North Coast 500 I set out on the ultimate Scotland roadtrip with my husband and two dogs to enjoy the freedom of the long open road in July of 2020. The NC500 starts in Inverness and circles all the way to the most northerly coastal point in John O’Groats. The total distance is 516 miles in total, which is where the name comes from. The Highland scenery was as beautiful as one would imagine. The driving challenge along the single-track country roads and hairpin beds were quite the adventure (I drove the entire way since Phillip had a broken ankle and couldn’t drive in a cast). From the picturesque beaches and lakeside town to the stunning castles and hillsides, there is so much history to take in at every turn of the journey. If you want to experience Scotland at its best, then the North Coast 500 has got to be on your list! From Inverness, travelers have the option to head west towards the Applecross peninsula before taking the long winding roads up north, or you can travel north-east through the coastal landscapes of the Black Isle towards Wick and John O’Groats. We decided to travel anti-clockwise after reading about how the driving would be more downhill in the trickier parts of the route going this direction. We completed the trip in two weeks, with a few detours off path including the Isle of Skye. At least 5-7 days is needed, but the more time you have, the more time you’ll have to enjoy the beauty of all your stunning surroundings. Campervan There is no better method of transportation for this roadtrip than a campervan. With a campervan, you don’t have to worry about booking hotels in advance and having to get to a certain spot by a certain time. Campervans allow you to travel at your own pace and pull over when you’re ready to sleep. I rented from Capricorn Campers in Norwich, which was the closest location to my house that I found. I chose to rent closer to home so that we could go back home and load it up with all our necessities, as well as the dogs, before heading to Scotland. We hired the Star Campervan, which seats and sleeps 2-4 people. It came equipped with an elevating roof, gas, solar panels, electric hook up cable, mini fridge, 2 burners, oven, fresh and waste water containers, sink, and a mini-grill. The back seats reclined to a bed to sleep in at night and the top had a bed, although it was too tight to sleep adults comfortably. The main feature it did not come with was a toilet and shower, but we were comfortable enough to get cozy with nature. However, we decided that when we build our own campervan, these are things that we will want to include. The owners of Capricorn Campers were extremely friendly and communicated with us really well. We definitely recommend checking them out if you are planning to rend a campervan in England or Scotland. Wild Camping I’m sure you’re wondering where we went to the bathroom and took our showers. Let’s just say we got really close with nature and used a lot of baby wipes to freshen up with. We had the option to book campsites with these amenities, but honestly we preferred wild camping to get a real sense of nature. If you don’t mind sacrificing the usual day-to-day comforts and conveniences and want to explore more areas of Scotland, then wild camping is for you. We felt that it was a great way to discover remote parts of the stunning landscapes and get really close to nature. Wild camping is legal in Scotland and basically just follows a “leave-no-trace” rule. Here are some things to consider when wild camping: Tips Overview Day One – Leeds Before setting off on our journey, we picked up our campervan from Capricorn Campers in Norwich. We headed back home to load it up with our luggage, bed linens, kitchen supplies, and of course our dogs. We then drove toward Scotland. The drive time from our house in Thetford to the start of the NC500 in Inverness is 9 hours and 15 minutes, so we knew we were definitely going to break it up and stop somewhere on the way. Leeds Our first stop was in Leeds, which is the largest city in the county of West Yorkshire in England. It was a nice area to get out and stretch our legs and have some dinner. We ate at a pizza restaurant by Leeds Town Hall. After visiting Leeds, we drove a bit further and then found a place to sleep for the night. The welcome centers are extremely expensive to park at overnight, so we just drove on a backroad near the Scotland border and parked at a layby on a farm road. Day Two – Glasgow & Stirling Glasgow We took one more day to get to Inverness, stopping at Glasgow and Stirling on the way. Glasgow is a port city on the River Clyde in Scotland’s western Lowlands. It’s famed for its Victorian and art nouveau architecture, a rich legacy of the city’s 18th-20th century prosperity due to trade and shipbuilding. Today it’s a national cultural hub, home to institutions including the Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet, and National Theatre of Scotland. Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis Glasgow Cathedral is the oldest cathedral in mainland Scotland and is the oldest building in Glasgow. Get a stellar view by going behind the Glasgow Cathedral and walking up to the Glasgow Necropolis, a Victorian cemetery where 50,000 individuals have been buried. Stirling Another city worth visiting on the way to Inverness is Stirling, which is 26 miles north-east of Glasgow. Stirling Castle At the heart of the old town, medieval Stirling Castle sits on volcanic rock. You get to the castle by walking up Stirling town’s cobbled main street with spectacular views over the Stirlingshire countryside. Close to the
Cornwall has been somewhere I have wanted to go for quite some time. I had heard nothing but great things about it, and I am so glad I finally got to plan a trip when the lockdown restrictions lifted. The southern coast is so beautiful that it didn’t even feel like I was still in England. Since the drive to Land’s End from my house in Thetford is 7+ hours, I decided to break up my trip and stop in Dorset for two days on the way there and Bristol for one night on the way back. I also stopped in Oxford on my last day to break up the drive even more. This was such a fabulous decision since all of this driving can get so tiring. I didn’t realize how spread out the Cornwall region was until planning out the trip. One of the first things I had to figure out is where to make my Cornwall “home base.” A lot of people recommend St. Ives or Newquay, but I decided to go with the Land’s End area since it was closest to my most looked forward to attractions: Minack Theatre and St. Michael’s Mount. I do not regret this decision! I thought it was a great location 🙂 My trip lasted 7 nights/8 days, but if you want more time to relax and see all the sights, you could easily stay longer. You could also do Cornwall in around 4-5 days if you don’t stay anywhere else on the way there or back. Tips Bring lots of coins for parking. I probably spent about £30 or more in change on parking throughout the trip. I was very thankful that I brought my coin cup with me. Some parking lots accept card, but most do not. They do not take bills or return change. Book attractions in advance. Since I went during the Covid-19 pandemic, all attractions were online pre-bookings only. You cannot show up to any of the ticketed sights and expect to get in. You will need to look at their website in advance, select the day and time you wish to visit, and pay in advance. This will force you to plan out your trip in advance since the tickets are non-refundable and non-transferrable. I even decided to purchase two tickets to Minack Theatre since the first time I went it was super foggy. They are only accepting a limited amount of people per time slot, so make sure to book as soon as you know your schedule! Bring your dog. Cornwall is extremely dog friendly! My husky, Mila, absolutely loved every minute of our trip…if it isn’t obvious from all of the pictures 😉 Be a confident driver. The roads in the Cornwall region can be quite terrifying! You will experience a lot of narrow roads that are only wide enough for one vehicle. You will need to be comfortable with reversing in order to get to a passing point. I think I did fairly well considering I was by myself, but reversing down a steep incline on a curvy road was not ideal. Pack for all types of weather. The weather in Cornwall, well England in general, can be very bipolar. It can be super rainy in the morning and blue skies can come out by the afternoon. Be sure to bring a rain jacket, sunglasses, sunscreen, and clothing for all types of weather. You should also bring a day backpack for hiking the many trails filled with a water bottle, snacks, and portable batteries. Get some Cornish ice cream and fudge. Seriously…I can’t wait to go back and get some more. It’s so good! Plan out your trip in advance. Cornwall is such a big region, which will require lots of driving between sights. Plan out the route in advance so you’re not going back and forth too much. I also suggest finding areas of interest along the way and the way back to stop at for the night or a couple days to break up the trip like I did. Day One: Thetford to Dorset Seven Sisters Cliffs The Seven Sisters are a series of chalk cliffs by the English Channel. The cliffs are known as the “Seven Sisters” due to the seven distinct hilltops. There is a parking lot with a visitor’s center and toilet where you can get great views. From here, you can walk down to the beach or along the trails up to the lighthouse. Brighton Palace Pier The Brighton Palace Pier has been around since 1899 and was built as an entertainment venue. The theater that once stood on the pier was damaged in 1973. It was then that the pier added an amusement park, with various fairground rides and roller coasters. There are several rides and attractions, along with places to eat & drink. I was not able to walk on the pier since I had Mila with me, but it would definitely be somewhere I could spend a lot of time feeling like a kid again! You can visit the website HERE to find out more. Brighton Central Beach This shingle beach isn’t the best if you’re looking for a sandy beach, but it is nice to walk along the seafront. I had lunch here and it was a nice place to sit outside and enjoy the weather. The area can get very crowded, but still a nice location for a day trip. Old Harry Rocks These chalk formations are popularly known as Old Harry Rocks, but the name Old Harry actually refers to the single stack of chalk standing furthest out to sea. Until 1896, there was another stack known as Old Harry’s Wife, but erosion caused her to tumble into sea, leaving just a stump. There are a number of theories about where Old Harry got its name. It is reputedly named after either a famous local pirate (Harry Paye) or the devil. The top of the cliff nearby is known
Can you match the picture to where in Europe it was taken? Comment below with how many you got correct and which ones you didn’t know. All photos were taken by me and can be read about in my blog posts 🙂
Rovaniemi is the official hometown of Santa Claus on the Arctic Circle in Lapland, Finland and the ultimate Winter getaway! There’s snow on the ground for approximately six months of the year, which makes this European city feel like Christmas even in the off-season. Although the Coronavirus forced us to go home early, we were still able to enjoy many winter activities in just 48 hours. Without a doubt, we will be going back for more Nordic adventure! When to Go The best time to travel to Rovaniemi depends on what you are after – the constantly changing seasons all have their own characteristics and activities. Rovaniemi locals think their weather conditions are in a constant state of change and say there are up to eight seasons in a year: midwinter, snowy spring, spring, summer, harvest season, autumn leaf color, first snowfall, and Christmas. I think that you can go to a lot of other Nordic countries in Spring and Summer and get a similar experience, but the winter experience in Lapland can’t be beat! Who wouldn’t want to go meet the “real” Santa Claus, take a Reindeer sled ride, and snowmobile through the forest?!? The one winter activity that I was bummed for being closed was SantaPark. We wouldn’t have had time anyways since we had to leave early, but next time I visit, I would like to go during a time when it is open, which is end of June to early August for summer, and beginning of November to beginning of January for winter. Winter I, personally, would recommend visiting Rovaniemi in the Winter season. December and January are snowy months covered in the darkness of the Polar Night. The sun comes out in February and marks the start of the snowy, light-filled spring. March is often terrific for Northern Lights viewing, although unfortunately we were only there for two nights, and both nights it was snowing. Christmas is a special time of year to visit the Official Hometown of Santa Claus, although be warned that hotels book up a year in advance. I do feel that it would even more festive and cheery closer to Christmas, as compared to when I went in March. But even in March, you can meet Santa Claus, hear Christmas music, and see elves at work. Typical daytime temperatures in the winter: December: -20 to -10 degrees Celsius (-4 to 14 F) January: -30 to -15 degrees Celsius (-22 to 5 F) February: -20 to -15 degrees Celsius (-4 to 5 F) March: -15 to -5 degrees Celsius (5 to 23 F) Spring April is still considered a snowy month in Rovaniemi and Lapland, but the snow gradually disappears as May approaches. The ice on rivers and lakes starts melting, and big chunks of ice can be seen flowing downstream. In early April, the last of the Northern Lights displays can be seen. Towards the end of April, nights are too light for the Auroras to be spotted. In May, northern nature starts getting ready to blossom once again after a harsh winter. Typical daytime temperatures in the spring: April: 5 to 10 degrees Celsius (41 to 50 F) May: 10 to 20 degrees Celsius (50 to 68 F) Summer The Midnight Sun period officially lasts from early June until early July, but night are white throughout the summer. The warmest time of year brings people out in masses to celebrate various events until the wee hours, as the sun never goes down. Typical daytime temperatures in the summer: June: 15 to 20 degrees Celsius (59 to 68 F) July: 20 to 25 degrees Celsius (68 to 77 F) Autumn Early August is still considered summer by many, but by the end of the month, it’s definitely autumn in Lapland. The Northern Lights start appearing in late August, and September and October are ideal Aurora viewing months. Temperatures start dropping below zero in October, and first snow usually falls at around the same time period. A permanent snow cover is expected in late November. Typical daytime temperatures in the autumn: August: 10 to 20 degrees Celsius (50 to 68 F) September: 5 to 15 degrees Celsius (41 to 59 F) October 0 to 10 degrees Celsius (32 to 50 F) November: -10 to 5 degrees Celsius (14 to 41 F) Where to Stay When visiting Rovaniemi, I suggest staying in one of the accommodations located within walking distance of Santa Claus Village. Majority of your time will probably be spent here, so it is worth staying at one of the three conveniently located accommodations below. Santa Claus Holiday Village I stayed in the cute cottages in Santa Claus Holiday Village. The hotel greeted us straight away by picking us up from the airport and transporting us for free to our cottage, where we dropped our bags off before heading to reception. When we arrived to the cottages, I felt like I was in a Hallmark Christmas movie! The cabins are designed with traditional Finnish style. Each room has its own sauna, kitchen, and lovely Christmas tree on the porch. The holiday season was over, but it still felt like a Christmas Winter Wonderland! Santa Claus Holiday Village has 144 apartments in total. The reception is open 24/7 and has a desk just for tour bookings. You can choose between the classic or superior cottages or suites. All options include a free buffet breakfast. The location is fantastic as it is only 10 minutes from the center of Rovaniemi, 5 minutes from the airport, and a 2 minute walk to visit Santa Claus! The staff was always cheery and helpful. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay and highly recommend it for everyone considering a mid-budget accommodation. It was definitely a beautiful, romantic place that was super cozy. Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle About a 10-minute walk from Santa’s Village, the Igloo Hotel should be considered if you are wanting a good view of the Northern Lights from the comfort of your bed. The
