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
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
After receiving a $500 airline voucher, I decided to fly to the West Coast and explore Los Angeles, California for the first time. My mom met me out there and we spent 7 days trying to fit in as many touristy things in a week as possible. LA has so much to see and do that you could live there for years, and still not have done it all. I bought the 5-day Go Los Angeles city card pass that gave me admission to 35+ Los Angeles attractions and experiences. The pass is also available in 1,2, 3, and 7 days, although Universal Studios is only included in the 3+ day options. The pass comes with an easy-to-use app with a guide of the city. This helped me plan out our days. I used the pass for 5 days on days 2 through 6 of my trip. I also made an itinerary on Sygic Travel that you can view. Day 1 Miracle Mile After traveling for 24 hours, I was exhausted so the first day of the trip was a day to relax. We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel close to the airport on the first night before transferring to our AirBnB the following day. After getting settled in, I walked to the La Brea Tar Pits, which are a group of tar pits around Hancock Park. Natural asphalt has seeped up from the ground in this area for tens of thousands of years. Over many centuries, the tar preserved the bones of trapped animals. You can walk around and see the tar pits without paying for the museum. The George C. Page Museum is dedicated to researching the tar pits and displaying specimens from the animals that died there, including several animals from the Ice Age. The price to enter the museum is $12 or can be used with the Go Los Angeles card. However, I did not start my 5-day pass until the following day. Directly beside the Tar Pits, is the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. This art museum is located on Wilshire Boulevard in the Miracle Mile vicinity. It is the largest art museum in the western United States and holds more than 150,000 works spanning the history of art from ancient times to the present. In addition to art exhibits, the museum features film and concert series. The admission price is $25. Here, you can also find “Urban Light“. Let there be light – is definitely the thing that will come to your mind when you see the 202 street lamps arranged into one sculpture by Chris Burden. Even though the lamps are of the same color, they differ in heights and types so it is not a totally uniform sculpture. Right down the road from these two attractions is the Peterson Automotive Museum. Tickets cost $25. I did not go in, but it is something to consider if you are in the area. The night I arrived, I went out to two bars in Venice. One was The Lincoln and the other was Roosterfish. Day 2 Santa Monica, Malibu, and Venice Beach Today was the first day that I used my Go Los Angeles pass. I started off by catching an Uber to the Santa Monica Pier. On this popular pier, you will find many attractions like an amusement park, aquarium, arcade, shops, an iconic carousel, and many places to get food. I arrived right at 9AM and went straight to the Starline office to ask if there was room on the 9:30AM celebrity homes tour. I was in luck! This is free with the Go Card on a standby basis so as long as they still have room on the bus, then you can go. There were only about 9 people on the tour and the bus could fit roughly 20. On the tour, I enjoyed the bus ride from Santa Monica to Malibu along the pacific Coast Highway, where I admired elite beachfront communities. Homes I saw on the tour included: Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Willis, Cher, Adam Chandler, Jennifer Anniston, Courtney Cox, Matthew Perry, Ellen, David Beckham, Paris Hilton, Jim Carrey, and more. These are there summer/vacation homes, so don’t be expecting anything overly extravagant. My favorite homes were actually the ones on the hills, like Cher, Ellen, and David Beckhams, versus the beachfront homes. The tour lasted about 2 hours and ended back at the Santa Monica Pier. Our tour guide, Leo, recommended a few places to eat at for lunch. I ended up eating at an authentic Italian restaurant called Bruno’s. It was very good. After lunch, I headed back onto the Santa Monica Pier. I took photos with the Route 66 sign. This was cool seeing because I just taught my students about it when learning about the Westward Expansion. U.S. Route 66, also known as the Will Rogers Highway, the Main Street of America, or the Mother Road, was one of the original highways in the U.S. Highway System. US 66 was established on November 11, 1926. The highway, which became one of the most famous roads in the United States, originally ran from Chicago, Illinois to Santa Monica, covering a total of 2,448 miles. US 66 served as a primary route for those who migrated west, especially during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s. I next used my Los Angeles Go Card to redeem my unlimited ride wristband at Pacific Park. This normally costs $35. This park looks directly out on the Pacific Ocean, in the direction of Catalina Island. It is the only amusement park on the West Coast of the United States located on a pier and LA’s only admission-free park. There are a total of twelve rides in Pacific Park, including the world’s first and only solar powered Ferris wheel that provides a view of the Pacific Ocean and a roller coaster that circles the majority of the park. It has appeared in over 500 movies and television shows, so was definitely
We also took the cable car up to the car-free village of Murren. I cannot seem to find those pictures but I do recommend it. From Murren, you can take an additional cable car to the Schilthorn summit where you will get a panoramic view of Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau. Here you can eat at the restaurant that was featured in the James Bond 007 movie.
