Noto & Syracuse

My last day in Sicily back in May was spent under the brightest blue skies possible. We ventured out to discover Noto, this incredible little town filled with the most pristine white-washed architecture every corner you turned. Part of the reason we chose to visit Noto was to see the May spring celebrations in the form of flower displays laid along the cobbled streets. We were there a week early for the main festivities, but we did catch a glimpse of one of the flower displays which you can see in the first picture below!

Walking around Noto, it was amazing to see just how diverse the architecture is on the island. The bright pearly marble was a far cry from the more gothic feeling back in Catania. If you ever get over to Sicily, make sure you take the time to visit as many churches as possible. I couldn’t believe how each and every one we visited had a completely different, but equally stunning interior. You glance in only to discover walls of intricate murals, all embellished with hints of gold. It’s no wonder Dolce & Gabbana took inspiration for their entire AW 2013 collection from just one of the Cathedrals in Sicily – #lovethem!!

After a leisurely morning spent walking, tanning and, of course, lunching Italian style, we headed to Syracuse for some much needed fresh sea air. What I loved most about the seaside town was how much its history is completely intertwined with ancient Greece. The whole town is dotted with marble ruins just like Athens. In fact, the Duomo of Syracuse is actually an ancient Greek temple encased in a catholic cathedral – definitely worth a visit! If relaxing is more your thing, you can hop on a local boat tour which takes you around the town. You can find these under the bridge connecting Syracuse to the mainland. Sadly, I didn’t have my bikini with me this time, so I had to settle with an ice-cold lemon granita to cool down!

We finished off the afternoon with a sunset drive back to the airport. I can’t wait to plan another break to Sicily and discover more of its beauty… next time, however, I’m thinking a good old road-trip in that little red Fiat Cinquecento 🙂

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Cherry Red Mews

London is such a beautiful and diverse city. One minute you’re surrounded by skyscrapers, the next you’re walking down a quaint street of colourful mews – it’s a photographer’s paradise…

Shooting this recent outfit for style blogger Hayley, for her blog Hayley Wore What was a dream. We met and made our way down this row of idyllic mews houses (I literally wanted to live in each and every one of them) snapping away until we stumbled upon this little red gem. We had found our spot – her red and white floral look, against the backdrop of the cherry doors…

You can never predict these moments when you come across the perfect setting. And that’s the beauty of photography really, letting your surroundings decide for you. For that reason, I’m not much of a planner when it comes to my shoots. I have a rough idea of shots in my mind, but I find it’s always when you’re met with the unexpected that you get that exact shot you were looking for.

Follow: Hayley’s blog

Follow me on Instagram: @VictoriaMetaxas

Seaside Dreaming

It’s amazing what you can find just a stone’s throw away from crazy London. Far from the hustle and bustle of the capital are the most quaint seaside towns, which is exactly where we found ourself last weekend.

Driving out to south east Kent on bright Saturday morning, we headed out to visit some close friends for a couple of days and discover a bit more of the lovely English coast. After a mini road trip in the countryside, we found ourselves in sweet Whitstable, a gorgeous little seaside town full of vintage boutiques, colourful beach huts and of course, lots and lots of fresh oysters!!

With so much to catch up on, a fish’n’chips picnic on the seashore was how we spent most of the afternoon. You really can’t beat a day watching the boats sail by, enjoying the fresh sea air. If you want a little break outside of London, get this place on your list, especially on Saturday when the markets are in full force. 

I adore anything nautical, so it was a particularly snappy-happy day for me. The pastel colours, the oyster shells, the cute street names, I’m a sucker for it all! I guess I’d better start planning the next weekend to get my seaside fix… the only question now is, where? 🙂

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West London Whites

I love the whites of west London….the rows and rows of beautiful houses you can get lost amongst, with each one a little bit different to the next. 

 Danielle and I ventured down to Notting Hill to capture this edgy, but casual look last week. I always love the kind of shoots which contradict the outfit, you know, a ball gown on the beach, a summer dress against a wall of graffiti, and, like below, ripped jeans on an almost royal backdrop. It’s true that opposites don’t always work, but I guess in this case they just might have 🙂

Check out Danielle’s blog: www.idlelane.com

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A Dutch Weekend

Amsterdam has been on my list of places to visit for a while now. It’s a place everyone has to explore at least once in their life. Apart from the obvious attractions (the red light district etc!!!) I wanted to discover the beautiful canals riding a vintage bicycle, whilst munching on a fresh stroopwaffle…. Oh to dream!

Well, to start off, with a group of five crazy girls cycling was not the best idea!! The first morning we stepped out of our apartment, we were too busy gossiping and catching up on life to realise that we were about to be run over by a wave of bikes zooming past. When the Dutch are riding, they mean business!!! So on this occasion we stuck to shanks’ pony, which did give us more to time to stroll and enjoy the sights. 

I really didn’t know what to expect from the city and I was honestly pleasantly surprised. It had such a lovely relaxed vibe about it, the kind of place where you can only imagine how lovely it is to live there. One of my favourite areas had to be the De 9 Straatjes – literally translating to “the nine streets”. These streets are famous for their collection of vintage and boutique shops. We spent an entire morning dotting in and out of all the little stores, stopping for coffees and pancakes along the way (something to note: the coffee in Amsterdam ROCKS, so make sure you drink lots of it).

The canals are of course one of the best things about this city. I adore anywhere near water and we instantly fell in love with the sweet house boats dotted along the water’s edge. The Sunday we were there was one of the most glorious days, the type where you feel like falling asleep in a park under the warm rays of the sun. And suddenly amongst that relaxed air, the canals came alive. Everyone who had a boat was on it! Envy was of course the first thing that came to mind, so we headed out to find ourselves our own little canal adventure in the form of the Friendship Amsterdam Canal Cruises – Highly recommended! For just 15 Euros each you have a leisurely hour cruising around the city in the company of a fun tour guide, all the while sipping on an ice-cold cocktail – bliss!

Even though we did only have a short and sweet stay in the city, we discovered enough to leave us wanting to return for more. I would personally love to spend a weekend museum hopping and, of course, visiting the fields and fields of colourful poppies you find just outside the city.

For those of you heading over to do some Amsterdamage soon, here are a few of my recommendations:

– Pancakes –  Get to Pancakes! Best Dutch pancakes in town (be ready to queue, but it’s worth the wait!)

– Canal cruise – Friendship Canal Cruise – 15 for an hours cruise, plus you can order cocktails/champagne on board 🙂

– Traditional Dutch food – Imagine a good old English roast with a twist.
Try De Blauwe Hollander for an authentic Dutch dinner

– Cocktails – Had one of the best cocktails I’ve literally ever tasted, just off the Leidseplein Square (great place to party).
Get to Njoy for a delicious start to your night out.

– Breakfast (after the night out 😉 – Don’t miss Bakers & Roasters, it’s the perfect antidote to last night’s crazy party!

Follow me on Instagram: @victoriametaxas