Malaga Malaga was the perfect European destination for a 3-day weekend in February. The weather was perfect the entire time, the food was great, and the sights were gorgeous. Malaga lies on the Costa del Sol of the Mediterranean, about 100 kilometers east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about 130 km north of Africa. Malaga’s history spans about 2,800 years, making it one of the oldest cities in Europe and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. Accommodation I stayed at Atarazanas Malaga Boutique Hotel in Malaga city center. The hotel itself wasn’t anything too special, but it was conveniently located. It is located near the Atarazanas Market. The Malaga Cathedral is a 7-minute walk, the Gibralfaro Castle is a 23-minute walk, the La Marina metro station is a 5-minute walk, and the Maria Zambrano train station is a 14-minute walk. The beach is also within-in walking distance so I opted to stay in the city-center vs. closer to the beach since I would be spending most of my time seeing the sites in the city and catching public transportation to Ronda. Transportation I flew from London Stansted to Malaga Airport (AGP). The most efficient option of getting into the city center is by getting a taxi from the taxi stand, which cost about 25 euros and took about 15 minutes. However, the train is also a quick option, taking only 12 minutes and costing 1.80 euros. Additionally, there is a bus that costs about 3 euros and takes about 20 minutes. Atarazanas Market Malaga’s central market is a restored historical building which had been closed for years. It hosts a daily market where locals go to get some fresh fruits, vegetables, and other local produce. The market is closed on Sundays. Constitution Square Teatro Cervantes This theater is known to host amazing events almost every day of the week, ranging from classical dramas to flamenco performances. Get more info here. Basilica of Santa Maria de la Victoria This ornate Baroque church is a bit of a detour, but I enjoyed looking at the street art on the way. El Pimpi Restaurant This wine bar has a really good selection of wines and tapas and a lovely atmosphere. It is very crowded so it is recommended that you book in advance. However, even though we didn’t have a reservation, we were still seated relatively fast since it is so large. The prices are also reasonable. Gibralfaro Castle The climb up to Gibralfaro Castle was not as easy as it seemed initially as it was quite a ways up. However, the hillside gardens made for a lovely walk along the defensive walls. The castle offers great views of the city. Admission price is typically 2.20 euros, but luckily I went on a Sunday, which is free after 2PM. The castle is open daily from 9AM to 8PM. The castle overlooks Malaga city and port and dates back to the 10th century. Inside the fortress itself you will find some buildings and courtyards. The ramparts have been well restored and you can walk all the way around them. At one point, you can get a good view down into the bullring. Some visitors linger here for a free view of the bullfight. There are three ways to reach the entrance of the castle. One is from the Alcazaba: This follows the fortress’s outer wall and joins a cobbled path, which traces the hill’s contours and passes through the pine trees on the Coracha. Another way is to climb the zig-zag steps which lead from the Plaza del General Torrijos at the east end of the Alameda Gardens to join the same cobbled path. The third way is to take a taxi or the tourist bus which uses the road around the back of the hill. Take a bottle of water, as there is no kiosk until the top. Bullring and Bullfighting Museum La Malagueta is the bullring in Malaga which has been around since 1876. It is located in the eastern district alongside the Paseo de Reding. Tickets are available at the UniCaja bank or at the box office at La Malagueta. Malagueta Beach This beach is the most popular and populous one in the city. It is just a short walk from the bullring. Muelle Uno After taking a stroll on the beach, I walked over to the huge waterfront complex and had a bite to eat at one of the many restaurants. Shops and cafes also line the pier. Centre Pompidou Malaga Parque de Malaga Alcazaba of Malaga This monumental Moorish citadel with its origins in the 11th century has a great strategic position with views over the city and over the coastline. It is probably the best preserved citadel in the whole of Spain. Admission is 3.50 euros or you can get a combined ticket with the castle that costs 5.50 euros. Malaga Roman Theater These remains of a Roman theatre were discovered in the 50’s. The Arabs used its blocks to build Alcazaba. Merced Square This is one of the largest public squares in Malaga’s city center, and is also known for containing Pablo Picasso’s childhood home. Picasso Museum Artist Pablo Ruiz Picasso was born in Malaga. The Museo Picasso Malaga opened in 2003 in the Buenavista Palace, and has 285 works donated by members of Picasso’s family. Admission to the museum costs 7 euros. Cathedral of Malaga The Cathedral of Malaga is a Roman Catholic Church and is in the Renaissance architectural tradition. Entrance to the cathedral costs 6 euros. You can get a great view of the cathedral from the AC Marriott Hotel. AC Hotel Malaga Palacio The rooftop bar at the AC Hotel Malaga Palicio, called Atico Bar & Restaurant, is one of the oldest in the city and a perfect place to enjoy the views from above. The rooftop is perched on the 15th floor giving it an incredible view over the city, harbor, and the Mediterranean Sea. Both
I was not expecting to enjoy Lithuania as much as I did. I think it is another one of those underrated places. I’ll be honest, I originally chose Lithuania because it was a cheap plane ticket to a country that I haven’t been to yet. I didn’t know much about it – Lithuania isn’t a country you tend to read about on most travel blogs. However, this was more of a reason for me to go. I love visiting destinations that aren’t full of tourists. The colorful streets and mix of Old Town and New Town feels made this destination well worth my visit. Lithuania is one of the Baltic states situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, to the east of Sweden and Denmark. It is bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and South, Poland to the south, and Kaliningrad to the southwest. The official language is Lithuanian and their currency is the Euro. Vilnius is the capital and largest city with a population of 580,000 as of 2020. Vilnius International Airport The airport is located only 15 minutes (5.9 km) outside of the city center. It is the largest of the four commercial airports in Lithuania by passenger traffic. With one runway and about 4.9 million passengers a year, Vilnius International Airport serves as a base for airBaltic, Ryanair, and Wizz Air. Because it is so small, the arrival and departure procedures were very quick. I was out of the airport within 30 minutes of landing and to my gate within 30 minutes of getting dropped off. Accommodation Artis Centrum Hotels I stayed at Artis Centrum Hotels for 3 nights during my stay in Vilnius. The hotels in Lithuania are very cheap compared to other European cities. This hotel has a restaurant, bar, gym, pool, and spa. One of the main reasons that I selected this hotel is because it has 24-hour front desk service and I needed to check-in in the middle of the night since my flight arrived at 2:35AM. They even arranged an airport shuttle service for me for 20 euros. The driver was waiting on time outside of arrivals and got me to the hotel within 15 minutes. The hotel’s buffet breakfast is very good, with a large selection. The hotel is centrally located in Old Town, with mostly everything being within a 5-15 minute walk away. The bus and train stations are a bit further and are about a 20-minute walk, which still wasn’t a bad walk. Day 1 St. Catherine’s Church This is a magnificent church that boasts Baroque and Rococo-style decorations. It is a venue for a variety of cultural performances. This is the first church that I saw in Vilnius and it instantly reminded me of the cathedrals in Sofia, Bulgaria. I love all of the colors and architect of the cathedrals in Vilnius. Each one is different from the next, but all are beautiful. Vilnius Town Hall Vilnius Town Hall is a historical town hall in the square of the same name in the Old Town of Vilnius. Easter Egg This 300kg heavy, pretty egg sits atop a nest and has become a popular meeting point in the city. Tauras Hill This hill offers a great vantage point of Vilnius. Orthodox Church of the Apparition Our Lady of the Sign Church is an Eastern Orthodox Church in the Zverynas district of Vilnius, built in 1903. The idea of building a new Orthodox Church in Vilnius came from Orthodox Brotherhood of the Holy Spirit, which also organized a collection of funds in the whole Russian Empire. The church, constructed in the popular Neo-Byzantine style, was consecrated in 1903 by the Orthodox archbishop of Vilnius. He also opened a school for poor children and a library which were to be run by the church’s clergy. Unlike many other Orthodox churches in Vilnius, the church was not closed during World War 1, nor during World War 2. The Soviet government agreed to register it as a parish church in 1948. White Bridge Located in the modern part of the city, this footbridge offers beautiful panorama of the old city. The greenery around is also a popular place for locals to chill when it’s warm outside. Vilnius Cathedral The Cathedral Basilica of St. Stanislaus and St. Ladislaus of Vilnius is the main Roman Catholic Cathedral of Lithuania. It is situated in Vilnius Old Town in Cathedral Square. Bell Tower The history of one of the oldest and highest towers in Vilnius Old Town goes back to 13th century. In the 16th century the defensive tower was converted into the Cathedral’s bell tower and acquired its present appearance in the 19th century. The bell tower contains functioning bells and the earliest surviving clock mechanism in Lithuania. You can hear the bells daily at 5PM. The height is 52 m, with the cross at 57 m. The tower offers a panorama view, which only accessible at certain times with a tour that costs 5 Euros. I chose not to do this since you can get views for free at several other spots around the city and I was losing daylight. Gediminas Tower Gediminas’ Tower is the remaining part of the Upper Castle in Vilnius. The first wooden fortifications were built by Gediminas, Grand Duke of Lithuania. The first brick castle was completed in 1409. The three-floor tower was rebuilt in 1933. Some remnants of the old castle have been restored, guided by archeological research. It is possible to climb to the top of the hill on foot or by taking a funicular. The funicular costs 1 Euro one-way or 2 Euros round-trip. I decided to take the funicular up the hill since I was running out of daylight and then I walked down the hill. The tower houses a museum exhibiting archaeological findings from the hill and the surrounding areas. The museum has models of Vilnius castles from the 14th to the 17th centuries. Entry to the museum
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. It is located in north-central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic. Both Zurich Airport and railway station are the largest and busiest in the country. Accommodation Inside FIVE City Apartments I stayed at Inside Five City Apartments, which is about a 17-minute walk from the central train station and a 25-minute walk from Old Town. If I were to stay in Zurich again, I would stay a bit closer to the city center, although the hotels in Old Town are very expensive. The walk wasn’t that bad. You also have the option to take the tram into the city center, but I prefer to walk. In addition to being a bit far from the main attractions, the hotel’s check-in time is a bit limited. You can only check-in between 3 and 6PM, which definitely wouldn’t work if you had an afternoon or evening arrival time. The room was clean and it was nice having a fridge and stove to make a couple meals during my stay to save money. New Year’s in Zurich My highlight of my time in Zurich was without a doubt the New Year’s Eve party around Zurich’s lake basin. Many bars, restaurants, and event halls invite the public at large to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Approximately 100,000 visitors flock to the Lake Zurich basin each year and marvel at the spectacular fireworks display that traditionally heralds the New Year. Food and drink stalls, bars, and live music performed on various stages created the perfect festive ambiance. The party started around 8PM and went on until 3AM. A Countdown began at 11:59PM, but the fireworks display does not occur until 12:20. It lasts approximately 15 minutes. I found it a little weird that the fireworks didn’t begin at midnight. I’m not quite sure the reasoning for this. All in all, I had an amazing time! I much preferred Zurich’s environment compared to London and other major cities that I have been to on New Year’s. Lake Zurich Since it was winter when I went to Zurich, I was not too keen to go on a boat ride. However, during the summer time, it would be nice to enjoy a cruise around Zurich Lake. Prices start at 8.60 CHF and longer cruises cost more. Tours take place daily. Departure times differ according to the type of a cruise. You can check the official website for the timetable. Zurich Train Station This old and charming railway station is quite modern on the inside, extending both on and under the ground. It was built in 1871 in neo-Renaissance style as the second railway station in Zurich after the first one was closed due to being too small. Apart from train-related information (which is very well organised and allows you to find what you are looking for very quickly), the station houses a shopping mall. Although the station is among the busiest in the world, it’s also one of the best ones regarding efficiency and availability services. I arrived in Zurich by train from Lucerne. The price was 25 CHF and it too approximately 50 minutes. During my time in Zurich, I took a day trip to Liechtenstein. Although I didn’t have a great experience in Liechtenstein due to the weather, this makes for a fabulous day trip from Zurich. The transportation was SO easy and convenient. You can read more about it on my Liechtenstein blog post. Old Town Zurich’s Old Town is everything you would expect from a historical heart of a city, but also of a lively center of modern-day life. It is characteristic by its pedestrian-only streets, paved with cobblestone and lined with picturesque houses, some of which have been standing here since the Middle Ages. I loved strolling around and enjoying the atmosphere, as well as relaxing in the local restaurants. If you aren’t much of a history buff, the Old Town may still entice you. There are plenty of places to enjoy the night here with its bustling nightlife. Altstadt boasts the highest concentration of clubs per square meter in the whole of Switzerland. Urania Observatory Urania Sternwarte is a public observatory in the Lindenhof quarter of Zurich. Its name Urania refers to the muse of astronomy in Greek mythology. Astronomy fans can reach the stars in the 50 m (164 ft) high round tower. Whether you want to take a closer look at the craters on the moon, the bands of clouds surrounding Jupiter, or the church tower of the Fraumunster, a guided tour of the non-profit public observatory is a memorable experience. Public tours are held in the evening from Thursday to Saturday for 15 CHF. Augustiner Street This street is lined with colorful houses reconstructed to look exactly like they did in the Middle Ages. It is a great place to just aimlessly stroll about, wander through the many small shops and stalls offering a wide variety of trinkets and goods, and just enjoy the atmosphere. St. Peter’s Church Wherever you’re standing in Zurich’s old town, you can’t miss the largest clock face in Europe. It is the greatest pride of this church, with a diameter of almost 9 meters. The church, standing on the south bank of the river Lemmat, is one of the four main churches in Zurich. When visiting, do not miss the chance to look inside the church as well, since the interior is beautifully decorated by painted murals in the Baroque style. The location on which the church stands has a long history as a place of worship. It is here, that once stood a Roman temple to the god Jupiter. After the Romans left, it fell into disuse, however, in the 8th or 9th century AD, a new Christian church was erected here. This is the church which was later, in 1706, reconstructed and consecrated as the first Protestant church and that you can see today.
