Discover important info on how to house sit in a foreign language destination: be prepared with safety tips for you and the pets in your care!
In this episode of Freedom and Four Paws, we share our experience around preparing for house and pet sitting in a foreign language destination – that is, for us, a place where English is not the first language spoken.
Watch on and discover some of our favourite resources, tips and tricks for learning the language, experiencing the culture, facing embarrassment, and importantly, surviving in an emergency or crisis situation.
How to house sit in a foreign language destination
Ultimately, our top five critical tips for house and pet sitting in a foreign language destination are:
Know where you’re staying. Make sure you have the address written down and with you both on your phone and on your person. This is important in case you you lose your phone or the battery dies.
Make sure you know what the emergency services number is in the country where you’re staying, e.g. 000, 111, 999.
Download key apps before you head off so they’re ready to go on the ground. For example, Google Translate, and your favourite language app.
Always ask what you should do if you get locked out, and what to do if the pet gets sick. Make sure you know what the plan is! Also that there are emergency contacts who will be able to communicate with you.
Just practice: give it a go, say hello, or hola, as the case may be.
We’d love to know what your tips and experience is in this space – let us know in the comments
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Malta is an incredible place which offers a lot to practically anyone who wants to stay. But what do you need to think about when it comes to where to stay in Malta? There’s a variety of choices across a wide space, so the choice might be tricky. Luckily there are some absolutely incredible parts of Malta to stay and any one of them can be a great choice for you. Let’s take a look at five of the best places to stay in Malta to help you decide.
Our top 5 picks: where to stay in Malta
Mellieħa Bay
The first place that we want to take a look at is Mellieħa Bay. This is a very relaxed locale with beautiful scenery and a palpable sense of chill. Beaches, coastal areas and modern accommodation and dining all await the guests of this choice. I’d recommend it for people who want to have a very chilled out and relaxing holiday, because it’s really something special.
Recommended:
For just a few euro, we spent the day lazing about at Ray’s Lido. Sleep on a day bed, enjoy some bubbles, read a book and watch the world go by.
Valletta
If you’re not interested in a chilled out holiday, then it might be a good idea to invest in Valletta. The old capital city of Malta, this is a wonderful place to visit because there’s so much to do. There’s a lot of great history, shopping opportunities and dining chances. You just have to make sure that you have researched the public transport links because trust me, it can get busy!
Valletta is convenient because it’s central. The island’s buses all head into here, and from here you can reach other areas of Malta on public transport. Find out more about things to do here.
Sliema/St Julians
This wonderful waterfront promenade is home to our third destination for people to stay in Malta, and it’s the best place to stay in Malta if you want lively nightlife. This is the bar and club area, which is worthwhile for anyone who wants to enjoy themselves in the evenings!
Along the Sliema waterfront you’ll also find a beautiful boardwalk for walking, running, exploring; and there’s great bars along there with afternoon cocktail and meal deals.
St Paul’s Bay
St Paul’s Bay can be looked at more as a resort than anything else. Set around a picturesque bay, find an ocean front apartment to stay in for a chilled-out break. As far as options on where to stay in Malta, this area offers newer accommodation, a bit like Mellieħa Bay further around the coastline. It’s a great option if you’re seeking a beach holiday, rather than a city break, which is what Valletta offers.
Gozo Island
Gozo Island is a wonderful location which offers a charm all its own. It’s an island, and has its own city and customs which you can enjoy. It’s still quite near the mainland so you don’t have to worry about whether or not you can enjoy all of Malta. There’s easy transportation on and off the island, which is good for people who want to come back and forth at their leisure.
You can catch a ferry between Malta and Gozo from various points on Malta. Sometimes accommodation deals are cheaper on Gozo, which is why we’ve included it as one of our best options on where to stay in Malta.
These are five areas in Malta I would recommend that you consider basing yourself. They’re all stunning. For another perspective, we like this local’s guide on where to stay in Malta.
It’s so important to have somewhere to stay that works for you as a traveller – what kind of trip to you want (active, chilled), and what are your transport options? These will feed into where to choose. For further tips on the best places to stay in Malta, take a look at this guide, or drop us a line in the comments with your questions.
Malta video guides
👉Watch our vlogs on Malta for more travel inspiration. They went viral on Facebook 🌞
The White Isle, a magical place on the Mediterranean. We love it 😃 Here’s our pick of the best beach clubs Ibiza you need to experience!
