Our trip to Bari was a bright ray of sunshine that we really needed during the long Lithuanian winter. The warm weather, beautiful buildings, great food, and lively atmosphere put a smile on my face and gave me the endurance to survive the rest of the winter. One of the best things to do in Bari is wander the city and enjoy the affordable local food including the fabulous street food.

Keep in mind that in Bari, as in many other places in Italy, restaurants open around 12 for lunch and close in the afternoon, then reopen again around 6 or 7 pm. This can be difficult when traveling with a perpetually hungry toddler, so we opted to snack a lot when out and cook dinner at home. In general, food prices were inexpensive -- we even ordered a pizza to go for 3.50 EUR!

Where to eat:

Pasticceria Boccia: Located near our comfortable Airbnb apartment rental, Pasticceria Boccia seemed to be a local hang out. Coffee lovers would belly-up to the bar to order an espresso and a fluffy, sweet brioche. The meringues were also amazing and had a surprising number of flavors. The staff were super helpful, kind, and friendly and the prices were great. Find Pasticceria Boccia on C.so Sonnio, Bari.

Pasticceria Portoghese: Located in the old town, Pasticceria Portoghese is a delicious bakery selling cookies and other Portuguese sweets. The cookie sandwiches were delicious and melted in the mouth. Pasticceria Portoghese is located on Via Giovanni Modugno 29D.

Pasticceria and Bistro Salvatore Petriella: Located in one of the several stunning opera buildings in Bari, this pasticceria was seriously to die for. Though a bit pricier than elsewhere, the dainty cakes were beautiful and incredibly tasty. I have to suggest the pistachio desserts and pistachio filled croissant -- so good. The interior of the cafe was beautiful, making it a perfect place for a date, and the outdoor seating was ample enough for relaxing while people-watching. They also have sandwiches and light lunch options. Stop by for amazing treats at Via Fanelli, 207, 70125 Bari, Italy.

Panificio Fiore: Panificio Fiore is a little stand-up shop for homemade Apulian specialties. From focaccia to fried cornbread and spinach frittatas, Panificio Fiore was a perfect stop for a quick lunch. The woman running the shop reminded me of a stereotypical Italian grandmother and she even said "mamma mia" when she touched something hot. It was wonderful! Find them on Str. Palazzo di Città, 38, 70122 Bari, Italy.

 

Gadi: Gadi is a delicious gelato popsicle shop with numerous dairy-free options. The best thing though, is that the pops can be dipped into a fountain of melted dark chocolate and subsequently rolled in nuts or desiccated coconut. They also have swirl your own soft serve gelato and other mix-ins. Via Niccolò Piccinni, 14, 70122 Bari, Italy.

 

Gelateria Gentile: What would a trip to Italy be if you skipped traditional gelato? Located right across from the beautiful Castello Normanno Svevo, Gelateria Gentile served very rich, boldly flavored gelatos. The pistachio was really good, as was the regular chocolate (the dark chocolate was a bit too strong for me). They also featured numerous lactose-free gelato options. Find it at Piazza Federico II di Svevia, 34, 70122 Bari, Italy.

Where to shop:

As I mentioned in my last post about Bari, the city was surprisingly large and featured a huge amount of shopping. Think major brand names like H&M, the Disney Store, Zara, United Colors of Benetton, Sephora, and high-end shops way, way out of my budget. But those stores aren't my focus when shopping at home or while traveling; I'm all about the local stores. While I don't generally shop a lot, I did find two wonderful stores.

Fuecu: Fuecu is a gorgeous shoe store selling handmade Italian shoes and when I visited, had amazing sales. Stop by their shop on Corso Vittorio Emanuele II, 72.

Citta del Sole Bari: When traveling with kids, it becomes a must to stop into at least one toy store when traveling. It is even fun for us adults to check out the cool toys available in different countries, and perhaps make a sneaky purchase to reveal during the flight (what kid doesn't love a new toy). Citta del Sole featured a section with children's books in Italian, games, plush toys for babies, manipulatives for toddlers, and activity books and games for older children. It also had a great selection of plastic animals. Find Citta del Sole on Via Nicolò Putignani, 14/A, 70121 Bari, Italy.


Where else do you suggest eating in Bari? What is your favorite Italian street food? 

Sip, swirl, swish, and savor your way to serenity at one of eastern Connecticut's fabulous wineries. Who knew that such good grapes could be grown in Connecticut's cold winters and hot summers -- not me, that is for sure! Connecticut is considered one of the fastest growing wine regions in the US, something the state's Tourism Department has taken full advantage of by creating a Connecticut Wine Trail.