How I Got There I travelled to Lucerne from San Marino with a few stops along the way. My first train was back to Bologna for 10 euros and took 1 hour. From Bologna I went to Milan for 43 euros. This train was also 1 hour. I stopped in Milan for lunch before purchasing tickets to Lucerne for 88 euros, with one change in Lugano. The train to Lugano from Milan took 1 hour 20 minutes and from Lugano to Lucerne was roughly 2.5 hours. My total journey time was about 6 hours, but with the sightseeing stops along the way, it seemed like nothing. I could travel the train around Europe forever! There is so much beauty to be seen from the train and it’s really nice just watching the world pass by as I’m on my way to my next destination. Accomodation Barabas Luzern The hotel I stayed at is in a very central location and is within walking distance to all of the center cities major attractions. The hotel is an ancient prison that has been renovated to a modern hotel. The hotel has 60 different prison cells offering single, double, and family rooms with a private bathroom. The library, offering a large amount of crime novels, is also bookable as a hotel room. Attached to the hotel is a Japanese restaurant called Izakaya Nozomi. The hotel staff is only on site from 7AM to 11PM. After that, I had to use my room key to enter the building. The only real big downfall to the hotel is that the rooms are very small, but I should’ve expected that for it being a jail cell. The prison was opened as the region’s first real prison in 1862. Until that time, most of the convicts were locked up in monasteries or towers. This new prison provided 55 cells, five of them especially for women. The prison closed in 1998 and was transformed into the hotel in 2018. Lucerne Town Hall This Renaissance-style building is worth visiting especially for the lively atmosphere of the surrounding marketplace. Chapel Bridge The Kapelbrucke is a covered wooden footbridge spanning the River Reuss diagonally. Named after the nearby St. Peter’s Chapel, the bridge is unique in containing a number of interior paintings dating back to the 17th century, although many of them were destroyed along with a larger part of the centuries-old bridge in a 1993 fire. Subsequently restored, the Chapel Bridge is the oldest wooden covered bridge in Europe, as well as the world’s oldest surviving truss bridge. It serves as the city’s symbol and as one of Switzerland’s main tourist attractions. Jesuitenkirche Lucerne’s Jesuit Church is the first large baroque church built in Switzerland north of the alps. It is an expression of the Catholic Church’s 17th century struggle to regain spiritual leadership in the counter-reformation. Lucerne sees itself as the capital of the Catholic fraction of Switzerland in pre-modern times. Today, Jesuit Church is a major tourist attraction and serves as a concert hall while it has become almost irrelevant to local church life from a religious point of view. Spreuer Bridge The Spreuer Bridge is one of the two covered wooden footbridges in the city. Water Spike The water spike is a needle dam, which is designed to maintain the level of flow of a river through the use of thin “needles” of wood. The needles are leaned against a solid frame and are not intended to be water-tight. Individual needles can be added or removed by hand to constrict the flow of the river. Musegg Wall The Musegg Wall is part of the town fortification system. From April through October, you can walk along the wall to get a better view of the city. Since I went in December, I could only wall along the wall from below. Lion Monument The Lion Monument, or the Lion of Lucerne, is a rock relief designed by Bertel Thorvaldesen and hewn in 1820 by Lukas Ahorn. It commemorates the Swiss Guards who were massacred in 1792 during the French Revolution, when revolutionaries stormed the Tuileries Palace in Paris. It is one of the most famous monuments in Switzerland, visited annually by 1.4 million tourists. In 2006, it was placed under Swiss monument protection. Mark Twain praised the sculpture of a mortally wounded lion as “the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world.” Other Recommendations Since I was only in Lucerne for a day and it was super foggy, I did not get to experience much of the beauty that I saw when doing my research. One thing that I would do if I went back would be the Hammetschwant Lift, which is the highest exterior elevator in Europe. It connects a rock path overlooking Lake Lucerne. I would also go to Hedegg Castle, Meggenhorn Castle, or take a cruise on the lake if it were warm enough.
Travel San Marino is a perfect destination to visit from Bologna. A lot of people go just for a day trip, but I read that it is nice to be there for sunrise and sunset as well, so I decided to stay one night. I am so glad that I did! One day would have felt super rushed. There is so much beauty in this small country, that I still feel like I didn’t spend enough time there. I booked all of my transportation tickets as I went. I don’t feel like there is much need to book in advance. I took a 9:45AM train from Bologna to Rimini and arrived in Rimini around 11:00AM. This cost 10 euros. I then purchased a bus ticket from the store right across from the train station. This cost 10 euros round trip. I do recommend getting the return ticket in advance because they are not time specific so you can catch any bus back with the same ticket. Rimini The next bus to San Marino wasn’t until 12:15 because they have fewer buses that run on Sundays. Since I had an hour to kill, I decided to walk around the city for a bit. I headed toward the city center and passed the Tempio Malatestiano, Rimini’s most famous church. Then I strolled through the market in the old town square, Piazza Tre Martiri. The square was very lively and would’ve been a great place to stop for a bite to eat since there were so many restaurants and cafes lining the streets. I then headed toward Arco d’Augusto, Rimini’s most iconic monuments. The arch was built in 27 B.C. and is the oldest surviving Roman triumphal archway in existence. The gate’s principal function, aside from functioning as a city gate, was to support the lavish bronze statue of Augustus. It remained one of the city gates until the Fascist period, when the city wall was demolished, and the arch was left as an isolated monument. It is such an important symbol to the city, that it appears on their coat of arms. Luckily, the bus to San Marino makes a stop at the Arco d’Augusto, so I didn’t have to walk back to the train station. However, this was a little risky if the bus had gotten full at the first stop. Thank goodness there were still seats. The bus to San Marino from Rimini took approximately 45 minutes so I arrived in San Marino around 1 PM. Hotel I stayed at Hotel Joli, which was in an amazing location! Featuring panoramic views of San Marino and Montefeltro countryside, this hotel is just 300 meters from the entrance to the historical center. The view from my room was incredible. The staff was very friendly and helpful. They provided me with a city map and let me know about all of the Christmas activities going on. Since I was in town on December 29th, I thought that I was going to miss all of the Christmas festivities. Luckily, they were continuing through January 6th. The hotel is also only 100 meters from the main bus station and a car park where guests receive discounted rates. They also give you a discount card that will get you discounts on the main attractions, as well as in some shops. After dropping off my bags at the hotel, I stopped at a pizzeria right down the street from the hotel for lunch. I then set off to explore San Marino and all its beauty. I started by exploring the towers and then heading down to the lower streets which have plenty of shops, restaurants, churches, and museums. Mount Titano Mount Titano is a mountain of the Apennines and the highest peak in San Marino. It stands at 739 meters above sea level and is located immediately to the east of the capital. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008. Photos of this mountain is what made San Marino stick out to me. I knew I had to visit and see it for myself! Montale Third Tower The first tower I came to was Montale Tower. It was built at the beginning of the 14thcentury and meant to be used as a prison and surveillance tower. You cannot enter the third tower. Cesta or Fratta Second Tower Museum of Ancient Weapons The tower is located on the highest of Monte Titano’s summits. A museum to honor Saint Marinus, created in 1956, is located in this tower and showcases over 1,500 weapons dating from the medieval era to the modern day. It was constructed in the 13th century on the remains of an older Roman fort. There are various prices for the towers. You can pay for each individually, get a tower pass, or get a pass to enter the towers, as well as some other attractions. Aside from the towers, it got me free entry to the Public Palace, State Museum, National Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, and St. Francis Church and Art Gallery. I decided to go with this option for 7.50 euros. I thought it was well worth the money even though I didn’t go to each thing that was included. The attractions close around 6PM so I only had time to see the ones I was most interested in. Rocca or Guaita First Tower The Guaita fortress is the oldest of the three towers constructed on Monte Titano, and the most famous. It was built in the 11th century and served briefly as a prison. All three towers are depicted on both the national flag and coat of arms. It was registered as one of the World Heritage Sites in 2008. Basilica of Saint Marinus This church is situated in the Piazzale Domus Plebis and had the majestic Garland of Dreams. It made for a great photo opportunity. Entry to the church is free. Public Palace Kingdom of Dreams The Palazzo Pubblico is the town hall of the city of
Accomodation: Hotel Holiday I stayed at Hotel Holiday, which is pretty centrally located. It’s about a 10 minute walk to the Two Towers and Piazza Maggiore, and a 15 minute walk to the central train station. It offers a small complementary breakfast buffet. The bed was large and the shower was amazing! I think the room was very decent for the price and location. Two Towers These two leaning towers are the most famous towers in the city. Each towers name derives from the families originally credited with the construction. The shorter, more leaning tower, is called the Garisenda. Originally, 60m high, it was lowered to 48m for the unstable ground in the 14th century. The Asinelli Tower (the taller one) takes its name from the wealthy Asinelli family who built it. After it was acquired by the city of Bolonga in the 12th century, it served as a prison. You can climb the Asinelli Tower to get a nice view of the city. However, the timeslots are every 45 minutes and you must purchase your tickets in advance. I tried to go first thing in the morning, but when I arrived, I was told that I could not purchase tickets at the tower and had to go to the Welcome Center in Piazza Maggiore to obtain my ticket. When I got to the welcome center, I found out that the next available time was 5PM, which wasn’t ideal since the sunset at 4:30PM. However, I still wanted the experience so decided to purchase it anyways. The ticket is 5 euros. I’m glad that I did, because the view at dusk was still very nice. It was incredible seeing all of the city lights from above. It took 498 steps to get to the panoramic view at the top. Everyone with the same time stamp goes up the narrow steps together, so the pace is pretty slow. You then have about 15 minutes to explore the top before having to go back down. Basilica of Santo Stefano Not far from the towers is the Basilica of Santo Stefano, which is located on Piazza Santo Stefano. Piazza Maggiore This central square is one of the busiest areas of Bologna. The Northwest corner opens into Piazza del Nettuno with its Fontana del Nettuno, while the Northeast corner opens into the narrower Piazza Re Enzo. The Welcome Center is in this square, which is where you will need to purchase tickets to the towers and other tours and activities in the city. At night, the Piazza was filled with people walking around. This is where you can find street artists. I was lucky enough to be there on a night when a dance performance was going on. I enjoyed watching it as I ate my gelato, which you can get at a couple places right by the square. Basilica of San Petronio (Terrace) This church dominates Piazza Maggiore. The basilica is dedicated to the patron saint of the city, Saint Petronius, who was the bishop of Bologna in the fifth century. Construction began in 1390 and its main façade has remained unfinished since. If you wish to take photos inside the church, you will need to pay 2 euros to get a wristband that allows you to take as many photos as you’d like. I highly recommend going around to the back of the church and paying 3 euros to go up to the terrace on top of the church. This offers an amazing view of the city! This was my favorite viewpoint in Bologna. You can take the elevator or stairs up. I decided to take the stairs, which wasn’t that bad. Fountain of Neptune The Fountain of Neptune is a monumental fountain located in the busy square, Piazza del Nettuno, next to Piazza Maggiore. Porta Saragozza This is one of the gates that was in the medieval walls of the city. It was built in the 13th-14th centuries, and by 1334 it was provided with a drawbridge crossing a moat. Sancutuary of the Madonna di San Luca (Monastery) The Sanctuary of the Madonna of San Luca is a basilica church situated at the top of a forested hill 300 meters above the city. While a road now leads up to the sanctuary, most people reach it along a 3.8 km monumental roofed arcade consisting of 666 arches, which was built in 1674-1793. It was meant to protect the icon as it was paraded up the hill. A yearly procession from the Cathedral of San Pietro in the center of Bologna to the Sanctuary goes along this path. It takes roughly 25 minutes to reach the base of the hill from the city center. From the bottom of the hill, it took me 50 minutes to reach the monastery, although I took 3 breaks to sit and catch my breath. The way down only took me 20 minutes. At the top of the monastery, you can pay to get a view of the city from the dome. However, since I was already seeing other city views that day, I opted not to. Basilica of San Francesco This basilica is a historic church, which was founded in the 13th century. When I went, they were having a market inside selling miscellaneous items. You should go through to the courtyard. The Glossatori Tombs Right outside of the Basillica of San Francesco, these 13th-century gravestones are dedicated to the first university teachers. Via dell’Indipendenza On the way to the railway station, I strolled down the main street of the city. It is packed with shops. Although they are all closed early in the morning, this was a nice street to walk down at night. The entire street is lit up with Christmas lights in December. Montagnola Park The Park of Montagnola is a public park which was originally construction under Napoleonic rule. The base of the park contains the ruins of the 14th-century Castello di Galliera, which then leads to a scenographic staircase. The stairs are decorated
