Starting off your holiday in the rain can be a real downer. My personal philosophy is that, rather than getting all worked up about it, you might as well accept the weather as it is. Obviously, lying on the beach during heavy rainfalls and obstinately refusing to leave your towel is not an option (unless you like being mistaken for a stranded seal). However, there are plenty of other things you can do on your holiday when it rains.
1. Visit museums and other indoor events
1. Visit museums and other indoor events
Museums are a quintessential rainy-day activity. I mean, you don't want to be looking at sixteenth century paintings when it's boiling hot outside, do you? Take your time to see what the (nearby) city or town has to offer: even visiting the 'Regional Museum of Prehistoric Canoes' could be an experience of its own, trust me!
Guggenheim Bilbao from the inside ©Maaike
2. Stay inside the ho(s)tel
The only step between you and national culture is the remote control: rainy days are the perfect excuse to unashamedly watch foreign television from your hotel bed or in the lobby. If you don't feel like watching tv all day, you could also immerse yourself in a book, take the time to update your blog, write postcards to your nana or even engage in conversation with other ho(s)tel goers.
The only step between you and national culture is the remote control: rainy days are the perfect excuse to unashamedly watch foreign television from your hotel bed or in the lobby. If you don't feel like watching tv all day, you could also immerse yourself in a book, take the time to update your blog, write postcards to your nana or even engage in conversation with other ho(s)tel goers.
3. Explore local coffee culture
Nothing beats having a steaming, frothy cup of coffee in a quaint cafe, while the rain gently taps on the windows. If you're like me, the steamer sounds of the coffee machine and the hustle and bustle of the cafe will make you feel happy right away. Oh, and don't forget to splurge on mini sandwiches and chocolate muffins, now we're at it...
The best chocolate cake I've ever had. In Cron und Lanz, Göttingen (Germany) ©Maaike
4. Hop on a random bus
Forget overpriced hop-on, hop-off bus tours, which only give tourists a lazy overview of the city anyway: local buses are the way to go. One-way tickets often cost €2 at most, which means you can sit back and enjoy the cityscape as it passes you by. You will undoubtedly pass derelict areas, but hey: often the outskirts of town offer a glimpse of what life in that city is really like. Besides, bus rides provide you with the perfect opportunity to chat away with a curious local and learn something new.
5. Accept the rain
Unless you're caught in a severe storm, there's nothing wrong with getting a little wet. Put on your waterproof ensemble and prepare for your fight against nature. Of course, misty mountains and cultural landmarks are not entirely picture-perfect against a grey backdrop, but the experience will be great nonetheless. Just have fun and don't let the rain ruin your holiday!
Getxo, the Port of Bilbao area, on a rainy day ©Maaike
I like the dictionary that came with the chocolate cake, re-routing your dutch roots to our east-side neighborhood. Die Torten in Deutschland hatten mir überhaupt immer gut geschmeckt. And you're so right how nice it was, like in Bologna (I), watching the rain coming down from behind the window while enjoying a local cup of Cappuchino that came with true art in the whipped milk and delicious Cantuccini.
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