max. occupancy 6 persons)
PARKLANE RESORT & SPA PRICES
222 rooms & 52 suites
Prices start at € 200,00 for two persons in a superior double room including breakfast.
Various meeting rooms and an 800 square meter ballroom can be rented for conferences and parties.
A concierge and car rental service are also available for guests.
KULINARIK Five restaurants, two bars and an excellent wine list
I’m looking forward to dinner at one of the five restaurants. In this humid weather I feel like eating meat and the restaurant The Grill, the elegant steakhouse in the Parklane is just right for it. The selection of Dry Aged Beef and the side dishes on the evening menu are very tempting. I choose an Irish beef and Head Sommelier George Loukakis recommends a Cypriot red wine YIANNOUDI 2016 Vintage from the wine region Panayia (1.000 m). Everything tastes wonderful.
The wine list of the Parklanes restaurants is impressive and wine gourmets will certainly get their money’s worth with a selection of over 1,000 varieties. 160 wines and also a Domperignon can be ordered individually in the glass.
One of the most precious drops in the wine cellar of Parklane Resort: a French red wine from the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (€ 22.000/bottle).
The next day there will be a cooking course with the chef at The Grill. We look at the preparation of the traditional Fedes with Bulgur and can meanwhile taste two young Cypriot white wines: the Xinisteri from the winery EZOUSA at 1,000 m, a very young, fresh, very fruity white wine and the vasilikon EYNISTEPI 2018 (vines at 600 m).
The recipe
Keftedes (meatballs)
250 g minced pork meat
250 g grated potatoes and well drained potatoes
1 slice of white bread soaked in water
100 g chopped onion
4 EL chopped parsley
1 egg, fresh mint, cinnamon,
½ TL Baking Powder – Salt and Pepper
Plant oil for frying
150 g Bulgur wheat
50 g Vermcelli noodles
50 ml olive oil
100 g chopped onion
1 ripe tomato grated
250 ml warm chicken or vegetable broth
Mix all meatball ingredients well and form into small balls. Fry onion with olive oil until golden brown. Add noodles with noodles and chopped wheat and fry for another minute. Add the warm broth, tomato and salt. Cover and remove from heat. Keep to the side for 30 minutes or until the material is absorbed. Fry the meatballs in hot vegetable oil and serve with the bulgur, fresh salad and tsatsiki.
The restaurant Dafne with terrace to the sea side serves Greek and Cypriot specialties from the grill or wood oven for lunch and dinner. We have twice enjoyed Greek and Cypriot starters and fish dishes in this cosy restaurant. The lamb chops were excellent. Again Cypriot wines, I preferred the dry white wine MOROKNELLA 2018 to a red wine.
THE OUTDOOR RESTAURANTS
Unfortunately due to the bad weather we were not allowed to visit the open-air restaurant Islands. On sunny days you can enjoy Mediterranean fish dishes and seafood. The il Teatro, , which opens already in the morning and offers South Italian delicacies, wood-fired pizza and ice cream until the evening, is also located outside.
All-day refreshing drinks are also available on sunny days at the Vithos Bar outside, not far from the sea and the saltwater pool.
Breakfast at the International Main Restaurant Lanes offers a rich selection of salty and sweet dishes, juices, muesli, fruit and baked goods. My breakfast is very light after the sumptuous dinner.
Lunchtime can be ordered in Lanes à la carte or chosen from the rich buffet according to preferences. One is almost spoilt for choice with so many wonderfully prepared dishes. Fish and meat dishes, traditional dishes, soups, salads and a rarely varied selection of breads for a Mediterranean island. And sweet toothers can eat their fill at the almost endlessly long dessert buffet to their heart’s content.
The The Gallery-Bar is a wonderful place to relax at any time of day and in the evening hours with luxurious afternoon tea, snacks, desserts and sundowner cocktails and sushi. In the evening, smokers can enjoy a Sisha pipe in the cigar lounge on the terrace.