During my trip to Switzerland, I ventured out to the Kingdom of Liechtenstein. This tiny sovereign country is nestled between Switzerland and Austria. And by tiny, I truly mean tiny. Of course it’s bigger than Vatican City, but you can basically drive from top to bottom of the country in an hour. Most people do a day or half-day trip here either as part of their journey to Austria or Switzerland or as a pit stop on their way between the two nations. There are no train stations or airports in the country; the only way in and out is by car or bus. Liechtenstein speaks German, uses the Swiss Franc, and has one of the world’s highest per capita GDP as well as the lowest unemployment rates. Unfortunately, I couldn’t have picked a worse day to travel to Liechtenstein. I was so excited so see the beautiful scenery from all the photos I looked at before my trip, but upon arriving I couldn’t see anything but fog. I still recommend that you take a trip here to check it out for yourself, but my blog post is not going to win you over in the slightest. I went on New Years Day and aside from the gloomy weather, it was a dead town. There were few tourists wondering around and all the locals were assumingely bundled up at home. There were a couple restaurants and shops open, but for the most part it was a very dreary and quiet day. Transportation I stayed in Zurich for 3 nights so decided to dedicate one of the days to seeing Liechtenstein. Since Liechtenstein does not have a train station, the best way to get there is by taking the train to Sargans and then taking the bus into Liechtenstein. I bought a roundtrip ticket from Zurich to Sargans for 66 CHF and then took the 9:37AM train. The trains run about every half an hour or so, which makes it easy and stress-free. There are both local and express trains, both take around 50 minutes to an hour. Once arriving at Sargans, I exited the open-air station and proceeded to the bus area right outside. There are maps at the station to tell you which bus departs from which stop in the bus plaza. For Liechtenstein, you will take Bus 11 to Vaduz. I bought a one way ticket directly from the driver for 8 CHF (cash only) and got on the 10:36 bus. The bus comes around every half hour. It takes 30 minutes, including stops, to reach Vaduz Post. Be on the lookout for the Liechtenstein flag flying right after you cross the bridge over the river to know when you’ve entered the country. After Vaduz, I purchased another one-way ticket for 8 CHF and got on the 2PM bus. Along the way back to Sargans, I stopped in Balzers and was able to hop back on with the same ticket. Unfortunately, after visiting Balzers, I missed the bus by 30 seconds. The bus driver saw me approaching and kept going so if this happens to you, make it very apparent that you want them to stop. Waiting an extra 30 minutes in the freezing cold was not a great way to end the day. I finally got back to Sargans at 3:50PM and then took the 4:25PM train back to Zurich. Vaduz Vaduz is the capital of Liechtenstein and also the seat of the national parliament. The town, which is located along the Rhine River, has 5,450 residents. Although Vaduz is the best-known town in the principality internationally, it is not the largest; neighboring Schaan has a larger population. Vaduz Welcome Center After arriving in Vaduz, I first went to the Vaduz Welcome Center. They have a 2-story shop full of souvenirs and a public restroom. You can also pay 3 Francs to get your passport stamped. I decided not to do this because I’d rather not waste the pages in my passport. I did, however, get my magnet here for my collection. You can also go to the Liechtenstein Center for a passport stamp and information. I ate lunch at a small pizza and burger joint next door. Rathaus Vaduz Across from the Welcome Center is the Vaduz Town Hall, which dates from 1932. It was renovated in the years 1982 to 1984. The Town Hall Square is used for various events, such as markets or sporting events. When I was there, an ice-skating rink filled the square. Parliament I passed by the Parliament Building, which lies at the heart of the Peter-Kaiser-Platz square, just down the road from the government building. After a proposal to create a new parliament building in Liechtenstein was rejected in a 1993 referendum due to its high cost, a Munich-based architect designed the building which is currently home to the parliament. Together with the government building and the national archive, the parliament forms the government district in Vaduz. Kathedrale St. Florin Vaduz Cathedral is a Neo-Gothic church that was built in 1874. During my stay, it was a nice place to go in and take a seat in the pews while warming up. Post Museum The Postage Stamp Museum (Briefmarkenmuseum) is very popular with most visors to Liechtenstein, since these small works of art travel the whole world and are in everybody’s mailbox daily. Rare stamps from Liechtenstein, historical documents, devices, historical postal service equipment, and special exhibits are presented in the museum. The museum exhibits postage stamps issued by Liechtenstein since 1912 and also the history of postal service of the country. The museum was closed on New Years Day. Vaduz Castle I took the 20-minute hike up to the Vaduz Castle, which is the official residence of the Prince of Liechtenstein so it is not open to the public. The castle gave its name to the town of Vaduz, which it overlooks from an adjacent hilltop. Unfortunately, I could barely even see the castle in all of the fog. I definitely
Gdansk is a city on the Baltic coast of northern Poland that has so much history. At the end of WWII, Gdansk endured heavy air raids and then was rebuilt in the 1950s and 1960s. Gdansk could be seen in one rushed day, but I think it is best for an extended weekend, especially if you want to take a day trip to Malbork, the world’s largest castle. Gdansk Airport to City Center There is only one airport in Gdansk – Walesa Airport. It is located about 15 km from the city center. You can get to the city center by train, bus, or taxi. It is very easy to find all means of public transport getting from the airport to the city center. All you need to do is follow the lines on the floor until you get to the desired place. Both the train station and the bus stop are very close to the airport. Bus 210 leaves once an hour and the journey lasts about 30 minutes. One ride ticket costs 3,20 PLN. If you arrive at night, the bus N3 goes to the city center and lasts about 45 minutes and costs 4,20 PLN. Currently there is no direct train to the city center. You will need to change one time in Gdansk Wrzeszcz. The trip with a change will usually last no more than 45 minutes and costs 6,50 PLN. However, there are no night trains. The price for a taxi is much higher than public transport and can range from 50-100 PLN depending on the time and day. Free Now taxis or Uber let you control your cost and estimate it before you reserve a taxi. Where to Stay I stayed at Hotel Artus right in Old Town directly across from St. Mary’s Church. The view from the bedroom of the cathedral was amazing! I loved hearing the church bells throughout the day and night. I don’t think the location could have gotten much better. Main Town Hall is right around the block, Golden Gate is a 5 minute walk, the Crane and main river walk is a 5 minute walk, and the Central Train Station is a 12 minute walk. The price was so cheap considering the location! Day One Gdansk Main Town Hall is a historic building in the main city. It is one of the finest examples of the Gothic-Renasissance historic buildings in the city, built at the intersection of the Long Lane and Long Market, in the most popular part of Gdansk. The Main Town Hall houses the History Museum. Neptune’s Fountain is located at the Long Market, in front of the entrance to the Artus Court. The restaurants by the fountain are a lovely place to sit for a bite to eat or a warm drink while keeping warm by the fire. The Green Gate is one of the city’s most notable tourist attractions. It is situated between Long Market and the River Motlawa. Across the bridge from Green Gate is Granary Island. Crops used to be stored in more than 300 granaries on this island. You can see their ruins now, as most of them were destroyed in WWII. I stopped for breakfast at Nana’s Pierogarnia. The staff was very friendly and the food was delicious. If you continue walking, you will see Milk Can Gate. Two towers of this gate have cylindrical shapes, reminding people of milk cans. Its aim was to defend the city in the past. The Polish Maritime Museum was established in 1962. It is dedicated to gathering, researching and preserving artifacts and documents concerning ship transport, international trade, fishing, and culture of people working at sea, rivers, and those ashore – as well as the dissemination of knowledge on maritime history of Poland and its economy through the ages. I did not go in the museum, but I did pass by it. SS Soldek was a Polish coal and ore freighter. She was the first ship build in Szczecin after World War II and the first seagoing ship completed in Poland. The name was given in honor of Stanislaw Soldek, one of the shipyard’s shock workers. The ship is currently preserved as a museum ship as part of the National Maritime Museum collection. Next to the Museum is the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, which is a concert hall that hosts regular concerts and annual festivals. If you continue on this side of the river you will reach the Ferris Wheel and Gdansk sign. This is a fabulous spot to take photos. The AmberSky Ferris Wheel is something fun to do to get a great view of the city. On the other side of the river, I went to the Museum of the Second World War, which opened in 2017. You could easily spent 3+ hours in this museum. I highly recommend spending the extra 5PLN for the excellent multilingual audio-guide, which senses where you are and tells you what you are looking at. The heart of the museum is the permanent exhibition which is split into three parts – The Road to War, The War’s Long Shadow, and The Horrors of War. The building consists of three major spheres, which symbolically represent the connection between the past (museum), present (current outside surroundings), and future (40-meter tall leaning tower with a glass facade). Down the road is the Museum of the Polish Post. You can see various exhibitions about the history of the Polish post in this museum, including the collection of documents from WWII. Heading back to the river, I came upon Swan Tower. This Gothic tower used to be a part of the city fortifications and now serves as a seat of the Polish Marine Club. Continuing to walk along this side of the river back toward the city center, I came to Huckster Gate. Built at the end of the 15th century, this gate is the youngest in Gdansk. Its style reflects Flemish influence. There are several restaurants along the river,
My third cruise was with Norwegian Cruise Line again and this time was to visit cities on the Baltic Sea. I set sail on the Norwegian Getaway from Copenhagen on an exciting vacation that was filled with history, art, and culture. Click on the linked headings to read more about each city. St. Petersburg, Russia After 2 days at sea, we reached St. Petersburg, Russia. Founded in 1703 by Peter the Great, it was the imperial capital for 2 centuries. It remains the country’s cultural center with venues like the historic Mariinsky Theatre hosting opera and ballet. Also the Russian Museum showcasing Russian art, from Orthodox icon paintings to abstract works by Kandinsky. St. Petersburg is also home to numerous parks and gardens. While in St. Petersburg, I witnessed the amazing Swan Lake ballet and also took a guided tour of the most iconic cathedrals of the city. Helsinki, Finland The next port was Helsinki, Finland’s southern capital that sits on a peninsula in the Gulf of Finland. Its central artery, Mannerheimintie, is flanked by institutions including the National Museum (tracing Finnish history from the Stone Age to the present), imposing Parliament House and Kiasma contemporary art museum. On busy Senate Square, you’ll find the neoclassical Helsinki Cathedral which stands in contrast with the Uspenski Cathedral and its cupolas. Tallinn, Estonia Tallinn, Estonia was my favorite port of call and is now my favorite Eastern European city. Tallinn, Estonia’s capital on the Baltic Sea is the country’s cultural hub. It retains its walled, cobblestoned Old Town, home to cafes and shops, as well as Kiek in de Kok, a 15th-century defensive tower. Its Estonian History Museum is dedicated to the country’s 20th-century history and its Gothic, towering Town Hall is among the Baltic region’s oldest. Stockholm, Sweden The only city that I had previously been to was Stockholm, Sweden. Laced by an ingenious network of waterways and bridges strung between a freshwater lake and the sea, Stockholm is easily seen on foot or by waterway cruise. Its gabled old townhouses peer over cobblestone streets, while its magnificent 17th-century palace sits watching over the harbor. The city is spread across a total of 17 islands and was founded in 1252 by a Swedish statesman Birger Jarl. Visby, Sweden The last stop on the cruise was Visby, Sweden. I had never heard of Visby before so I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. The first thing that catches your eye when arriving at the Port of Visby, is the impressive cathedral and all the rooftops of the stone buildings in the town, surrounded by the mighty medieval town wall with its towers. Centrally placed, Visby was for a long time the natural meeting point for sailors and merchants from all over the Baltic region. Still today, you can enjoy the majestic merchants’ houses from 17th and 18th century along with almost 200 stone buildings – some of them dating back from the 12th century. Copenhagen, Denmark After one more day at sea, we arrived back at Copenhagen where I spent two days before heading back home. It is one of the largest cities in Northern Europe and is also one of Europe’s busiest hubs. On just about every street you will spot something beautiful.
