Well hello to you my reader chums! Sicily has to be one of my favourite places in Italy I've visited to date and I can't wait to explore more of it as it's such a large island. I stayed in Palermo and in the short time I was there, I explored the city and beyond, including the gorgeous town of Cefalù.

Cefalù is one of the prettiest places I've ever visited and a town I'd happily return to over and over. It's a town which encapsulated the vibe of Sicily, matched with its beauty and food scene. If you're staying in Palermo and looking for a new place to visit, Cefalù should be top of your list and here's why.

The short distance to Palermo

When flying into Italy, typically visitors either go to Palermo or Catania as the two most popular places (although there are other, smaller airports to choose from). From Palermo, Cefalù is only around a 45-minute journey on the train - and goes by super quickly. The Italian train system is a winner for all and one of my favourite ways to explore Italy because it's cheap, fast, super clean and easy to find your way. A round ticket to Cefalù from Palermo is around the £12 mark and tickets can either be bought online or at the station. 

Just look out for the board at the station for which of the trains go to Cefalù and you'll be there in no time. When you arrive in the town, the main hub is under a 10-minute walk away and a wonder to the eyes.

Gorgeous sandy beaches

Get your sandy beach fix in Cefalù. The town boasts a long stretch of golden sands, right next to the town's main hub with stunning views out to the ocean. It's got a combination of sunlounger beaches and stretches of sand to do your own thing. The water is super clear and honestly, the entire beach looks and feels like pure heaven. You could easily spend hours soaking up the Italian sunshine on the sands.

Cute Italian town vibe about it

I don't think I've fallen in love with an Italian town as quickly as I did with Cefalù. Palermo has a complete old-school and rustic appeal to it, whilst Cefalù does have hints of that with a slightly fresher look, and it's picture-perfect in every way. The town boasts many quaint, cobblestone walkways, packed with restaurants, gelato shops, cafes and boutique shops; there was so much to see. I was only there for a few hours but could have easily spent the day or more getting to grips with the local town, its people and the food scene.

Its rich history 

Food is heaven in Italy and I can honestly say in Sicily that pride shines through every meal I ate, and Cefalù was no different. The level of food there was varied and fresh and I could feel the heart of it as the scent lingered out of every restaurant. There are many markets selling fresh produce, plus local wineries serving up Sicilian wine. I definitely had one of the best gelatos during my time in Cefalù from a place called Piccolo Gelato - and I want to eat that ice cream all over again.

I hope you enjoyed this post. Have you considered visiting Cefalù?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Sicily won my heart over in every way and I wish nothing more than to go back and explore the island. On my trip, I was based in Palermo, one of the two biggest cities on the island, located in the northwest part.

Palermo had a completely rustic, old-school, Italian charm about it, which I adored. Its rich history, incredible food scene, stunning architecture and distance to local beaches were a dream. If you're planning a trip to Palermo, here is everything you need to know.

There are no beaches in Palermo itself

Sicily is renowned for its coastline, however, it's worth noting, that despite Palermo being one of the most popular cities, it doesn't have its own beach. Despite that, it's not too far from surrounding beaches and coastal spots. The most popular beach is Mondello, a half-hour bus ride away or Cefalù, a 45-minute train journey away. It's worth keeping in mind if you want an exclusive Sicilian beach getaway. You should probably then consider one of the other beach cities/towns and do a day trip to Palermo.

You can get the train/bus from the airport (cheaply)

Taxis in Italy are expensive across the board and that is why, wherever you go, I always recommend utilising the public transport system. From the airport, you can easily either get the shuttle bus or the train. The bus takes around 40 minutes and costs 6 euro, whilst the train takes around an hour and is about 11 euro.

It's a hub for food markets

Sicilian cuisine is one of my dreams. As the home of pasta alla norma, arancini, granita and cannolis, you're spoilt for choice in trying plenty of good food, made the Italian way. It's hard to eat badly in Sicily, even in a popular place like Palermo, the food is gorgeous. One thing Palermo is renowned for is the food markets, such as Mercato Ballarò and Mercato del Capo. The markets are full of life, packed with fresh local produce and plenty of street food including the famous arancini.