We enjoy another evening in a cosy lounge corner and let ourselves be spoiled with freshly prepared sushi dishes, a taste experience!
As a bedtime treat and the end of a wonderful evening – an excellent tasting Gin-Tonic at the cosy bar of the Gallery-Bar and tips and stories from Sales Manager Panayiotis Markou.
Goodnight in the Parklane – Καληνύχτα
Limassol at 05.30 am
Good morning – kalhmera
The beds are wonderfully quiet with the pleasant linen washing and early in the morning there are a few bruises in the sky. But unfortunately these are only of short duration, afterwards the rain pours down on the balcony windows. But I don’t let this spoil my mood and after breakfast I plan enough time at the Parkfit and at the Kalloni Spa.
SPORT & SPA at PARKFIT
“Never miss a workout day on holiday”
The latest Technogym equipment for strength and endurance training is available at Parkfit Fitnessclub and the rainy day is ideal for a fitness workout, followed by a few lanes in the heated indoor pool (open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.) or a sauna aisle after a swim in the Vithos saltwater pool outdoors.
The spacious garden landscape with Mediterranean plants, flowers, herbs and palms around the outdoor pools on the 300 m long sandy beach surrounding the resort is strikingly beautiful.
In the exclusive Kalloni Spa one finds daily from 9 to 20 o’clock on 3,000 square meters relaxation for body and spirit in the Thalassotherapie basin, the saunas and steam baths. Russian Banya is also offered in the spa suites. In the spa menu you can choose from classical massage to luxurious, partly minimally invasive beauty treatments for face and body. I let myself be pampered with a candle wax massage.
The Carol Joy Hair salon for the perfect hairstyle and a traditional barber for men round off the spa range.
SHOPPING
at Parklane Resort & Spa
“Upscale retail boutiques for a luxury shopping experience”
The Parklane Resort & Spa offers several luxury class shops: The sophisticated guests will find jewelry and watches in the Michaelis Diamond Gallery and a selected clothing assortment in the Parklane Boutique. A small Shop with sweets and magazines is in the basement.
My dress of the Italian designer Ermanno Scervino made of 100% linen feels wonderful and fits like a tailor (€ 600 in the Parklane Boutique).
VALUE OF SEE & EXPANSIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENT
It’s raining and raining and there’s no sun in sight. Since the next days promise only rain, we do not cancel the planned trip to the village Lefkara . Armed with umbrellas we walk through the picturesque old village. It is quiet in the narrow streets, it is off-season and the rain has probably scared off many tourists. Interesting and conspicuous the large selection of silver, jewellery, cutlery and mugs as well as the embroidery with the typical Lefkara pattern on table linen and fabrics.
The port and university town Limassol is only 15 minutes away from the resort. It is the second largest city on the island after the capital Nicosia. The trip there is rainy, melancholic the view to the grey sea. But then we manage to stroll in the dry through the picturesque old town for some time. Here, old and new are mixed up, modern cafes and small boutiques, many galleries, dilapidated houses in the narrow lanes, it smells of soaps and lemon. But at the medieval castle the queue is too long for us, so we stroll on, past the gothic pilgrimage church Panagia Karmiotissa and the town hall with its Art Deco clock tower.
Trip destinations
Kolossi-Burg
the picturesque places Lefkara and Omodos
Ancient cities Amathus and Kourion
Byzantine monasteries and churches in the Troodos Mountains
the Troodos National Park
Tour of wineries with tastings
the cities of Nicosia and Limassol
The last morning is again wet and humid and besides the clock was changed to summer time which caused some confusion for me and many guests.
But now time is pressing and departure is imminent. Recovered and relaxed despite rain and cooler temperatures, full of culinary delights and wonderful impressions we get into a taxi and drive in the light drizzle past yellow flowering fennel plants and isolated mountain villages in the distance, back to the airport to Larnaka.
