Far and Away

For the past several of our travel issues, the Madeworthy staff has worked with travel agents and local explorers to bring you expert advice on places to stay, activities to do, and things to see in various cities. Our first year, we focused on Texas cities. Last year, we widened our scope to cities across the United States. This year, we go international.

To figure out which cities we should focus on, the staff sat down and did some serious daydreaming. We talked about places we’ve been that we want to visit again and about trips that are on our bucket lists. We dreamed BIG.

We settled on three trips, and we reached out to our experts to give us the scoop on each one. We hope you enjoy!

Cape Town and Table Mountain with its famous tablecloth

Cape Town

The oldest city in South Africa, Cape Town is frequently described as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Nestled between the mountains and the Atlantic Ocean in the far southwest corner of South Africa, Cape Town (originally named Cape of Good Hope) was established as a waystation by the Dutch East India Company for ships to refuel and restock on the way to the Dutch East Indies. Table Mountain, with its “tablecloth” of clouds, is a beautiful backdrop for this dynamic city. Travelers of all kinds, from outdoor adventurers to oenophiles, from surfers to history buffs (Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27-year prison sentence, is near the city), Cape Town has a more than a little something for everyone.

Kaleigh Kirkpatrick of The Shameless Tourist has some great suggestions for enjoying Cape Town.

• Best time to visit: October to March to enjoy the beaches
• Best splurge hotel: The Silo (favorite hotel ever!)
• Best value hotel: Cape Grace Hotel
• Best touristy must-do: V&A Waterfront, Chapman’s Peak
• Best local haunts: The Gin Bar & Honest Chocolate Shop (Chocolate in the Front of the shop, Gin Bar in the back)
• Best shopping areas: The Watershed
• Must-visit restaurants: La Colombe & Fyn
• Nightlife can’t-miss: Honestly, I don’t really recommend going out at night in Cape Town unless you are in the V&A Waterfront. I know there is good nightlife, but safety after dark is questionable at night. [Editor’s note: Cape Town is a large city. Exercise the same level of caution as you would in any large city around the world.]
• Best way to get around town: Rent a car
• Necessities to Pack: Adaptors, hiking boots (for Table Mountain National Park), swimwear (for the beach)

Passau, Lower Baveria, on the Danube

River Cruise through Germany, Austria, and Hungary

When we reached out to travel agent Angie Garcia-Lavin of Mouse O’Clock Travel for this issue, she suggested a European river cruise. She had done a seven-night cruise down the Danube from Germany, through Austria, to Hungary to explore the area’s famed Christmas markets.

Budapest, Hungary, and the Danube

“River cruises are very different from ocean cruises,” Angie said. “Ocean cruises are known for activities onboard like casinos, huge water slides, bars, and restaurants. The focus on many ocean cruises is the SHIP… River cruises through Europe are a totally different focus. The ship is your luxury hotel that sails to a different city and culture each day. The shore times are usually much longer and can include tours of the local cities so that you can really experience the culture of each area.”

• Best time to visit: For Christmas Markets, you can go as early as the end of November all through December… Keep in mind that many countries do celebrate the holidays and if you go closer to the actual Christmas holiday, some tourist attractions may be closed.
• Best touristy must-do: On a river cruise, visit all the churches and cathedrals to see the beautiful buildings and architecture. You’ll be able to stop at all the well-known sites and buildings that are world famous.
• Best local haunts: On our tour we added the pre-stay in Prague… Prague is one of the few cities that survived the bombings of World War II, so there are parts of the streets that are just breathtaking. The ship crew is generally locals who can give you the best advice on where to eat or visit for each stop as well.
• Best shopping areas: Visit the Christkindl Markets at every stop. Each area has its own food and drink and specialty hand-crafted ornaments.
• Nightlife can’t-miss: Check the ship itinerary and plan to take in as much or as little as you prefer.
• Best way to get around town: Most of our tours and excursions had transport provided for us. Otherwise, we walked.
• What necessities to pack: Passport, camera, layers of clothes, translation device or dictionary, passport style wallet to wear safely under clothes, boots in case it snows.

Ecuador

From the lush Amazonian jungle to the snow-capped Andes to the biological diversity of the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador is a country of contrasts. It is home to two cities with UNESCO World Heritage Cultural Sites (Quito and Cuenca), as well as two UNESCO World Heritage Natural Sites (the Galapagos Islands and Sangay National Park) and one World Biosphere Reserve (the Cajas Massif). Quito, the capital, is one of the best-preserved colonial capitals in the Americas.

Quito, Ecuador

Paola Wollmann, a local explorer, gave us the lowdown on Ecuador.

• Best time to visit: depends on the activities you want to do
  • Mountains – September to March
  • Coastline – December to April
  • Jungle – December to March
  • Galapagos – December to May
  • Other provinces and the capital – All year
• Best Splurge Hotels
  • Mashpi Lodge Ecuador (Quito)
  • Las Tanusas (Puerto Cayo, you have to try Bocavaldivia, the restaurant!)
  • Finch Bay (Galapagos Islands)
  • Casa Gargontena (historic Quito center)
• Best Touristy Must-Dos:
  • Stay at Hacienda el Porvenir and do the full experience (horses, delicious Ecuadorian meals, hikes around the area)
  • Go to see the stunning glacier in Cayambe (you need a tour guide for this)
  • Termas de Papallacta Spa and Resort (natural hot springs and resort)
  • Galapagos islands, obviously
  • Sacha Eco Lodge (the best meals I ever had, amazing cabins, super-fun activities like white water rafting and tourism to local Amazon jungle communities)