Sunset Ashram
Cala Conta, San Josep
We wandered up to the front entrance not thinking too much of it. Of course, we guessed it might be kinda cool – we were standing on top of a small clifftop and ocean surrounded us, after all. But, we had no idea the spectacle we’d receive inside! Crystal blue and aqua ocean all around; diners, drinkers, beach-goers. And a DJ playing sweet house tunes. Blissful.
Sunset Ashram is a little out of the way so you’re best to get there in a car. But, you have to go at least once. The location is stunning. Just have a look in my Ibiza Insta Stories!
Not for the expensive part, but for the stylish bit.
This is your stereotypical up-market Ibiza beach club. Beautiful people laze about drinking Moet. The beach is sandy white and spectacular. Inside the decor is classy and breezy. A nice experience, if you’re into this scene.
Go on…
Babylon Beach Bar
Santa Eulalia
When you’re done at Wednesday’s huge hippy market in Es Canar, pop into Babylon. It’s about ten minutes drive away. We got there at lunch time and to our happy surprise there were places to sit, have a cool drink and enjoy the view. You do have to pay for the day beds though, which is where it gets pricey.
Babylon is more of a laid back yet stylish beach club in Ibiza, set in a peaceful cove. Definitely one of our favourites.
Kumharas
San Antonio Bay
In a fun little corner of Ibiza, not far from Sant Antonio, Kumharas is set right on the beach. It’s known for its hippy-chic vibe. Prices for food and drinks are comparatively better than other Ibiza beach clubs.
This is one for a ‘lil dance on the beach as the sun sets.
El Chiringuito
Es Cavallet
Stylish, secluded with serene ocean views – this one is set on a hot sandy beach ⛱ Start the day with Yoga at the far end of the beach, then settle in for a relaxed day filled with good vibes.
This option is more private – if you too love a secret beach, have a read here for more of the world’s best.
Ushuaïa
Playa d’en Bossa
Some may say it’s over-rated, but we had a brilliant time when we inadvertently stumbled into this beach club.
Bright colours, even brighter personalities, music, great cocktails and all set on the beach.
It’s easy to while away a few hours in bubbly bliss here.
These are 6 of our favourites. We’re aware there’s plenty more awesome beach clubs in Ibiza though. Ibiza Spotlight highlights a few more if you’re keen to look around.
Have other tips or questions? Let us know in the comments.
So many dazzling attractions, but its food and wine stand out as favourites of ours, so wine tasting in Italy is always an experience we pursue. Wine, like food (and we’ve touched on food tours in Italy here) tells the story of the land, people and culture. Italy is an exciting country, producing all types of famous drops.
Discovering your perfect wine tasting in Italy experience
With so many options for wine tasting in Italy, where should you start? The country is a big producer of reds, whites and sparkling. You could choose your adventure based on region that you want to visit. Or choose the region based on the wines you want to taste.
A particularly helpful blog on the wine regions in Italy is linked here. It includes an infographic/map and explanations of the types of wines on offer.
Tuscany is obviously very famous, and to stay among the vineyards here is a real treat. We had the chance to visit Tuscany and its wineries a couple of years ago and highly recommend the experience. There’s so much to do though, we need to go back with a bigger and brighter plan!
This year we travelled through the Lombardy and Veneto producing regions. Take a look at the map linked above for more. In Verona we tried some delicious reds from around the region.
In Venice we went to a Prosecco tasting. Some were local blends and others came from Bologna.
We feel there are three simple ways you can discover wines on your trip to Italy.
Winery tours
Wineries are all over Italy, and a great way to get stuck into wine tasting here. Tuscany is a prime example, but you’ll need to know how you want to do it. We needed to drive a lot there, which isn’t ideal if you’re doing a lot of wine tasting in Italy. You can contact wineries in the regions you’re going to, to find out when they’re open and how to take part in tastings. Alternatively, you could search for bus tours (day trip or longer) that take in a number of options.
Destinations tourism websites often offer helpful advice as a first step. But do some research on blogs or YouTube to see if you can uncover smaller local offerings that will give you an even more unique experience.
Wine tasting in Italy at vineyards and wineries is a wonderful opportunity to get underneath the skin of the business. Many of these places are family run with centuries of history behind the land and brand. You learn about production and grape types, and will walk away with a true appreciation for wine production.
Walking tours
If you’re short on time but want a snapshot of the industry in a particular town, look out for short tours or tastings.