It's a poorer place (like all of Sicily)

Going to Palermo, was my first time in southern Italy, as I've usually travelled around northern/mid-Italy and I could really see the difference in wealth. Sicily is a lot poorer than many of the other popular Italian cities and that's reflected in some of its buildings, and probably why the food is a lot cheaper too. It had much more of a communal feel about it though, a true Italian love - I adored it.

You can pretty much get around on foot

Palermo is a very walkable city, so if you're fit, I'd recommend making your way on foot. That way too, you can discover the hidden walkways, more residential vibes and tucked-away restaurants. It adds more adventure to your trip overall - and you never know what you might find. I absolutely loved having a mooch around the city, because not only was it free, it made me fall in love with the place even more.

Accommodation is cheap

I was pleasantly surprised when booking Palermo how cheap the accommodation was overall and the variety on offer, even in the main hub of everything. There are definitely accommodation options for each budget, I paid £225 for 4 nights for my boyfriend and me, and our apartment was huge and only minutes away from the main hub.

Flights aren't that often 

Something I noticed when booking flights to Palermo is it's actually not a common place to fly compared to all the other popular Italian locations such as Florence or Bologna. They didn't have flights every day or multiple times throughout the day with different airlines. Also, when our flight got delayed to the next day, it was harder to reschedule as they didn't fly there too often.

Cash is handy to have

Although the card was widely accepted, I would say cash was a lot more beneficial in Palermo because of the street markets and buying smaller items such as water all the time. Plus, it comes in handy because if a place only accepts cash, you won't need to pay a transaction fee on the ATM machine.

It's worth knowing some Italian phrases

This may sound like a weird thing to say but Palermo was very Italian. What I mean by this is the locals wouldn't openly speak English to you or many weren't that strong with English. They would speak to you in Italian and expect you to understand  - and when you didn't, they'll begin speaking English. Due to this, I would highly recommend learning a few phrases of common things to say. Italians are often offended when you don't try to use their own language.

Italians dine later

This is more of a general rule of thumb across Italy but still good to note: that Italians dine later. Most restaurants won't really open until around 7pm in the evening and you'll often still see people dining as late as 10pm at night. Dinner in Italy is a social occasion after all.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other tips would you add?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! There's no better feeling than being utterly obsessed with a book, so much so, that you can't wait to find out what happens - and that's how I felt about The Hunting Party. I'm a huge thriller fan because I love the build-up, the suspense and the twists and turns you wouldn't expect. It leaves me on the edge of my seat wanting more.

If you're searching for an incredible thriller, here is my full review of The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley.

Plotline

The story follows a group of old friends as they stay in a remote hunting lodge, deep in the Scottish wilderness over the New Year period, to ring in 2019. The group know each other from their school and university days and this includes several couples and a singleton. During their stay, one of them is found dead, and it's not an accident. There's a murderer amongst the friends, but who is it?

Characters and relationships

One of my favourite ways books are written is when the perspective changes between different characters as I find it paces the novel quicker and builds more suspense, and really helps me understand more about the characters. The book did exactly that, telling the perspective of a few of the friends including Katie, Miranda, Emma, and the two people who worked at the lodge, Heather and Doug.

My favourite character had to be Katie. The more I learnt about her and how she lived in the shadow of Miranda, the more I resonated with and liked how normal and lovely she seemed. Miranda on the other hand, I wasn't a fan of. She came across as a big bully, someone who liked to control the situation and be the centre of attention, causing drama. Not exactly, someone, you'd like to have around and although I learnt she did it because of her own insecurities, it still made me angry for the other characters.

Emma is an interesting character and to be honest, I didn't really get her. She seemed a bit too perfect and too nice throughout the course of the book and had a disliking towards Katie which was strange. Katie and Miranda had an odd relationship, Miranda made out as if Katie was her project, their entire life since school and now Katie didn't want to be in Miranda's full attention - and I loved that for her.

The two lodge workers were completely different. My heart went out to Heather because the way she told her story, I could feel the heartbreak she went through, to arrive in such a place and work in the middle of nowhere. Doug, as a character had a lot more depth than met the eye.