I was in St. Petersburg for one evening and one full day on my nine-day baltic cruise. Unless you apply for a tourist visa in advance (in which you have to mail your passport beforehand), then the only way you can exit the ship is with a guided tour. I wish that I had looked up private tours in advance, because I am not a fan of being on a 40-person guided tour bus. For anyone going in the future, I definitely recommend looking up independent tour companies rather than taking a tour through the cruise ship. However, if you do wish to take a tour with the cruise ship, go with the full day tours instead of the half day ones like I did. However, the first evening, I really enjoyed the tour titled A Night of Russian Ballet. That evening, I had the opportunity to enjoy a special performance by the well-known ballet Swan Lake, in one of the city’s theater venues. Dance is a huge part of Russia’s culture and traditions. St. Petersburg has long been regarded as one of the world’s most famous ballet centers. For two centuries, Russia has maintained its superiority in ballet, an art that was brought from Europe at the beginning of the 18th century. I thoroughly enjoyed the ballet. On the second day in St. Petersburg, I went on the Cathedrals of St. Petersburg excursion. On this tour, we traveled to the city center and were introduced to the history of St. Petersburg through its most iconic cathedrals. The Peter and Paul Fortress was founded in 1703 and is considered to be the birthplace of St. Petersburg. Here, we visited St. Peter & Paul’s cathedral, designed by Trezini. It is a distinctive landmark and known to be the burial ground for many members of the Romanov Royal family. After taking a souvenir and restroom break, we headed towards the Church on the Spilled Blood. It was built in memory of Alexander the II on the spot where he was assassinated. Inside is a collection of mosaics that covers over 8,400 square yards with jeweler’s enamel. Our final stop was at St. Isaac’s Square where we visited St. Isaac’s Cathedral. Built between 1818 and 1858, it is the largest church in St. Petersburg with a capacity of 10,000 people. Sculptures and massive red granite columns adorn the facade, and its interior is richly decorated with intricate mosaics, paintings, and columns. I think my experience of St. Petersburg would have been more enjoyable if the weather was cooperating and if I was able to do it with a private tour guide or even on my own. There is so much more to see and do in St. Petersburg that I just didn’t have the time for. The next time I go back to Russia, I will definitely want to get a visa in advance.
Visby is the one stop on the cruise that pleasantly surprised me. Visby is Scandinavia’s best-preserved medieval town. It was a very photogenic destination with cobbled streets, pastel cottages, and historic buildings within the city walls. It has beautiful ruined Gothic churches. I visited during Medieval Week, which is definitely the week to go! I think my experience would have been much less exciting if I wasn’t there during their most famous week of the year. Everywhere you look, you are surrounded by knights, queens, peasants, and strumpets, dining, drinking, and dancing against a UNESCO World Heritage backdrop. The festival lasts for one week with 500 events and 40,000 visitors. During the week, you will witness jousting, markets, church concerts, street theater, fire shows, storytelling, walks, lectures, and more. You can get a full schedule on the Medieval Week on Gotland website. I started off my gorgeous day in Visbyat Almedalen Park. It is well known in Sweden as the central site of the annual Almedalen Week, an annual event in Visby, which is an important meeting place for everyone involved in Swedish politics. During the week, which takes place during the 27th week of every year, representatives from the major political parties in Sweden take turns giving speeches in the park. It was a nice place to walk around and get a good view from outside of the city walls. Visby City Wall is a medieval defensive wall surrounding the town. The oldest part of the wall is a defensive tower, today called Kruttornet (the Gunpowder Tower), which was erected at the harbor entrance in the 12th century, making it the oldest surviving non-religious building in the Nordic countries. After taking a look at the tower, I walked along the water and even took a short break to relax in the hammock. You will get some amazing views from the outskirts of the island. This would be an amazing spot to watch the sunrise or sunset. It is very peaceful here. From the walking point, you will see an entrance to DBW’s Botanical Gardens, the most beautiful park in Visby. A member of the DBW committee, submitted a proposal to create the botanical gardens in 1854. The objective was to spread knowledge of both horticulture and botany to all corners of the island. Upon entering, you can pick up an information map. The gardens are free to enter. Next to the gardens are where a lot of the Medieval festivities take place. The first ruin of the day that I saw was St. Clemens Ruin. Majestic arches, columns, walls, and a tower are all that is left from this 11th century church. Not far from it is St. Nicolai Ruin. It is another major ruin listed by UNESCO, which history reaches back to the 12th century. Having great acoustics, it hosts numerous concerts. From this ruin, I took an opportunity to get a good view of the City Walls. As the strongest, most extensive, and best preserved medieval city wall in Scandinavia, the wall forms an important and integral part of the Visby World Heritage Site. Built in two stages during the 13th and 14th century, approximately 3.44 km of its original 3.6 km still stands. Of the 29 large and 22 smaller towers, 27 large and 9 small remain. A number of houses that predate the all were incorporated within it during one of the two phases of construction. During the 18th century, fortifications were added to the wall in several places and some of the towers were rebuilt to accommodate cannons. Be sure to walk along the walls at some point. Next, I visited Helgeandskyrkan (Holy Communion Church), which was built in the early 13th century. From most places in Visby’s town center, you will be able to spot Visby Cathedral, also known as St. Mary’s Church, which is the only survived medieval church in Visby. It was originally build for German merchants and inaugurated in 1225. Around the year 1350, the church was enlarged and converted into a basilica. There are 400 graves under the church floor. While you are visiting the cathedral, make sure you take a walk up the stairs and get a wonderful view from above. If you are here during Medieval Week, you may also witness people jousting in the fields. The next ruin that I visited was Drottens Kyrkoruin (The Lord’s Church Ruin). It is the common name of the ruins of Trinity Church. The church was built around the year 1240 as a parish church for the Germans but was rebuilt during the latter part of the Middle Ages. Across from Drottens Church is St. Lars or St. Lawrence’s Church. It has a different shape from the other churches of Visby. Whereas they were inspired by German ecclesiastical architecture, St. Lawrence’s resembles the Byzantine churches of the east. The numerous staircases and passages In the walls are a distinctive feature. My favorite of the ruins is St. Katarina Ruins. The construction of St. Catherine’s Church was started in the 1250s and continued through the 14th century. It was actually never completed, and in the 1540s, it was partially collapsed during the worship. The pillars are still very impressive. The square beside these ruins is always busy. There is a central market and lots of restaurants and cafes for you to choose from. If you are into museums, Fornsalen (Gotlands Museum) is a great option. There are actually different options that you can choose from including the Historical Museum, the Art Museum, and Norby’s Rural Museum. The main museum is located near Packhusplan Fountain. The final ruins that I looked at were The Church Ruins of Saint Hans and Saint Peter. It is two combined church ruins that were erected in the 13th century and were dedicated to the evangelist John and the apostle Peter. The oldest (St. Hans) was probably the first stone church built on Gotland and happened around 1060. It was the parish church for the Gotlanders
Helsinki is the capital and most populous city of Finland located on the shore of the Gulf of Finland. It is a vibrant seaside city of beautiful islands and great green parks. Since I only had one day in Helsinki, I tried to fit in as much as possible. I started the morning off by taking a ferry from Market Square to the Fortress of Suomenlinna. The literal translation of Suomenlinna in Finnish is Castle of Finland. It is a UNESECO World Heritage site and very picturesque location. The fortress was built during the Swedish era as a maritime fortress and a base for the Archipelago Fleet. After catching the ferry back (departs every 20 minutes), I admired Uspenski Cathedral. This Eastern Orthodox cathedral is the main Orthodox Church in Helsinki. It was designed by the Russian architect Aleksey Gomostayev and was built after his death in 1862. I then enjoyed strolling through Market Square. It sits right on the Baltic Sea and maintains a year-round ferry link to Suomenlinna and other nearby islands. From spring to autumn, the Market Square is bustling with activity with vendors selling fresh Finish food and souvenirs. There are also outdoor cafes at the square. Just up the street is Helsinki Cathedral. This Neoclassical cathedral presiding over the Senate Square is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Helsinki. It is notable mainly for its green-colored dome and splendid architecture. The interior may seem quite plain but it is still worth visiting. Also in Senate Square is the University and Palace of the Council. Every day, precisely at 5:49 PM, you can hear a sound installation called Sound of the Senate Square, which plays carillon music, traveling from one building to another. I enjoy walking in cities versus taking public transportation, so I just walked down the streets of Helsinki. I stopped at Fazer Cafe, which is located in the mall across from Helsinki Central Railway Station. I needed a small pastry and smoothie to hold me over until lunch time. I continued walking and passed Helsinki Parliament House. I think it is a beautiful building. I then took a stroll along Toolonlahti Bay. This is a great park to walk around. Here, you can also find Finlandia Hall, a congress and event venue in the center of Helsinki. About a 20-minute walk from the bay is the Sibelius Monument by Mila Hiltunen, which was dedicated to the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The monument is located at the Sibelius Park. If you are still looking for something quick to eat or drink, I recommend going to Regatta, which is a cute cafe very close to the monument and located on the sea. Walking back toward the center city, I went to Rock Church. Temppeliaukio Church is a Luthern church, designed by architects and brothers Timo and Tuomo Suomalainen and opened in 1969. It is called Rock Church because it is built directly into solid rock. It is worth the small admission price to enter. Next, I went to Kamppi Center, a shopping complex in the center of Helsinki. This is a convenient place to grab lunch. In the Narinkka Square, you will notice the Kamppi Chapel. It is also known as the “Chapel of Silence” since it is intended to be a place to calm down and have a moment of silence in one of the busiest areas in Finland. This ended by time in Finland since I had to get back on the cruise ship. However, if you have more time, I also recommend visiting Well Park, Observatory Hill, and Old Market Hall.