Though I prefer beer to wine, over the past few visits back to Connecticut, I've had the chance to visit some of Connecticut's fine vineyards and wineries for tastings. There are certainly many more on my list that I'm dying to visit, but that will have to wait until a longer trip.

Wine Tastings in eastern Connecticut:

Maugle Sierra Vineyards, Ledyard

 

J, my sister, and I went to Maugle Sierra Vineyards for a wine tasting on a weekday afternoon right before Christmas. Despite it being the holidays, the hours were convenient and there was a steady flow of people coming in to purchase wines. In between helping customers, the kind bartender was knitting what looked to be a very nice Christmas gift. 

After checking things out, we headed up to the bar for our tasting. For a reasonable price of $12 per person, we were able to try six pre-selected wines including three whites, a rose, and two reds. I know its trendy, but I really don't like roses, and no surprise here since that was my least favorite of the bunch. Though I typically go for smoky or chocolatey reds, I actually preferred the Ledyard Sunset White, which had a surprisingly creamy taste to it. It was also a big hit at Christmas dinner.

 

Saltwater Farm Vineyard, Stonington

 

Though I was heavily pregnant when J and I visited for a tasting, Saltwater Farm Vineyard has to be my favorite of the two. I've written a full review here, but in short, the grounds were stunning and their 2013 Estate Merlot was really amazing with notes of smoke and clove. 

Before visiting, however, you should note that Saltwater Farm Vineyard is only open seasonally and will re-open on April 15. If you want to try Saltwater Farm's wines, they have recently opened the very Instagrammable M/Bar in downtown Mystic. I happened to pop by while I was in CT this past December to try a few things, but I can't say I was blown away by the food or coffee; it may be best to just stick to that merlot!

Where else to try?

Stonington Vineyard is number one on my list of places to try on our next visit to Connecticut. Their tastings are $12 per person and include six wines. Tours are also available.

Land of Nod Vineyards in East Canaan is also top on my list. 

If you happen to be in Connecticut but prefer beer, let me suggest These Guys Brewing Co. in Norwich. It's a bit pricey, but totally worth it!

Have you been to any vineyards in Connecticut? Would you think of Connecticut as wine country?

We spent an absolutely wonderful 9ish days in The Netherlands. I was impressed by the beauty of the country, the diversity of people, and how nice everyone was! We started our trip with 5 days in Rotterdam, not because there was more we wanted to see in Rotterdam, but because accommodations were much more affordable. Nonetheless, Rotterdam is an enjoyable city with impressive architecture and really had some fun things to do and see. A family taking a leisurely trip could easily see the sites below over a two-day city break.

What to Do and See:

Rotterdam Zoo: I can't say that I'm the hugest fan of zoos, but the Rotterdam Zoo gets great ratings, so I thought it would be a nice way to spend the day with Baby ISO. Many of the animals were now in their indoor enclosures, which certainly weren't as nice as the outdoor environments. Most of the park, however, wasn't too bad and Baby ISO seemed pretty amazed to see the different animals. Keep in mind that the Rotterdam Zoo is HUGE and you could easily spend all day, especially if you bring lunch along with you.

Museum Park: Though we didn't actually visit any of the museums in Rotterdam, we enjoyed a walk in Museum Park. We didn't find many parks in Rotterdam, so it was nice to get to a green space and let Baby ISO run around.

Het Park: Het Park is a giant park located slightly outside of the central city area. It is easy to walk to and is absolutely gorgeous. It was a great place to run around and play in the grass. There was also a really nice looking cafe in the park and an interesting wooden church.

Cool Architecture: Everywhere I looked in Rotterdam I was just amazed by the architecture. From the stunning Markthal Rotterdam, which was like a giant middle finger to a potential EU regulation, to the Cube Houses, Erasmusbrug, Rotterdam Central Station, and De Rotterdam, everything was shiny, new, and unique. I was also pleasantly surprised to see a giant, beautiful mosque among the skyscrapers If you love architecture, I bet that you'd love wandering Rotterdam.

Street Art: At first, I didn't notice much street art in Rotterdam, but as we wandered different parts of the city, I saw more and more awesome works. Many of my favorite pieces were on or near Witte de Withstraat, which also boasted numerous cool stores, cafes, and restaurants.

Floating Forest: Okay, this is pretty cool! After eating some snacks at the hip Fenix Food Factory (see below), we wandered along the water to the Floating Forest. The Floating Forest was inspired by a piece by the artist Jorge Bakker and consists of about twenty trees happily growing while floating in the water. I love the idea that cities can be greener with just a bit of innovation and creativity!