The other friends were an interesting bunch and an odd group.

Overall thoughts

Overall, I haven't felt this excited about a book in a very long time. There was something about the character development, how the short chapters were mapped out and the many twists and turns changing my opinion constantly, which hooked me in. It's probably one of the best murder mystery books I've read. I loved the descriptions of the setting and how much detail the author went into. I love how there was so much focus on the character's history and how they all knew each other. And, I loved how the layers of their history came together to create drama and unveil completely unexpected surprises.

Honestly, I'm obsessed with the book. It had everything a good thriller needs: the right level of suspense, paced out fast enough to hook you in, but slow enough to give things away at the right time. The change of character's perspective really moved the novel in a way which I loved and added depth.

It's a book I'd happily recommend to everyone!

Ending

The ending was as genius as the rest of the book. As I said, throughout the book, there were so many twists and turns and many potential suspects and victims, I didn't know what the ending will be. However, when it came to it, it's as if the novel came together and everything spoken about previously, just made sense.

I hope you enjoyed this book review. What's next on your TBR pile?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Sicily is a gorgeous part of Italy and a place I'm grateful to have finally experienced a dose of (and now I'm incredibly eager to go back and see more of it). I flew into Palermo and spent just under 3 days exploring (due to a flight delay) the best of the city and beyond - and wish I could have had longer as there were plenty of things to see, do and EAT. 

If you're new to Palermo or planning a trip there soon, here are the best things to see and do in Palermo, Sicily.

Things to do in Palermo

Mooching around the cobbled streets

Palermo has a rustic and true Italian vibe throughout with its colourful, traditional buildings, cobbled streets and residential homes. I adored walking around the city, discovering new streets, new buildings, restaurants and shops in my path. It's as if each section had its own personality and I could see the different eras of history jumping out. You could easily spend a few hours or even a day walking around to get a feel of the place.

Drinks in the port area

Palermo doesn't have any beaches of its own, however, it is home to a gorgeous harbour/port area. I would recommend having a little mooch around the port to see it in all its beauty, especially if it's a blue-sky day, and grab lunch to eat by it. Or alternatively, visit the Nauto bar, which has a mini beach next to the port and overlooks most of the city - you can get a drink and admire the views.

Palermo Cathedral

Built in 1184, this cathedral is probably one of the most important sights to visit when in the city - not to mention how stunning it is, inside and out! The cathedral is huge and I loved being able to mooch around it and see different eras of history pop out through its design. The cathedral is free to visit, however, if you'd like to see the tombs, treasury and crypts, it's around 7 euros.

Palazzo Dei Normanni

The Royal Palace also known as Norman Palace is a UNESCO heritage site and a must-see when exploring the city. I would say it's a pretty pricey attraction, costing around 19 euros each. However, it's an activity which will take up a good few hours of your day with its church, galleries, gardens and palace itself to explore.

Explore the churches 

Visiting churches is one of my favourite things to do when in Italy because I love to admire the different architecture. The few worth visiting in Palermo are Chiesi del Gesu, Chiesa di San Cataldo and Chiesa Di Santa Caterina. The most important one to see would be the Chiesa di Santa Caterina because of all its historical influences and sheer beauty.

Visit the famous food markets

Italy is where it's at for food and Sicily lived up to every expectation of the south. Palermo is renowned for its vibrant, loud and delicious food markets selling all kinds of fresh produce from juices, fruit, and arancini, to fish and meat - and the atmosphere is something truly unique. The two most famous ones are Mercato del Capo and Mercato Ballaro.

Fall in love with its food scene 

The Sicilian food scene is a true wonder and I definitely want to go back and eat my way around the island. The Sicilians are renowned for their arancini, pasta alla norma, granita brioche for breakfast, gelato, caponata, cannolis and many more delicious choices. You can't really eat badly in Palermo as the majority of the food is made authentically and fresh, living up to the expectation of how the Sicilians treat their food: with love.