I spent two lovely days in Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark. There is so much to see and do and I think I could’ve spent an entire week there without getting bored. If you are doing a baltic cruise, Copenhagen is a great place to start from. I stayed one night at the Annex Copenhagen Hotel, which is right near the Copenhagen Central Train Station and Tivoli Gardens. It shares a building with Absalon Hotel, which offers a little bit nicer, yet more expensive, room options. It is in a great location. I was able to walk or catch a short bus ride to all attractions. Day One I started the morning off with Rosenborg Castle. This impressive palace was built in 1606 and was used as the seat of Danish kings for about a hundred years. The castle was opened to the public in 1838 and it houses a museum which displays Royal Collections including the Crown Jewels and the Danish Crown Regalia. It costs 110 DKK for adults. The castle is surrounded by beautiful gardens, which is definitely worth visiting – especially in the summer when all the flowers bloom. It is, in fact, the oldest royal garden in the whole country. It was established in the 17th century to provide a place for the king to relax, as well as to supply the court with fresh fruit and vegetables. It was opened to the public at the end of the 18th century and it has become the most visited park in Copenhagen. About a 20-minute walk from the palace is Kastellet. This fortress is one of the best-preserved fortifications in Europe. It was built in 1663 as a fortress and since the 19th century, it has been used as a prison. The buildings inside the Citadel were used as military barracks and offices. The park is now a lovely place to take a walk. Be sure to walk all the way around the star-shaped island. You will come across Kastelsmollen. This windmill was built on the grounds of the citadel as a precaution so that there was a place to grind the grain for flour in the event of a siege. It is the only windmill in Copenhagen that still works. Not far from the fortress is the staple of Copenhagen, The Little Mermaid statue. Unveiled in 1913, the sculpture was a gift from Danish brewer Carl Jacobsen to the City of Copenhagen. The sculpture is made of bronze and granite and was inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale about a mermaid who gives up everything to be united with a young, handsome prince on land. There will usually be a crowd of people waiting to take a selfie with the mermaid, so if you wish to avoid crowds then it is better to visit early in the morning. Following the water back toward the other side of the fortress, you will come to St. Alban’s Anglican Church. It is the only Anglican Church in Denmark and serves members made up of over twenty-five different nationalities. It is free to enter the church and you will be warmly welcomed by someone handing you an information page in your language. The church is situated in the beautiful Churchillparken with Gefion Fountain. The fountain has a statue of a woman with four bulls in front of her set at the top. The statue represents the pagan goddess Gefion. According to a legend, she turned her own sons into bulls and used them to plough all the land she could within 24 hours. The land that she had sloughed was granted to her by the King Gylfe of Zealand, and eventually became Zealand, the main island of Denmark. Next, I took a 10-minute walk to Amalienborg Palace. The place complex, which serves as the residence of the Danish royals, consists of four palaces that are exact copies of one another, all organized symmetrically around small square. The statue of a man on a horse in the middle of the square depicts King Frederick V, who ruled the country in the 18th century. The palaces, built between 1750 and 1760, have been the home to the Danish monarchs ever since the Christiansborg Palace burned to the ground in 1794. While some of the palaces are not open to the public, the Christian VII’s Palace serves as a museum and is open to visitors for 105 DKK. Visit at noon if you want to see the changing of the guard ceremony. From the palace, you can get a great view of Frederik’s Church, popularly known as the Marble Church. It is easily recognizable by its large green dome, which is the largest of its kind in all of Scandinavia. Some say it was inspired by the famous St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. You can enter the dome to get a beautiful view of the the surrounding city. Admission to the church is free and the dome costs 35 DKK and only occurs at certain times throughout the day. On the same street is Alexander Nevsky Church, which is the only Russian Orthodox Church in Copenhagen. It was built by the Russian government in the late 1800s prompted by Princess Dagmar of Denmark’s marriage to Alexander Alexandrovich. Next, I walked through Saint Ann’s Square. Although it’s called a square, it is, in fact, a road filled with greenery and plants. The “square” was built over a canal. On the road you will pass by Garrison Church. If you walk for another five minutes, you will come to Nyhavn, the New Port of Copenhagen, which is my favorite area. It is a narrow port full of beautiful ships from the old times, lined by rows of colorful buildings. The port is now considered an iconic sight of the city. This is a great spot to have lunch as there are several restaurants along the water to choose from. You can also take a boat tour from this area. Across the street is
The Lake District is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous for its lakes, forests and mountains (or fells), and its associations with William Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter, and John Ruskin. The National Park was established in 1951 and covers an area of 2,362 square kilometres. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017. The Lake District is located entirely within the county of Cumnbria. All the land in England higher than 3,000 feet (914 m) above sea level lies within the National Park, including Scafell Pike, the highest mountain in England. It also contains the deepest and largest natural lakes in England, Wast Water and Windermere respectively. Hotel I stayed at the Damson Dene Hotel in Kendal, which is closely located to Windermere Lake. I chose this hotel because it is dog-friendly, has a restaurant and spa, and provides a free breakfast. The hotel was very nice, but I would have liked to be within walking distance to a town or lake. However, those hotels came at a much steeper price. I was still happy overall with the location. If I were to go back, I would probably stay in Keswick or Windermere. Day 1 My first day consisted of visiting a castle on top of Windermere Lake, taking a hike up to Loughrigg Fell that had a great view of a few lakes, and seeing a waterfall. Wray Castle Wray Castle is a Victorian neo-gothic building in Cumbria. The grounds, which include part of the shoreline of Windermere Lake, are open for free all year round. Between March and October, Windermere Lake Cruises operate a passenger boat service from Ambleside and the Brockhole National Park Visitor Center to Wray Castle. Parking at the castle is 7.50GBP for the day and entrance to the castle is 10GBP. Dogs are allowed on the castle grounds and also in the cafe, but not inside the castle. Loughrigg Fell Loughrigg Fell, just on the outskirts of the popular town of Ambleside, is a beautiful vantage point of the surrounding mountains. I downloaded the hiking path from Walk Lakes, which takes you over the top of Loughrigg Fell, along the airy Loughrigg Terrace overlooking Rydal Lake, and a path to Rydal Cave and Grasmere Lake. Rydal Cave is a man-made quarry, which produced high quality roofing slates in the 19th century. My dog loved swimming in the water here to cool off from our hike. The total length of the hike is 6.43 miles and took me 4 hours, with a few stops for snacks and pictures. You can also do this hike from Rydal, which I think would have been much quicker. Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall A short walk from the center of Ambleside is Stock Ghyll Force Waterfall. You can get to this 70 foot waterfall from Stockghyll Lane. After passing the public bathrooms, turn left and pass the sign that says “To the Waterfalls”. You will head uphill with Stockghyll on the left before seeing the red signs for the waterfall path. It is a circular path where you can view the falls from a railed viewpoint. I was unfortunately disappointed by the waterfall, although it was still a nice walk for my dog. Day 2 On my second day, I saw a waterfall in the morning, spent the afternoon hopping around from castle to castle, and finished the evening at Windermere Lake. Aira Force Waterfall A network of trails weaves its way from Ullswater lakeshore to Gowbarrow summit. Probably the most famous of the Lake District waterfalls, Aira Force falls 70 feet from below a stone footbridge and is on land owned by the National Trust. At the main Aira Force car park there is a tea room and an information kiosk and shop which sells snacks and gifts. Be sure to look at the map on the wall to see all the different possibilities of trails. I ended up taking the High Force Trail, which took about 1 hour to walk the 1.4 mile trail. Penrith Castle Penrith is a nice market town in Cumbria 3 miles outside the boundaries of the Lake District National park. I ate at the Narrowbar Cafe, which is a cute dog-friendly place. I then headed to Penrith Castle, which is a now-ruined medieval castle that was build between 1399 and 1470 as a defense against Scottish raids. Brougham Castle In a picturesque setting beside the crossing of the River Eamont in Cumbria, Brougham Castle was founded in the early 13th century. The top of the keep provides panoramic views over the Eden Valley. The castle costs 5.70GBP. Lowther Castle Built at the turn of the 19th century, on the site of two previous houses, Lowther Castle was a grand affair boasting a room for every day of the year. Its gardens were the envy of the north. But in 1957 the castle was demolished. Just the facade and outer walls remained. The castle ruins, exhibition, gardens, adventure playground, cafe, and shop are open every day from 10am to 4pm in winter and 10am to 5pm in summer. The parking and grounds are free. The castle entrance is 11GBP. If you only have time to see one of the castles mentioned on this day, this is the one to see. Appleby Castle Appleby Castle is situated just 15 miles from the English Lake District and deep in the heart of the Eden Valley. You may climb to the roof, from where there are impressive views in all directions. The best way to experience the castle is to stay overnight. The next best way is a guided tour of the castle and grounds. Tours are 12.50GBP and should be pre-booked. I played dumb and walked in the gates when no one was there to snag some quick pictures, before being asked to leave. Brough Castle Brough Castle stands on a ridge by Stainmore Pass, on the site of a Roman fort. Frequently the target of Scots raids, its towering keep dates from about 1200. More comfortable
Brugge (or Bruges) is a city full of canals, beer, fries, and of course the delicious waffles. It is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium, in the northwest of the country. It is described as “Venice of the North” and if you catch a boat and cruise the city via the canals, you will surely understand why. The canals are a part of the city nearly as old as Brugge themselves. They were built in the 12th century in order to help carry merchandise across the city and cross through the entirety of the city center. They allow visitors to see the attractions from a different angles, as well as to view some that would otherwise remain inaccessible. I went on an extended day trip with ITT at the end of March and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. One day was the perfect amount to see the highlights of Brugge, but two days would have been ideal. I felt a bit rushed toward the end of the day and I wish I had one more day to go in more of the attractions. The bus drops everyone off at the train station. From there, I headed toward the city center by crossing over Barge Bridge. This modern bridge will catch your eyes with its bright red color and unique shape. This takes you to the Lake of Love, which is surrounded by a park and has a terrace facing the lake for the perfect view. Near the lake is Beguinage. This complex was a home to Beguines, women of a Christian spiritual movement of the 13th century. These women decided to devote their lives to Christ, live in poverty, and take care of the sick and poor. It is the only preserved beguinage in Brugge. Since 1927, it serves as a convent of Benedictine nuns. After taking a stroll through the gardens, I made my way to Saint Salvator’s Cathedral. Along the way, I passed De Halve Man Brewery, the only family brewery left in Brugge. After seeing the inside of Saint Salvator (free admission), I walked toward the Church of Our Lady. On the way, I stopped in a shopping square to have breakfast. I quickly realized that Brugge was quite expensive. When I reached the Church of Our Lady, I was amazed at its colossal height. The church tower stands at 115 meters and is the second biggest brick tower in the world and also the biggest building in the the city of Brugge. The church possess a marble sculpture of the Madonna and Child by Michaelangelo, various paintings and wooden carvings, and even tombs of Mary of Burgundy and Charles the Bold. You can visit the main part of the church for free, but if you wish to see the museum and artworks, you will need to purchase a ticket. Make sure to go around the back of the church to get a different perspective. Down the street from the church along the canal is where the city’s market is, which is supposedly there most days. Opposite the market is Groeninge Museum, if you are interested in an art museum. I walked through the market and noticed a brewery on the other side of the canal called Bourgonge des Frandres. It was time a great time to stop and have a drink on the outside patio as I watched the boats pass by. Next, I walked around the Quai of the Rosary, which a starting point of many boat trips. This place offers one of the most spectacular views in all of Brugge. I loved the atmosphere of this area. One drink wasn’t enough, so next on the agenda was the 2be Bar and Shop. As soon as you walk in, you will notice the very long beer wall. This work of wall art features a large display of beer bottles and glasses. This bar is an awesome place to try different kinds of local beers. The shop also has a wide selection of beers to take home with you. I came back at the end of the day to get a suitcase full of a variety of local beers. A little ways down the street is House of Waffles, which is a fantastic place to stop for all of your waffle cravings. You can get waffles all over Brugge, but this place stuck out to me because of the large selection of toppings. You can order at the window or go inside to sit down. You will have an option between Brussels or Liege waffles and Liege are way better in my opinion. I topped mine with vanilla ice cream, strawberries, and bananas. Mmm Mmmm Mmmmm. My next stop was the astounding City Hall, which is located in Burg Square on the grounds of a former castle. It was built in 1376, making it one of the oldest city halls in Belgium. This is where the ruling over the country took place for some 600 years. Nowadays, it houses a city museum. Not far from City Hall is Market Square, the very center of the historical heart of the city. The square is lined with wonderful sights, like the Bell tower and the Provincial Court. There are various restaurants, pubs, and stores around the square. Belfry is an 83 meter high bell tower. If you climb all the way to the top on a sunny day, you can see the entirety of the city below you. Unfortunately, I did not have enough time for this as the line was long and I didn’t want to miss seeing the rest of the city. When visiting, do not miss the chance to admire the Belfry’s 47-bell clarion. The bells are made to ring by hand every day at 11 o’clock. Keep in mind that there is no elevator at the Belfry, so it is not wheelchair accessible. It takes 366 stairs to reach the top of