PARKLANE RESORT & SPA
Contact
+357 25 862000
Parklane, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa
Happy Sunday & best greetings from the summery South Tyrol. Finally 30°! With these beautiful temperatures, the long holiday weekend with my family at home in South Tyrol is coming into being. My grandpa celebrated his 90th birthday, which was enough reason to start the website Journey. Today it is unfortunately back to Berlin.
Today there is a summery look with a knitted top and an artificial leather skirt. That’s not a summery eye-catcher with yellower shoulder bag and this absolute favourite shoes for the summer – my Timberlands.
OUTFIT DEtails
Mango knitted top here Zara fake leather skirt here Timberland classic boat shoes here Pinko bag here
One point you have to do is to discover and and experience the beautiful Portuguese island Madeira on your own! The best way to enjoy Madeira diversity sides is to plan a roadtrip for some days itinerary to discover as many places and corners as possible. The island enchants with magnificent views of magnificent natural landscapes and the vast of the Atlantic Ocean, inspires with typical local cuisine and convinces with open hospitality!
Madeira has springlike temperatures all year round. The name “the island of eternal spring” does not come by chance: due to the pleasant, mild climate, the flowering paradise is gladly visited at any time of the year. However, you should be prepared for every weather situation. It is quite possible that in Madeira you can experience all four sides of the year one after the other in one day! We have visited the beautiful flower island and want to give you a few tasty impessions and tips for a varied trip that will certainly not be forgotten that fast!
Dreamy village Câmara de Lobos
FUNCHAL – FIRST STOP IN THE CAPITAL CITY OF MADEIRA
Madeira’s capital Funchal, surrounded by green mountains and magnificent gardens, is a great starting point to begin your journey around the island. A stroll through the old town towards the Lavradores market hall, offering a wide selection of specialities, fresh seafood and local fruit and vegetables, is well worthwhile. Numerous cafés and restaurants invite you to linger and enjoy. An absolute must is the famous Madeira wine, which you should definitely taste! Want to bet that this wine will end up high on the list of souvenirs? For wine lovers, by the way, there are numerous possibilities for exciting wine tours. A stroll along the Avenida do Mar, the marina, past the famous Christano Ronaldo CR7Museum leads to the next culinary hotspot and unique art object of the stand: the NiniDesignCenter. The historic building in modern splendour offers a magnificent panoramic view of the city of Funchal, scores with its extraordinary interior, refined cuisine and attentive service staff.
local fact
Madeira is famous for its banana plantations. Due to the steep mountain areas, 100 percent of the work here is done by hand without using chemicals.
MADEIRAS WEST COAST – A SIGHTSEEING TOUR OF A SPECIAL KIND
Did you know? Every place and every city in Madeira has a name that has something in common with either nature or religion. It is definitely worthwhile to go on a tour abroad in order to visit the beautiful, decorative and historical places to discover the great natural landscape. Moreover, it is very recommendable and above all convenient to book an organised tour of local providers. You will not miss any secret viewpoints and interesting information about this unique island that way. Of course, you can plan the routes on your own and reach all the tourist hotspots easily with a rented car.
Tramhafte Kullise in Ribeira De Janela
tipp:
Rent a tour with ClassicCars! The operators are incredibly warm and friendly. Enrich the trip with their charm and give you an answer to everything about life and events on Madeira.
MadeirasFischfarm
Some places like the dreamlike Ribeira Da Janela, impressive Seixal, Sao Vicente, the small fishing village Câmara de Lobos, Calheta with its huge and beautiful bay enchant with their beauty and definitely leave an impression. In PortoMoniz a day trip would be optimal: The natural swimming pool created by lava stones invites to a bath and promises an exciting experience! An unbelievably fascinating view of the crashing waves on the protruding rocks is included. Entrance fees are about 1,80 Euro for one hour or the whole day.
nature swimmin pool of PortoMoniz
SPECIAL PROGRAM IM NATURE RESERVES OF MADEIRA
Magical moments can be experienced on a hike in Madeiras laureltree forest. It belongs to the UNESCO World Heritage and is an absolutly must visit! If you are lucky, you will experience the incredible moments in the laurel forest when the sunlight mixes at the same time with the wafts of mist. Pure magic! No less exciting is an off-road tour through the jungle of the island and hikes in the nature-protected Fanal Area.