In Verona and Venice, Airbnb suggested inexpensive options that were wonderful for a few reasons:
We made new local friends and supported their businesses
They showed us around their back streets and to places we’d never have found on our own on a short break away
We tasted local wines and learnt about the place through the stories of our hosts.
Many local experiences are showing up like this now, if you ask around on TripAdvisor, search Viator, and read tourism websites, Facebook groups, or blogs.
In-store experiences
On our travels through Italy I also spotted that many little boutique bars or wine stores offered their own tastings. Admittedly, our Prosecco tasting experience in Venice, while good value and served lovely food and drinks, wasn’t exactly personal. We wanted to learn more about the bubbles we were trying.
That said, plenty of options were on offer through Airbnb, and all over the place (as referenced above), or you could search a hashtag on Instagram for inspiration. Our Prosecco experience was still enjoyable, and it’s a fun way to spend a couple of hours.
These simple tastings are great because they’re in the location where you area already, they’re usually good value for money, and you may even find a favourite boutique store or bar in the process.
Do you have questions, tips or advice on this subject? Let us know in the comments
Varying images may be conjured in your mind when considering a romantic Romeo and Juliet setting. Perhaps your view is bright and Baz Luhrmann like? Or, splashes of a fabulous stage version you’ve seen somewhere around the world – a ballet?
While I do love all that is this most famous of stories (especially Leo and Claire circa 1996), I hope you’re with me in picturing Verona as the true setting of Romeo and Juliet.
Over the years Verona, Italy kept popping into our sphere. We finally scheduled a trip due to so many friends mentioning the place!
Verona is an easy city to walk around. It’s ideal for a long weekend away, or a longer trip of three or four days.
We incorporated Verona into our train trip itinerary, where we started in Milan and finished in Venice.
There’s plenty of things to do in Verona. It’s not an overwhelming amount of choice though, which we liked.
First of all, there’s Juliet’s balcony Verona, an important part of the Romeo and Juliet narrative here. It’s pretty touristy, but a sentimental must-do in Verona.
For a list of the best things to do in Verona, read on…
Romeo and Juliet setting
If you’re a fan of William Shakespeare as I am, you’ll be interested in this spot as the original Romeo and Juliet setting.
You may want to book additional time in the area to explore other Shakespearean links because did you know Shakespeare set a third of his plays in Italy?
His most famous works are set in Verona, plus nearby Padua, Venice and Rome. It’s not known whether Shakespeare had the chance to visit Italy in his life, but he certainly dreamt of it as a location.
Interesting resources on ‘Shakespeare’s Italy’ include:
Research published by the British Library in London. This link explores “how Italian geography, literature, culture and politics influenced the plots and atmosphere of many of Shakespeare’s plays”.
Juliet’s balcony Verona
Verona is described as one of the most romantic cities in Italy, for the reason that it brings to life the setting for Romeo and Juliet. It is beautiful, and doesn’t disappoint.
Every day, crowds make their way through a narrow archway in the old town, that leads into a small courtyard of a 14th Century residence said to be Juliet’s house.
‘Secretaries of Juliet’ reply to letters from all over the world from this very space and advise on matters of the heart in a wide variety of languages.
Another nice thing to do if you don’t hit a huge line of people, is pay the small entry fee to get into the house. It’s fun because you to can go up to Juliet’s balcony Verona and get a photo taken. Head inside the old house, explore, walk out onto the balcony and recite a line from the play.
Or not.
Also remember to take marker (pen). You can add your love note to the millions already scrawled along the walls outside the house.
In need of a little luck? Legend has it that if you touch the right breast of Juliet’s statue underneath Juliet’s balcony in Verona, you’ll find your true love. Every little bit helps, right?!
Things to do in Verona, Italy
Verona itself is a delight.
“A city built on hills arranged like banks of theatre seats.” (BBC Travel)
From its romantic Adige River that runs through the middle of town, linked by pretty bridges to the beautifully maintained ‘old town’. It’s straight out of a Shakespearean romance.
Juliet’s balcony Verona is just one of the things to see here. Another of Verona’s unavoidable wonders is the sublime old town market square, Piazza delle Erbe.
The medieval walls have been beautifully taken care of, and as a result showcase some of the city’s finest architecture and ancient frescoes. They set the scene for a market and dining spot that – while mostly geared towards tourists – has been a meeting spot for people for centuries. That’s pretty special, we think.