I went to Kiev for two full days and I was completely surprised at how much I enjoyed it. After visiting tons of European cities, I started to feel like they were all pretty similar. However, Kiev definitely has a different feel from most European cities and I think it is completely underrated. I wish that I had at least one extra day to see some extra sights. I spent one day wondering around the city and the other day taking a guided tour to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone. I flew into Kiev-Boryspil International Airport. After arriving at the airport, I went through immigration. Ukraine does not require a visa for U.S citizens. After getting through passport control, I took out some money at an AM (1000 UAH limit) before going to purchase a local SIM card. I knew that this would come in handy with navigating my way around throughout the trip. It was only about $5 for 8GB, which was the smallest option they had available at the time. I then found the Sky Bus outside of the airport, that takes you to the city. You pay for the bus ticket on the bus, which is 100 UAH, which is less than $4. The downside of the bus is that it does not go all the way into center city. It will drop you off near a metro stop and you will have to take the metro the rest of the way into the city. The bus does not announce the stops so it will be useful if you have maps pulled up on your phone. Otherwise, just get off on the first stop, which is about a 15-minute ride. The metro ride is only 8 UAH, which is only 30 cents. The metro takes about an extra 30 minutes to get into the city center. This mode of transportation is much cheaper than taking a taxi. If you want the convenience of a taxi, there is an official taxi desk inside of the arrivals terminal. This will get you a government taxi instead of getting inside a taxi from some random guy that may try to overcharge you. It is also safer going with the official taxis. Most Ukrainians do not speak English so you may also run into a problem if you take the taxi route. I stayed at an apartment in the Independence Square area. This is main square. The apartment is owned by Kiev Accommodation Hotel Service and can be booked on hotels.com. The apartment is in a great location and is only 30 USD per night. Since I arrived at night, I didn’t have time to see anything on the day of arrival. I read about a unique bar online, so I thought I would go check it out. The bar is called Palata No6 and is named after Anton Chekhov’s tale about life in a madhouse. It is hidden down a back alley and is a bit challenging to locate. The male bartenders are dressed in doctor’s scrubs and the females are dressed in white nurse’s outfits. If you ask for the Pyramida, you will be served vodka through a giant pyramid of test tubes. My husband asked for the Helmet, which involves chugging absinthe and getting your helmet lit on fire. I advise you not to order food though since it took over an hour just to get some wings. This bar was definitely an interesting experience though. On the first full day, I took a walk around the city to see the main sights. Everything was fairly walkable and goes in a circular direction. I started at Independence Square. If you have time, they offer free walking tours every day, but since I only had the one day, I wanted to explore at my own pace so that I could fit more in. Maidan Nezalezhnosti is the actual name of the central square and is also the name of the metro stop. It is located on Khreshchatyk Street, which is the busiest street in Kiev. The square is the location for political rallies, so I recommend making sure that there aren’t any going on during the time that you plan to come. I then headed down the road to People’s Friendship Arch. This is a monument built in 1982 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the USSR and the celebration of the 1,500th anniversary of the city. In 2016, the Ukrainian government announced plans to dismantle the arch as part of its decommunization laws. There are plans to put a memorial dedicated to veterans of the War in Donbass in its place. However, when we were there, the arch was still there although there was construction going on. Since the Friendship Arch sits high up on the hill, you can get a good view of the city. You can also look across the way and see Volodymir the Great statue. I didn’t want to walk down one hill and up another hill to see the statue, so I made my way to St. Michael’s Golden-Domed Monastery. Admission to the monastery is free. Behind the monastery, you will find the Kiev Funicular, which connects the historic Uppertown, and the lower commercial neighborhood of Podil through the steep Volodymyrska Hill overseeing the Dnieper River. It is 8 UAH per trip (30 cents). I took the funicular down thinking that it would get me closer to St. Andrew’s church, but I actually just ended up walking back up the hill. However, I did walk up a cool street called Andriyivsky Descent. On this 720 meter, cobblestone street, you will find lots of street stalls selling souvenirs. At the top of the steep hill, sits St. Andrew’s Church overlooking the historic Podil neighborhood. This was my favorite church in Kiev because of the pretty turquoise color. The church was being renovated when we were there so we did not get to go in, although we were able to walk around the grounds. Not
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The Lego Group began in the workshop of Ole Kirk Christiansen (1891–1958), a carpenter from Billund, Denmark, who began making wooden toys in 1932. In 1934, his company came to be called “Lego”, derived from the Danish phrase leg
My husband and I went on the 8-Day 8-Day Greek Isles Cruise from Venice on Norwegian Cruise Line. Our ship was called the Jade. We booked through Military Cruise Deals to get the best deal for being affiliated with the military. Out itinerary included Venice, Corfu, Thira/Santorini, Mykonos, Athens/Piraeus, Split, and back to Venice. The cruise cost around $900 per person including government fees but excluding excursions. We did not know that NCL has frequent deals like free drink packages and half off the second guest so we could’ve saved a lot of money if we had waited for a deal. https://www.militarycruisedeals.com/ We booked a shore excursion for each port through NCL directly. We went horseback riding in Corfu, did a volcano hike in Santorini, went on a 4×4 adventure in Mykonos, visited the Krka Waterfalls from Split, and got a full city tour in Athens. The total price for excursions was around $700 per person. https://www.ncl.com/ Venice https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/29/venice-italy/ Corfu https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/29/corfu-greece/ Santorini https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/29/santorini-greece/ Mykonos https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/29/mykonos-greece/ Athens https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/29/athens-greece/ Split https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/29/split-croatia/
The first thing you want to do when planning for a EuroTrip is to decide which countries you would like to visit. I wanted to see as much as possible in two weeks. After knowing I had two weeks to travel, I purchased the 15 day continuous global rail pass on eurail.com (interrail.com if you are an EU citizen) and got 2 extra days for free since they were having a sale. https://www.eurail.com/en/eurail-passes/global-pass This pass allows you the freedom to explore all your dream European destinations using the Eurail Global Pass. This convenient train pass gives you access to rail networks in 28 fascinating countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Switzerland, although be aware that you will have to pay a reservation fee in specific countries or for night trains. Once I knew which cities I wanted to visit, I downloaded the Rail Planner app to see how long it was from each city and which cities would not be direct trains. I took notes beforehand and had a general idea of when I would be traveling but still had the flexibility to plan as I went if I needed more time in a specific location. The great thing about Eurail passes is you don’t have to worry about missing a train. You can hop on whatever train you’d like without a timed ticket. You can download the apps here – IOS, Android. Rail planner shows you all the available times, type of train and possible connections for the city of your choice. The application is done by Eurail and the cool thing about it is that it is available offline! I used the app the entire time during my travels and was fully satisfied with it! There are some cases when you will need to reserve a seat on your trip and pay a reservation fee. This can be done at the train station. For example, it is mandatory to book your seat on a night train. We did this a few times. The average cost of a bed on a night train is around 20-40 Euros. We had time to sleep while traveling, which was awesome to wake up in our next location! One example of when we did this was from Madrid to Lisbon. You will also usually need to book your seat when using a fast train that is marked with an R on the Rail Planner App. This can be as low as 3 Euros or as much as 30 Euros. Sometimes you will have the option to take the same route on a slow-speed train but I think it is worth it to just pay the fee in some instances. High-speed trains are common in France, Italy, and Spain. Additionally, you will need to reserve your seat on popular routes that may not have free seats. Stop 1: Amsterdam https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/20/amsterdam-netherlands/ Stop 2: Berlin https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/20/bamberg-germany/ Stop 3: Prague https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/22/prague-czech-republic/ Stop 4: Vienna https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/22/vienna-austria/ Stop 5: Bratislava https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/23/bratislava-slovakia/ Stop 6: Budapest https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/24/budapest-hungary/ Stop 7: Lake Bled https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/25/bled-slovenia/ Stop 8: Florence https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/27/florence-and-pisa-italy/ Stop 9: Nice https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/30/nice-france/ Stop 10: Marseille https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/06/30/marseille-france/ Stop 11: Barcelona https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/03/barcelona-and-montserrat-spain/ Stop 12: Madrid https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/01/madrid-spain/ Stop 13: Lisbon https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/03/lisbon-portugal/ Stop 14: Porto https://mandytravelstheworld.news.blog/2016/07/03/porto-portugal/ Check out the links to each city’s blog for more information on the specific places. If you have any more questions about the Eurail pass or planning a EuroTrip, please comment below!
Part One I just visited Stockholm, Sweden for 3 days in February and I loved it! I went with my husband and 2 friends and we were all raving about how nice and helpful the locals were and how great the food was. It was also a beautiful city to walk around in. Seriously though, the people were so kind! Most places I have been don’t really like tourists but on two or more occasions, people helped me with directions or gave us advice on where to go without us even asking. One gentleman heard us talking about a restaurant we were going to and saw us looking at the map so he spoke up and told us he was going that way and didn’t mind taking us. I’ve never had that happen before so Stockholm definitely got points for that! In addition to the sweet people and the amazing food (Swedish meatballs are YUMMY), there was so much to see. First thing we did when we arrived was check-in to our hotel. How cool is a hotel on the river? Well we thought it would be a unique experience so we decided to give it a shot. The rooms were definitely TINY but the staff was very helpful and the location was great.Hotel: Rygerfjord Hotel & Hostel Day 1:The day we arrived we planned to just explore the town. We walked from our hotel to Old Town, which offered a lot of interesting buildings, monuments, restaurants, and souvenir shops. We saw the Parliament House, Royal Palace, and Kungstradgarden. We then decided to take the metro to a Mexican Restaurant, La Neta, that had great reviews and was recommended to me. I was craving some authentic Mexican. The food was delicious but the restaurant was very tiny and cramped.After dinner, we hopped back on the metro (we got a 3 day pass that was good for all transportation- extremely convenient) and went to Fotografiska Photography Museum. If you are into photography, this was an interesting museum. It is one of the only attractions that is open later than 6 P.M. (9AM-11PM most days) so it gives you something to do at night. There are a lot of familiar faces in the museum, such as photographs of Taylor Swift, Brad Pitt, Jack Black and Robert De Niro. Day 2: First thing we did on our second day was the Royal Palace. Our entry ticket gave us access to the Royal Apartments, the Treasury where we saw magnificent Crown Jewels, and the Tre Kronor Museum. After our visit, we ate lunch at a nearby restaurant before coming back at noon for the changing of the guard. After the Royal Palace, we took the tram to the Skansen Open-Air Museum. This was the first open-air museum I have been to and I thought it was a very cool museum. It was huge! There were traditional buildings and farmsteads from all over Sweden that made up the 75 acres of living history. There were guides wearing traditional costumes that could tell us about life there in former times. My favorite part was seeing the Scandinavian wild animals in the natural enclosures. There is also an aquarium that costs extra that we did not go in. Next, we ate at one of the restaurants across the street, where we enjoyed a traditional Swedish meal. The Swedish meatballs were amazing and so was the burger. We also got the locally brewed beer and gluhwein (hot wine). We headed back to our hotel for a break since it was Superbowl Sunday and the game didn’t start until 1AM in Sweden. We found a bar that was going to play the game, O’Learys. I recommend this restaurant for good bar food and a great time. There are 4 levels and it was packed with fans of American football. Day 3:Since our metro pass was good for all transportation, we decided to take the ferry to the Vasa Museum. It was only about a 15-minute ride. This was my favorite part of the trip. Upon entering the museum, we watched a film in English that set up the shipwreck. In 1628, the Vasa ship set sail and sank in the Stockholm harbour. The wreck was salvaged in 1961 after 333 years under the sea. This museum offered many exhibitions on 4 different levels. We were lucky enough to show up just before the free English tour, which was 30-minutes long and gave a good introduction before we explored the rest of the museums on our own. After about two hours in the Vasa Museet, we walked around the city and went in a few shops. If we had more time on our trip, we would have like to go to Uppsala or Archipelago, which are outside of Stockholm. Part Two On my 9-day Scandinavia and Baltic Cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line, one of the stops was Stockholm so I got to explore the city a little bit further. This time, I focused more of my time just walking around and enjoying the sights. One new thing that I did was the Viking Museum, Vikingaliv. In the exhibition, you will meet the Vikings through movies, scenery, projections, and sound effects as well as archaeological objects. My favorite part was Ragnfrid’s Saga, which is a Viking ride downstairs where you get to follow along on a trip to the Viking Age. With sounds, light, and atmospheric environments, you travel through the 11-minute journey that is told by Ragnfrid herself. After the Viking Museum, I walked to the Nordic Museum, or Nordiska Museet. This is Sweden’s largest museum of cultural history. Here, you will discover clothes and fashion, textiles and jewelry, homes and furniture, photography, toys, folk art, glass and porcelain. There is also an exhibition about the only indigenous people in Sweden, the Sami.