Magichappens – laurel tree fores of Madeira
adventure roadtripthroughthefascinating FanalArea with Adventureland Madeira
For sports lovers, Madeira offers a wide range of activities to really let off steam: surfing, sailing, diving, mountain biking, stand-up paddling, sailing, paragliding – the list of leisure activities seems to be endless here. No wonder, the tourist public of the island is getting younger and more enthusiastic, which is a great enrichment for the island, because it obviously has a lot to offer!
PORTO SANTO: THE SPA SLAND OF THE FUTURE
We don’t want to withhold a great insider tip: Madeira’s daughter island PortoSanto. The world seems to be completely different here. Slowly, calm and frugal. The eleven kilometres long island is a dream for all those who want to relax far away from all the loud abundance. The “golden island” rightly bears its name: the 9 km long, fine sandy beach is a real tourist magnet. For a relaxing walk in the sand to pleasant sea sounds it is worth to plan some time. By the way well-being: Porto Santo stands for health, because exactly this sand offers special therapeutic qualities.
Sports can be also done here very well. Also going on excursions to discover the beautiful landscape or the sea by boat. The chance to meet dolphin flocks on a boat trip is high and the enthusiasm that makes the experience unforgettable is almost infinite. However, in the centre of the island something else is waiting for the curious: an artificial botanical garden with a colourful variety of exotic bird species is simply great and quite unexpected. During an off-road tour we´ve seen amazing island hotspots and learn that Porto Santo intends to become the “Spa Isle oftentheFuture”. The conditions are there; the power of will and enthusiasm as well. A real treasure in the Atlantic Ocean.
Here the golfer’s heart definitely beats an octave higher!
local fact
On Porto Santo 70 percent of the area is nature protected.
The Portuguese volcanic island Porto Santo can be reached in less than two hours by the ferry, which departs daily from Madeira in the morning and returns in the evening. The island also has its own airport, which flies directly to and from Lisbon. How about a voyage of discovery instead of just reading some of it?
Happy Foodfriday! Herewith I end the silence here on the blog. A new restaurant tip had been pending for some time. Amandine and I visited the newly opened VENUE Café & Bistro in Neukölln a month ago. A cozy café – now I wanted to write “Instagram”-Café, because the interior and food just screams for an Instagram-Post.
Breakfast / Brunch in Berlin VENUE Café & Bistro
The VENUE Café & Bistro serves various breakfast stacks that you can put together as you wish – 3 for 6,90€, 5 for 9,80€, 7 for 12,90€.
You can choose from the categories “Greens” with for example Acovado with cress, almonds and chili oil or “Eggs” with 2 poached organic eggs with chives or different “Dairy”-dishes, like homemade Bircher muesli with fruit or goat cheese with herbs. For the meat and fish lovers there is also a small fine selection of fried bacon or fried merguez, as well as pickled salmon.
We ordered a small selection. Amandine couldn’t help but choose the “Burnt” croissant. It is coloured black with charcoal. Unfortunately it was a bit dry. The normal croissants looked very good.
Venue RÉSUMÉ
We liked the concept very much. The café is lovingly furnished and radiates the beautiful Neuköllner Café Flair, which I like so much. The breakfast stacks were very tasty. A selection of 5 pieces per head was enough for us. We will definitely come back again.
Dreamy village Câmara de Lobos
Tramhafte Kullise in Ribeira De Janela
Madeiras Fischfarm
nature swimmin pool of Porto Moniz
Magic happens – laurel tree fores of Madeira
adventure roadtrip through the fascinating Fanal Area with Adventureland Madeira
Here the golfer’s heart definitely beats an octave higher!