Within the square you’ll find the Venetian lion, which has gazed upon visitors since 1405. It was put there to remind residents that Venice was in charge (at that point, anyway).
Look up and around – everywhere
Always look up in old cities. Here, you’ll eventually spot a famous whale’s rib that’s been hanging from an iron chain since at least the 1700s. Legend goes that the whale rib will not fall until a person who has never told a lie walks underneath it.
It’ll probably stay there for a while then. The rib has not fallen, despite Popes and kings testing it.
A little less whimsical is the fact that the rib was likely a souvenir brought home to Verona from the orient by spice traders.
The best things to do in Verona include walking around and exploring along the riverbank, cross bridges, browse in old churches and generally be curious.
We’d advise getting out of the main part of the old town for a better deal on food and coffee. Walk across one of the bridges and see what’s on the other side.
More great things to see in Verona:
Castel St Pietro, positioned on the hill above Verona. You can walk up for a look. It’s a mysterious fort that boasts cypress tree-lined avenue and offers a spectacular view across the city.
Piazza dei Signori, a quiet, beautiful old square boasting lovely medieval arches and architecture.
Toree dei Lamberti. Construction begun on this tower in 1171. You’ll spot it from the Piazza delle Erbe. In the Middle Ages, such towers would have helped to organise life, because the bell would ring to signal a fire, summon war councils and let people know it was time to finish work.
Shopping in the Centro Storico, full of fabulous fashion and gorgeous Italian things to splurge on.
Basilica di San Zeno Maggiore, ‘containing’ the crypt where Romeo and Juliet got married. It’s a typical example of Romanesque architecture with 12th Century bronze doors and a ‘wheel of fortune’ rose window.
Juliet’s tomb, housed in a 13th-century Franciscan convent. This is where Juliet died in the play. People pay tribute here to Juliet and Shakespeare. Even Charles Dickens visited.
Castelvecchio, is the most important military construction of the Scaliger dynasty that ruled Verona in the Middle Ages.
Unmissable is the Verona Arena, a 1st Century open-air Roman amphitheatre that’s still fully operational. Locals and visitors can enjoy opera and concerts in the unique space.
Not only is it one of the best preserved ancient structures in the world, it’s touted as being one of the ten most beautiful places in the world that you could see a live show! The stone structures here have seen everything from gladiator games and jousting competitions to Adele and Elton John in concert.
Verona things to see and do: travel tip
Finally, we’d suggest you book a local experience to get the best out of the place. In Venice and Verona we purchased a walking tour with food experience. Our Verona option was an evening wander with Wonderful Verona.
Across three hours our host, Jessica, introduced us to Verona’s popular and secret sights, while pouring healthy glasses of local wines in choice locations. We’re all pictured above. It was very hard to leave Verona, thanks to this lovely localised experience and our stylish ‘dream loft’ Airbnb.
Got questions or a tip to add? Let us know in the comments below
I had to dig around to find out how to get to Lake Como easily and cheaply, only to discover the Milan to Varenna train trip was my answer.
In the hope we can save someone else the hassle of figuring out how to see Lake Como and Bellagio in a day trip from Milan, details are here.
Why take the Milan to Varenna train route to Lake Como?
We’ve been lucky enough to explore various parts of Italy previously. Rome is excellent, as are Florence, Siena and Tuscany. I didn’t know my way around this area though. I’d been inspired by a colleague at work who suggested getting around Italy by train. On planning a week away in April, Cooper and I chose an itinerary of Milan to Verona to Venice.
Lake Como is close to Milan, the fashion and business capital of Italy. We knew we’d be flying into Milan, and didn’t want to miss the Lakes region.
At first I considered a guided day tour to Lake Como. It’s a viable yet expensive option. Most of these day trips are about ten to twelve hours long – that’s a big day.
We settled on taking the train from Milan to Varenna, a village on the shores of Lake Como, because:
It’s an easy trip from Milan Central station, just over an hour
It’s inexpensive at just over €6 each way
Taking the ferry to Bellagio from here is easy and inexpensive
Varenna is also a pretty little town on the lake.
How to book and board Milan to Varenna train return
Our tickets were booked through thetrainline.com. I have the Trainline app on my phone that stores the tickets for display at the station or on board.
You’ll book from Milano Centrale (Milano Central station) to Varenna-Esino station.