Where to Eat and Drink:

Fenix Food Factory: Fenix Food Factory is an indoor food market featuring restaurant stalls and cafes. Vendors also sold locally grown, fresh vegetables, Dutch cheeses, meat, and spices. I have to recommend getting a cheese plate from Booij Kaasmakers and a coffee from Stielman Coffee Roasters. The cheese plate featured five AMAZING cheeses and the coffee was necessary for the chilly day. I've written an article about what else you can find at Fenix Food Factory for Trip101, so feel free to check it out for additional tips and information!

Markthal Rotterdam: I mentioned the Markthal above, but in my opinion it deserves its own description. The Markthal is awesome. It is full to bursting with incredible prepared food options, cafes, bakeries, fresh fruit and veggies, and so much more. The food highlights for me were the Asian grocery store and Madam Cocos' coconut macaroons (get the original flavor). As expected, food was a bit pricey, so if you are on a budget, it may be best to only get snacks at the market.

Before visiting the Markthal, I honestly thought that all of the photos of the colorful ceiling were photoshopped to look brighter, but that wasn't the case. The ceiling is so vibrant that you can even clearly see the fruits, vegetables, and buildings from outside!

The Tea Lab: Things in Rotterdam didn't open until pretty late, but we luckily found The Tea Lab open earlier than most places. Located on Westewagenstraat 80, The Tea Lab had delicious cakes, teas, and coffees in a bright space that I bet would be great for working.

Bas Bakt: Located on Hartmanstraat 22a, Bas Bakt was my favorite cafe/breakfast spot that we tried in Rotterdam. The staff were incredibly friendly and one of the women had an adorable puppy hanging out while she worked. I found the prices to be reasonable here as well -- we spent 10 euros on two coffees, a ham and cheese croissant, macaroon, and a loaf of Dutch breakfast bread.

Lokaal: We visited Lokaal because it was on the hipster/design city map called Rotterday. Although the coffee was good and the carrot cake was delicious, the staff were clearly annoyed to have to stop their conversation to take our order. At this point in my life, I'd rather drink average coffee and talk to nice people than drink excellent coffee staffed by someone rude. If you'd like to try Lokaal for yourself, you can find it on Raampoortstraat 34b.

Little V: When people asked what I ate in Rotterdam, I answered Vietnamese food. Whenever traveling outside of the Baltics, I'm always looking for delicious flavors that we can't get here. In Rotterdam, we found Little V, which was such a cool restaurant with amazing pho and bun. They also had a reasonably large kid's play area, which is great for kids before or after the meal. You can find Little V on Grotekerkplein.

de Pelgrim: Instead of taking a day trip to The Hague, we decided to walk to Delftshavn on the outskirts of Rotterdam. In Delftshavn, try lunch at Pelgrim, which is Rotterdam's brewery. By the time they opened (everything really does open late!), we were starving and ordered pretty giant meals for ourselves and a separate meal for Baby ISO (he was hungry, too!). J went for a burger, but I wanted something a bit different and opted for the brouwerslunch, which was kind of like a cold, spicy meatloaf on a bread with cheese soup. It was really good! You can find Pelgrim on Aelbrechtskolk 12.

Where To Shop:

Although we didn't do a ton of shopping in Rotterdam, we did find a few places that I have to share.

Sweet Rebels: Sweet Rebels is the coolest vintage store ever. They had a wonderful selection of clothes and accessories for women and the prices were reasonable. I'm pretty sure my sister will be loving her Christmas gift from here!

Klein Beginnen & Grooot: If you are pregnant or have young kids of your own (or kids you like to shop for), you must visit Klein Beginnen & Grooot. They have a huge selection of actually nice looking clothes for pregnant women, cool toys, and baby accessories like cribs, strollers, and more. J and I both loved this store. You can find Klein Beginnen & Grooot on Hartmansstraat 24-26.

Getting To Rotterdam:

It is simple to get to Rotterdam from Amsterdam Schipol Airport as there are numerous trains connecting Schipol to Rotterdam Central. Tickets cost approximately 12.20 euros per person (for adults) and trains leave frequently.

Other Tips:

Public transportation: Enter trams at the very last entrance for space for a stroller. Trams are reasonably pricey (3 euro per ride per adult), so we walked a lot to save money.

Where to stay: We stayed in an Airbnb outside of the city center, but I wished we had stayed a bit closer. J and I decided that our ideal location would have been by the Maritime Museum or around Museum Square.

Places open late, so if you wake up early like we do, plan ahead and have coffee and breakfast available at your accommodation. Expect most cafes, restaurants, and activities to open around 12. There are some exceptions, but this seemed to be the norm.



What other tips do you have for Rotterdam? Have you visited Rotterdam before? Did you like this shiny city?

I'm linking up with Mummy Travels for #CityTripping. I'm linking up with Faraway Files.