Explore the quaint shops

Palermo featured many beautiful shops to mooch in from jewellery to homemade items and I loved the variety on offer, and the opportunity to see what the locals have created. It's definitely worth having a walk around and seeing what quaint shops you can discover - and hitting up the high street ones too if you fancy a shopping spree.

Villa Giulia

This gorgeous park, I stumbled upon unexpectantly as my boyfriend pointed it out and it was a fab place to stroll around and have a little sit-down. The park was lined with manicured trees, endless shrubbery and colourful flowers.

Day trips/excursions from Palermo

Mondello Beach

The most popular day trip from Palermo is Mondello Beach because it's the nearest beach to the city. It's around a half-hour bus journey from the city and costs 1-2 euros for a single trip ( a bargain if you ask me). You'll need to take the 806 bus in the direction of Mondello. The Mondello Beach was absolutely stunning and even though pretty packed, the majority of it was full of locals. Its sands were white and the sea, crystal clear. The area itself had that beach holiday vibe to it with gelato stalls and beach restaurants.

Bagheria/Aspra

Sicily has to be one of the most gorgeous places I've explored as the authentic vibe never really left throughout every place I visited during my time there. Bagheria was a tiny town/village and only took around 15 minutes and cost a couple of euros. I wouldn't say the town had a lot to see as it was very residential, however, its architecture and the main stretch of shops/restaurants were lovely to mooch around. Aspra however, the coastal area, about a 40-minute walk from Bagheria was phenomenal. It had that rustic, Italian coastal vibe about it, boasting old-school restaurants and the sunset of dreams. 

Cefalù was my favourite excursion out of the three during my stay in Palermo. It takes around 45 minutes on the train and costs 12 euros each. Once I arrived, the place looked like a dreamy postcard, I couldn't believe how phenomenal the coastline looked; the gorgeous cobbled walkways and views. I could have easily spent all day, even days exploring the local restaurant scene, eating gelato and lapping the sunshine up on the beach. I would go back here in a heartbeat.

Where to eat

Ferro Di Cavallo

I had to queue for this restaurant and it was worth every minute of waiting. The pasta alla norma here was a dish I've been dreaming about ever since. Paired with arancini for starters and a glass of white wine, I would love to visit this place over and over - and try more of their delicious menu. It had a family-run, traditional appeal about it which I adored.

Balata

This restaurant had a modern, hipster atmosphere and an Italian tapas kind of menu, which gave us the opportunity to sample some of the traditional dishes. The food here was divine and accompanied by live music, it was a complete experience! I especially loved the Sicilian-style aubergine rolls - if I could only eat one side dish for the rest of my life, it would be that.

Ricci E Capricci

Overlooking the beach in Aspra, this traditional pizzeria had everything we could have wanted in pizza. The atmosphere, the views and the quality of the food were top-notch - I would love to try more of their pizzas.

How to get around the city

Palermo as a whole is easily accessible by foot. You're able to walk to all the main attractions (if you're able to of course) and find hidden gems that way too. Public transport is super easy to navigate around and cheap too - perfect if you don't fancy a lot of walking or want to go on the many incredible day trips available.

I hope you enjoyed this travel post. Where would you like to visit next?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! Confidence is one of those things in life we all struggle with, whether you were a shy child, struggle with social interactions or don't have confidence in yourself, it's a skill we can all learn. The thing about confidence is, that it can be an act for many people and is genuinely down to not caring what people think to come across as confident.

If you're struggling with confidence or are on the route to building your confidence, here are a couple of reasons why confidence is so important.

It gives you the belief in yourself

We all deserve to have belief in ourselves. We are the only person we can rely on and honestly upon, that in itself is the reason we truly deserve that feeling of knowing our worth, hyping ourselves up and having confidence in ourselves. Confidence is the thing which helps us have belief in ourselves. Got a dream you want to pursue? Confidence will give you the push. Have a cool outfit you want to wear? It's the confidence that'll help you rock it with style. Got a presentation at work? Confidence will help you boss it.

Confidence is an underrated skill but one which is at the crux of everything. This confidence can be built and typically will come with age but there are things you can do to help boost it such as affirmations, talking kindly to yourself and generally, just focusing on you and who you are with no influence of anyone else.