I was so excited to arrive in Rome! I was visiting my cousin who was studying abroad there for the summer. Well, my initial excitement only lasted about 40 minutes after arriving at the airport. How would you like to lose your passport on the first day of a week-long trip? That’s right, it happened to me. We took a taxi from the airport to my cousin’s apartment when we found out that the bus wasn’t running anymore that night. I had a suitcase, a small black back that contained all of my documents (passport, visa, IDs, etc) as well as my cosmetics/toiletries, and my purse. We were focused on paying the driver and getting out in the busy traffic that we totally forgot the little black bag that was sitting between us. It was only 5 minutes later that I realized what just happened. I panicked and started to cry. All that was going through my head at the moment was me thinking I would be stuck in Italy for a long time. There was no way I would be getting my bag back. There are a million taxi cabs in Rome. They all look alike and there is no lost-and-found for the companies. After many phone calls and filing a police report, I was told that there was a slim chance of me ever seeing my passport again, especially that week. This was not the way I wanted to start off my week! After calming myself down, I just wanted to think about something else and deal with the situation later. So, my cousin introduced me to her roommates and we went out to eat and have drinks. Walking around the city definitely calmed me down. There is so much history and beauty that it was easy to start focusing on having a good time.My advice to everyone: Always check and triple check that you have EVERYTHING before you get off of any mode of transportation. Count how many bags you have to keep track of. Every place I have gone after this, I am continually asking everyone I am with if they have everything. It gets extremely repetitive but I’d rather everyone be annoyed with me than them having to go through what I did. Luckily, there was a U.S. Embassy in Rome and they were able to get me an emergency passport. It wasn’t ideal taking a day out of our trip to deal with this, but I felt so much better knowing that it was taken care of and that I could enjoy the rest of my time in Rome. When I got back to England, I had to take care of the Visa process again. Okay, finally now onto my trip! It is hard to put this blog into a play-by-play since we spent a lot of our time relaxing and doing things with her friends. After all, they were taking college classes so had to spend some time every day studying. So, I am just going to tell you my favorite places in Rome. 1. Colosseum– I don’t think anyone should go to Rome without visiting the oval amphitheater located in the center of the city. Completed in 80AD, the Colosseum is the largest amphitheater ever built, holding between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators. The Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas. Although partially destroyed due to damage caused by earthquakes and stone-robbers, the Colosseum is still an iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum. You can get there by the metro stop Colosseo on the B line. Even in the middle of a summer day, I didn’t think that the line was too long to purchase tickets. My cousin visited numerous times during the summer and she said that the guided tour wasn’t all that great. Even when I was walking around without a tour, I could still hear what the tour guides were telling their tours. However, if you are really wanting to know detailed information or aren’t too familiar with the history of the Colosseum, go for the guided tour! I would suggest buying tickets in advance though if you know exactly what day you would like to visit. If you are a last-minute type of person, this is definitely a visit that I would want to save for a sunny day. Visiting the Colosseum is also something I would recommend doing in the day and at night if you have time to get the pretty view of it all lit up. Be sure to go up the stairs across from the entrance to get a great view. Adult Ticket €12 Child Ticket €7.50 (includes Roman Forum and Palatine Hill)Audioguide €5.50 Tour €5Hours: 8:30 AM-1 hour before sunset Additional Tips: Buy your ticket from the Palatine entrance or the Roman Forum to beat the queues Get the Roma Pass, which is valid for three days at a bunch of sites for €30 (free admission to two museums or sites (choose from a list of 45), as well as reduced entry to extra cites, unlimited city transport and discounted entry to other exhibitions and events) Book your ticket online 2. Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Holy ruins! This was crazy to look at. The Roman Forum is a rectangular forum surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Many of the oldest and most important structures of the ancient city were located on or near the Forum. I was fascinated by the remaining structures. The site fell into ruin by the Romans after the Roman Empire. Palatine Hill offers a stunning view of the Forum. When I visited, no ticket was necessary to get into the forum although if you are going to the Colosseum it is included in the ticket. There wasn’t any information displayed so I was lucky enough to have my cousin with me
Are you visiting Rome and looking for a weekend trip? Are you just looking for a relaxing vacation in an exotic location? If yes, then Capri is the place for you! It is the postcard-perfect vision of shimmering crystal blue water up against tall cliffs. It is the most visited of the islands in the Bay of Naples that can be reached by ferry from Naples and Sorrento. The ferries dock at Marina Grande and from there it is a short ride up to Capri, the main town. Another bus ride takes you up to the island’s second settlement, Anacapri. If the bus line is too long, you can also take one of the cute convertible taxis. For the best view on the island, take the seggiovia chairlift up from Piazza Vittoria to the summit of Mt Solaro, Capri’s highest point. This was the best ride of my life! The single-seater chairlift is such a peaceful ride that allows you to take in the beauty of this island. Once you get to the top you can walk around, have a drink and snack at the bar and then head back down. The chairlift is open from 9AM-5PM Mar-Oct and 9AM-3PM Nov-Feb and costs €10. If you have a good group of people, I recommend taking a private boat tour around the island. We had 15 of us (all American students studying in Rome with my cousin besides me). Even if you have a smaller group, you may be able to get a smaller boat or go on a boat with other people. Our driver showed us all of the Grottos on the island. When we approached the most famous Blue Grotto we realized that the line was too long and it would take at least two hours to see (downfall of going in the middle of summer). It costs €12.50 to take a boat into the Blue Grotto which is open from 9AM-3PM. Although we didn’t get to go in, our driver showed us pictures of the stunning sea cave illuminated by blue light. He explained that it was best visited in the morning. Also note that the grotto is not open when seas are rough or tides are high. If you ask, your driver may even take you to one of the best cliff jumping sites on the island. We went to two separate locations but only the boys were brave enough to climb the tallest cliff. There are a few beaches on the island. The two that we hung out on were the Marina Grande Beach and Faro. Marina Grande is the busiest beach because it is right by the main boating dock. This is the largest beach on the island and is suitable for children. Since this beach got noticeably crowded, we decided to try Faro, a beach by the lighthouse. Speaking to the locals, this was their favorite beach because not a lot of tourists know about it. This is also the only spot on the island where the gorgeous sunset over the Mediterranean can be enjoyed with a cocktail in hand. Although it isn’t very big, it was a great time to jump off the rocks and grab a few drinks at the cafes. Other things to see on your visit:Gardens of Augustus: Admission: €1 Hours:9AM-1 hour before sunsetEnjoy breathtaking views from the garden Jupiter’s Villa: Admission: €2 Hours: 9AM-1 hour before sunsetWas the largest of the island’s 12 Roman villas and was Tiberius’ main Capri residence. Gives a good idea of the scale on which the emperor liked to live.
Paris has been one of my favorite cities that I have been too. It was definitely the most memorable, as it was the place where Phillip proposed to me. The “City of Love” definitely lived up to its name! I studied French for 5 semesters, from middle school through college, but I definitely am not a fluent speaker. Taking French classes helped me appreciate the culture and gave me a couple skills while I was there, such as reading menus and signs and asking for directions. Although you can see the main attractions in a couple days, I think 4 days was a good amount of time for the first visit. I definitely want to go back at a different time of year to experience the city in a different season. We went at the end of December so got the chance to go to the Christmas markets. It was cold, but not unbearable. Day 1:When we arrived, we headed to get our Paris Pass that we previously ordered. Although this had its advantages, I don’t know if it was truly worth it for what we wanted to see and do. After that, we took the metro (best mode of transportation everywhere) to our hotel. We stayed at Hotel De La Vallee, which was very cheap and in a good location. If you just plan on sleeping in the hotel and aren’t picky, I would recommend this hotel. After checking in, we set out into the city.In the afternoon, we were able to walk the streets of Montparnasse, take a stroll in the Luxembourg Gardens, see the Pantheon, walk around the Latin Quarter and Saint Sulpice, put a lock on the Love Bridge, and end our night in Saint-Chappelle and seeing City Hall. Day 2:After some sleep, we went out and searched for breakfast. In Paris, this is not a very hard thing to do. All of our eating breaks, we just picked something that looked good and everything was good for the most part. First thing we saw was Notre Dame. We opted out of climbing the tower, but next time I go back, I will definitely add this to the list of things to do. Going to Paris in and Off season would definitely provide a different experience as there were long lines everywhere we went. After Notre Dame, we took the Hop-on Hop-off bus that was included in the Paris Pass. We took the bus to the Orsay Museum, which was neat but something I could have done without. Next, we took the bus to the Opera, which was just something we looked at from the outside. Next, we went to the Wax Museum, which was very crowded, but something that I found very interesting. If you haven’t been to a wax museum before, this is a good one. The bus then took us to the Grand Palais and Petit Palais which was the area where the Christmas Markets are. We grabbed a bite to eat, walked to Alexander Bridge, walked to Invalides Dome Church, and then went to the Rodin Museum. After taking the bus tour, we took the metro back to our hotel to freshen up for dinner. We made reservations at the restaurant on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower, 58 Tour Eiffel. Our reservations included a lift ticket to the first floor, which we picked up at the welcome desk 30 minutes before the time of our booking. This dinner was absolutely fabulous! It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience so we tried to think about how pricey it was. This was a great way to end the night!! Day 3:We thought if we were in Paris, we might as well go see Versailles too. We took an 8 A.M. train to Versailles, and did a self-guided tour at the Palace. Man, oh man, was it crowded. I do not like crowds, so we tended to rush through all of the rooms, because of how much I hated being shoved. The line was about a 2 hour wait to get in the place, which just wasn’t worth it for me. One day, I may go back in the off season, but I don’t recommend going in December. Luckily, it was a sunny day out, or I would have froze waiting outside in the line. After we finished, we headed back to the Eiffel Tower, where we grabbed lunch at one of the food trucks. We wanted to go back, because we hadn’t seen it during the day yet, and we wanted to go to the very top. Again, this was another very long line. The line for the stairs was about a 3-hour wait and the line for the elevator was about a 5-hour wait. We decided to take the stairs. This was a great decision. The climb was not very hard. After waiting that long, we were ready to get moving. It only took about 15 minutes to get to the second floor, and from there, we bought a lift ticket to the top (only way up from there). The view was absolutely gorgeous. By the time we got up, the sun was setting, and this is when Phillip proposed to me!! Best moment of my life!! After hanging out by the Eiffel Tower for a while, we headed to the area of Trocadero and then to the Arc de Triomphe. Afterwards, we took the metro to Sacre Coeur, where we walked around and stopped in quite a bit of souvenir shops. Then, we headed to Montpartre and Moulin Rouge. The next time I go back to Paris, I also want to see a Moulin Rouge show! Day 4:Today we went to Pompidou and then the Louvre museum. Again, not the time of year to go, as the line to the Louvre was forever long. We decided not to wait in line. Next trip to Paris, this will be a priority of mine. We took the classic tourist pictures at the Louvre and then went to
Christmas markets have become a favorite thing of mine to visit during the holidays. This time I went to see the markets in Brussels, Belgium. While I was there for three days, I explored the city. I really liked the atmosphere. They spoke great English and were very friendly.Favorite thing: The WAFFLES!!! Oh my goodness! I crave them all the time now. I’m dying to go back to have another 🙂 Here is what we managed to do in 3 days (in order of our trip – not favorite to least favorite): 1. Place Sainte Catherine- Christmas Market 2. Musee Royal de l’armee – Military MuseumHighly recommend this to any interested in the military or war history 3. Autoworld – Car MuseumSo many cars, new and old!!! 4. Hotel de Ville Town HallGrand Place Medieval Square One of the most breathtaking views of a town square. The lights were changing as the music played. 5. Les Galleries Saint Hubert – Shops and Museum 6. St. Michael & Gudula Cathedral 7. Notre Dame du Sablon Church Have to add pictures of the waffles and beer. I would add a picture of the chocolate too, as everyone I was with said it’s to die for, but I don’t like chocolate…I know, I’m weird.