I booked our fares for specific leave and return times. But, we just missed our train on the Sunday morning and staff said it was fine to take the next one, scheduled an hour later.
Our experience with Milan and Varenna train stations has been that they’re not very well signed. Platforms and trains can be hard to identify. If you’re taking the Milan to Varenna train return trip, give yourself time to get it right.
As we encountered a rainy day, we decided to go back to Milan an hour early. The trains going back are not signed well either. Additionally, they weren’t running to time. Little did we know, the day to follow this, the train to Verona ended up departing ten minutes before our stated ticket time.
At Varenna, we got on the wrong train. In a panic we got off at the next stop, a deserted platform. Fortunately, we could walk back to Varenna in about twenty minutes along the lakeside.
It’s not a big deal, but double check and give yourself time.
Why Lake Como?
Lake Como is the third largest lake in the lake district of Italy. That is behind Garda, which you can spot on the train ride to Varona, and Maggiore. It’s 46km long and at its widest is about 4.5km.
Imagine, snow capped mountains and a mystical body of water, home to centuries-old history and celebrities from near and far. Ferries glide in and out of hills that look like islands rising out of the deep blue. Pink and yellow buildings are tucked together along the bottom edge of the mountains. They’re divided every now and then by an ancient church steeple. Other homes line sections further up these hills. Their views must be marvellous, one can only imagine.
It’s all so pretty, almost looks like they’ve been drawn on. A real life oil painting on a canvas that’s kilometres long.
Roads, rail and tunnels are carved into sheer rock cliffs. Sculpted gardens are set along the waterfront with their Roman statues and water fountains. Little birds dance along cafe tables hoping for crumbs. Dogs chase ducks as clouds float down from the sky. The air is fresh and the world at peace. It’s as lovely as I imagined, and you’ll want to visit here too, trust us.
Exploring Varenna on a day trip from Milan to Lake Como
Varenna is situated in the Lombardy region. It’s very pretty and conveniently is only a five minute walk from the Varenna train station. The village is picture-postcard beautiful with sweet winding alleyways and waterfront dining.
It’s easy to wander up and down the hills and along the lake’s edge, although wear comfortable shoes because the stairways are long and steep.
The option to travel from Milan to Varenna on the train proved a happy escape from the bustle of Milan. Even though we had a rainy day, the place was beautiful – worthwhile.
Getting to Bellagio from Varenna
Many people say Bellagio is the gem of lake Como. It’s a pretty village jutting out into Lake Como and is included on most day trip itineraries to Lake Como from Milan. It’s popular for cobbled lanes and elegant buildings.
It was our intention to visit Bellagio on our day trip from Milan via Varenna. By the time we arrived though, it was pouring rain so we chose to explore Varenna instead. No regrets.
There’s plenty of questions and some confusion on Tripadvisor about how to get to Bellagio and when the ferries go.
Most information is difficult to understand as it’s in Italian and the official website is hard to navigate. Take it from me (I like to be organised), don’t worry at all about it.
The ferry costs about €5 each way, and runs every 30 or 40 minutes. It’s slightly less frequent in winter, but the ferry terminal is manned and there’s plenty to do in Varenna while you wait to board.
The ferry dock taking you on a short trip to Bellagio is on the waterfront about five minutes from the Varenna train station. You can’t miss it. If the day is clear, you’ll be fortunate to see gorgeous views of the colourful buildings on the hills surrounding the lake.
Questions or comments…
I hope this answers any of your queries or concerns about how to do a self-guided day trip on the train from Milan to Lake Como.
Varenna is a lovely option for its views, ease and style. It’s really simple to get to and from Bellagio. We spoke to the ferry team to clarify this. The train (if you don’t miss it) is comfortable and quick. A paid tour costs a fortune and hours out of your day. Even if you don’t go to Bellagio, Varenna is a beautiful glimpse into the tranquillity that is Lake Como. Despite rain and a number of missed trains, this day out was close to perfect.
On this week long trip, we travelled across the country to Verona and Venice on the train. Click the links to find out more.
Got questions or a tip to add? Let us know in the comments below
Welcome! We are Sarah + Cooper, Aussie expats living in the UK with our Westie dog, London. We like to inspire on how to travel for longer and to live and work from anywhere. Our most popular content here is about seeing the world with your pet, remote working & digital nomadism, and house + pet sitting. Create a global life of your dreams at any age! Subscribe to find out more :)