Instils the idea you're good enough

Confidence is your biggest hype person as it's the thing which instils the idea in you, that you are good enough. You are worthy of your dreams. You are worthy of that outfit. You are worthy of love and every opportunity. Confidence is the stepping stone to believing all those things. It's the voice in your head which gives you that extra push.

Because you deserve to be confident with who you are

The most important reason for having confidence is because you deserve to be who you are, love who that is and live an authentic life. Life really is too short to be worrying about what the world thinks of you or if you're on the right path. At the end of the day, we're all a little bit lost and unsure of what the future holds but that's the beauty of it - you just need to have the confidence it'll all work out for you. You deserve everything you desire.

Nobody thinks about you as much as you think of them

This is something I speak about all the time because it's something I'm still learning myself, and trying to implement in my thought process every day. I can assure you, nobody is thinking about what you're doing as much as you - so do what you want. Apply for the job, wear the outfit, post the Tik Tok, and start the business. Do all the things that those opinions and lack of confidence are holding you back from doing.

It motivates you to do better

Confidence is a force within us which pushes us to do better. When you're stepping out of your comfort zone, it's the confidence in you that pushes you further. Confidence is important for that reason because, without it, you won't be able to grow and develop as much as you deserve in your everyday life.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What other reasons do you have?

Thank you for reading <3

 Well hello to you my reader chums! As many of you know, I'm the biggest advocate for self-love. I believe we all deserve to fall in love with ourselves over and over again. We all deserve to appreciate the uniqueness of who we are and flaunt it off to the world.

Self-love is something I've been working on for the longest time and I have to admit, it's still a work in progress, which I can imagine is the same for most people. Self-love is a journey, not a destination. We're all constantly changing and that means learning to love every new version of ourselves.

I recently turned 26 and in the spirit of self-love, I thought it would be a lovely idea to talk about the 26 things I've learnt to love about myself in 26 years.

 My blue eyes

I thought I would begin it on a physical note and talk about my blue eyes. Growing up, if someone asks what my favourite feature was, I'd always say my eyes and still do. I adore how bright blue they are, how much they stand out and how people can be drawn to them. As I have brown hair, I think it's a lovely distinction too - and also I love how blue eyes run in my family and I received that trait.

Passion for writing

Writing is my thing. I adore everything about words. From a young age, I knew I wanted to be a writer, it was something innately in me as if it was a part of me somehow. I loved how I could create my own story from the wonder of words or change someone's day, purely based on words they've read - it wowed me, and still does. That passion has forever remained and I love how I've used it, and worked on it throughout my whole life, in this blog, in my job and in books I've written.

My anxiety

Anyone who has anxiety can relate to having a love-hate relationship with it. For years, I hated my anxiety, I hated the fact I had it and it was a part of me and it made me feel like a complete burden on everyone around me. However, recently, I've learned to love it because it is a part of me and without it, I wouldn't be who I was today. It has helped me strive for things, work even harder to push myself out of my comfort zone, made me a lot more empathetic towards others and taught me many things.

My creativity

I adore how creative I am. My creativity is something I'm proud to have because it has driven my dreams and goals, and continued to help me fall in love with passions over and over. It's the reason I love the work I do.

My kind heart 

If you can be anything, be kind. This is the mantra I've always lived my life by because in a world with so much hate, it's important to be the good in it and help others see that. I've been through things like many of us have and it has only made me want to be nicer to those around me and strangers too - as really you don't know what someone is going through. My kind heart is something many people compliment me on and I feel so touched when they do.

Passion for adventuring and seeing the world

It's no secret my biggest love in life is travelling and experiencing all the wonderful things the world has to offer us. I adore hopping on a plane and seeing what's out there, planning my next trip and discovering the unknown. There's always more to see and it'll forever fascinate me.

My figure

I've had a love-hate relationship with my body for as long as I can remember. However, it's definitely something I've learn to accept and love as I grew into my twenties, with practicing self-care and training my brain to be kind to myself.

