Melissa
Welcome! I’m Melissa, content creator with a passion for photography and travel. On this site, I share translated articles from my original Dutch website (www.reislegende.nl), taking you to the most beautiful destinations in Europe and beyond. Join me as I explore hidden gems and breathtaking places around the world.
Should you visit Saimaa in Finland in summer or winter?
Finland
Should you visit Saimaa in Finland in summer or winter?
When planning a trip to Finland, you quickly realise that the country looks completely different depending on the season. Around Saimaa, the largest lake in Finland, it’s not only the landscape that changes dramatically, but also the entire atmosphere of the journey…
Alcobaça: discover the monastery and charm of this Portuguese town
Portugal
Alcobaça: discover the monastery and charm of this Portuguese town
When travelling through the region north of Lisbon, it would be a shame to skip Alcobaça. This quiet town lies around an hour and a half from Lisbon and feels completely different from the busier coastal destinations nearby. Here, it’s not about…
Nazaré in Portugal: home to Europe’s highest waves
Portugal
Nazaré in Portugal: home to Europe’s highest waves
Nazaré is far from an ordinary seaside town on Portugal’s west coast. The place is best known for its enormous waves, which have made it famous around the world. Just offshore lies the deep Nazaré Canyon, a submarine canyon that causes the…
Exploring Lisbon by tram: the most beautiful routes and lines
Portugal
Exploring Lisbon by tram: the most beautiful routes and lines
As you walk through Lisbon, you often hear it before you see it: the rattling sound of a tram making its way through the narrow streets. The small yellow trams have become such a familiar part of the city that they…
Soof Heuvelrug: luxury lodges with hot tub on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug
The Netherlands
Soof Heuvelrug: luxury lodges with hot tub on the Utrechtse Heuvelrug
In early spring, we spend a long weekend at Soof Retreats, set within the wooded landscape of the Utrechtse Heuvelrug in Rhenen. From the moment we arrive, it’s clear that this is not a typical holiday park. This boutique parc is small…
Walking in the Volgermeerpolder in Waterland: from toxic landfill to nature reserve
The Netherlands
Walking in the Volgermeerpolder in Waterland: from toxic landfill to nature reserve
Just north of Amsterdam, near the village of Broek in Waterland, you’ll find the Volgermeerpolder. It’s an open, expansive landscape shaped by water and reed beds, unmistakably Dutch in character. A peaceful place to walk and to photograph, especially if you enjoy birdlife.…
Martinhal Sagres Resort Algarve: luxury and tranquillity in southwest Portugal
Portugal
Martinhal Sagres Resort Algarve: luxury and tranquillity in southwest Portugal
This year, just like last year, we planned to spend the spring holiday in Portugal. The idea was to map out a road trip from Porto to Faro, staying somewhere new every night along the way. But when our flight…
Ponta da Piedade in the Algarve: a must see coastal landscape
Portugal
Ponta da Piedade in the Algarve: a must see coastal landscape
Ponta da Piedade is known as one of the most beautiful places in the south of Portugal. Here you will find limestone rock formations shaped over time by erosion and changing weather conditions. Along the coast between Lagos and Albufeira…
Winter in South Karelia (Finland): Lappeenranta, Imatra and Lake Saimaa
Finland
Winter in South Karelia (Finland): Lappeenranta, Imatra and Lake Saimaa
After visiting Lake Saimaa in summer I became curious about what South Karelia in Finland would look like in winter. Time to return for a cold season visit! I had already experienced winter in the Finnish Lakeland before, including trips…
Visit Küçük Ayasofya Camii in Istanbul, the Little Hagia Sophia
Turkey
Visit Küçük Ayasofya Camii in Istanbul, the Little Hagia Sophia
It is almost impossible to travel to Istanbul without visiting at least a few of the city’s most famous landmarks, such as the iconic Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. These two monuments are among the city’s main attractions and…