My determination

One thing which has always struck me about myself is the level of determination I have. I've always had big goals and big dreams, and once I set my mind to something, I'll go out my way to do it. I don't know where this level of determination came from but it makes me feel proud everyday to know I'm working towards things I love.

My family and friends

This isn't necessarily about me but your vibe does attract your tribe. And I think as I've been evolving through my self love journey, I've learnt to love and appreciate the people around me even more than I did. I'm incredibly grateful to be surrounded by incredibly supportive family and friends.

My home town

My roots are a part of me and even though when I was a teenager, I didn't think where I came from was 'good enough' as it was a poorer place and judged by many outsiders, as an adult, I've fallen in love with where I'm from. And, it's the reason of who I am today and is a part of me somehow. I adore the many beaches on my doorstep, how I have family and friends nearby and really, the community feel.

Love of books 

This leads to my passion for writing. Without my love of books, I don't think I would have wanted to be a writer. From a young age, my nose was always in a book and I loved how I could immerse myself into a fictional world - and today, that magic is still apparent with every book I read.

My unlimited dreams

I've always been  big dreamer because really, why not? There are many people who have said I dream too big and it's unrealistic, but I love that. I love how I have high hopes and see all these positive things happening now and in my future. It helps motivate me even more and be even prouder of how far I've come.

My desire for helping people

We all deserve to have love all around us. We all deserve to feel good enough. This is my motivation for wanting to help people around me and beyond that. I want people to feel welcomed, loved and good enough.

My love for the planet

I've spoken about sustainability a lot in my blog because it means a lot to me to take care of the wonderful thing that is our planet. I love that I've always had this passion within me and as I've gotten older, it's become more prominent in how I live my everyday life.

My sweet tooth

I'm a massive chocoholic, I always have been. It kind of became the running joke in my family of my love for chocolate and still is. I adore all things sweet and can't really go to any restaurant without wanting to have a dessert.

My love for food

My love for food wasn't always as great as it is now for many reasons, including how fussy I was and my body image. However, now I've learnt to love the power of good food and crave nothing more than trying new dishes and cuisines.

My obsession with Italy

I'm in love with Italy and this love has definitely grown a lot more in my adult life. I'm part Italian but never really learnt or expressed that part of myself until I got into my twenties, and the more I have, the more I've fallen in love with my roots.

The causes which mean the most to me

I'm an advocate for many things and I think for years, I was embarrassed by that. However, as I've gotten more confident and learned the power of self-love, I've embraced standing up for what I believe in and educating people. I'm a massive feminist, huge advocate for mental health and the planet.

My pride in being a woman

Growing up, being a girl was always seen as a negative or 'wimpy' thing but as I've gotten older, I realised how strong my feminist voice was from a young age - and the power that is being a woman. Women are strong, stronger than we realise and I admire them in many ways. I couldn't be more prouder to be a woman.

My love for the beach

I've been a beach baby my whole life but I don't think I really appreciate my love of it until I got older. It's incredible peaceful and the beach way of life is apart of me and I'm so lucky to say that - and call it home.

My organisational skills

There's nothing more joyful than keeping on top of things and staying organised. I used to think it was weird and I seemed like a control freak, but now I adore how organised I am. I love to plan things and have everything ready in advance - it makes me feel a lot more peaceful.

My dry sense of humour

I've always had a dry sense of humour, I get it from my dad's side of the family and it's definitely something I've grown to love a lot more. I wouldn't describe myself as being funny but I am one of those people who are funny unintentionally.

My love for baking

My mum would bake with my siblings and me from a young age so the love of baking really grew from there and led me to starting my own baking business. There's no better feeling than making something from scratch and it tasting epic.

My healing journey

Healing is a hard thing to do and something I've spoken about a lot on this blog. It isn't linear and comes in waves. Even though it's hard, I've learn to love it because it's the reason I'm strong today and it's made me work even harder for the amazing life I have now.

My brown hair

In my teenage years and even into adulthood, I always thought being blonde was prettier but now I've realised the beauty in my brown locks and get a little upset that I put my hair through the ombre way of life so it looked part blonde.

I hope you enjoyed this post. What's one thing you love about yourself?

Thank you for reading <3