Set on a small stretch of coast on the Lithuanian Baltic coast, Klaipeda is truely set in an amazing location. The city is set directly on the Curonian spit which is a UNESCO protected area for its unique natural wonders. With a nice German flavor, this once important Prussian city is now Lithuania’s third largest city, yet keeping a distinctive town summer holiday feel. Its fame is only starting as cruise large cruise ships have included the Klaipeda onto their Northern Europe route along with Tallinn, Helsinki and Stocklholm. In This Article…1 Visiting Klaipeda2 Best 2 Days Itinerary for Klaipeda3 Top 10 Things to do in Klaipeda4 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Klaipeda5 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Klaipeda6 Klaipeda in Pictures7 Pin to Pinterest Visiting Klaipeda Klaipeda was actually called Memel in German times before it was renamed Klaipeda by the Lithuanians. The city was a nice surprise for me, as I didn’t expect such a beautiful little town since I hadn’t […]
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Kaliningrad in Russia – In the Shadow of Konigsberg
Once a very important city in the Prussian empire and now an integral part of Russia, this little enclave to the baltic sea hold its share of history. Its strategic location between the Curonian spit was seen by several empires to be a must keep area, which explains why it is awkwardly separated from the Russian Mainland. A lot of Kaliningrad was lost during world war 2, which is sad because It was once considered one of Europe’s most beautiful cities. Even St-Petersburg is said to be built on the bases of Kaliningrad. In This Article…1 The Missing Piece of the Baltic States2 Best 2 Days Itinerary for Kaliningrad3 Top 10 Things to do in Kaliningrad4 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Kaliningrad5 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Kaliningrad6 Kaliningrad In Pictures7 Pin to Pinterest The Missing Piece of the Baltic States It’s no secret that I consider the 3 Baltic States as one of my favorite parts of th world. And this is probably […]
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Visiting Krasnoyarsk, Siberian Nature at its Best
My last stop on this Siberian Month was Krasnoyarsk, the third largest city in Siberia and a highlight on my last trip 4 years ago. I had been curious to spend more time here and for the occasion, I rented a 10-day apartment in the center to be close to the action. Looking back at it, it was definitely a good move. The beauty of Krasnoyarsk is in its nature, with its parks all over the city and especially the Stolby national park just a few kilometers away. What I especially like about this city compared to other Russian cities is its compact center, situated between 2 rivers, appearing like an island. It helps to concentrate the points of interest in the center and not spreading over a large distance, making it a great pedestrian city. The riverfronts are covered in green parks and seemed to constantly fill up with couples enjoying its romantic atmosphere and kids feeding the ducks. And just as the city is preparing for […]
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Siberian Style Summer White Storms in Tomsk, Russia
Probably the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about Siberia is Snow. Some people even think its winter all year round, just like Antarctica. But that’s far from reality. Being here in the middle of the Summer with 30 degrees temperatures, seeing a white “pollen” storm was quite interesting and ironic considering Siberian’s “white” stereotype… In This Article…1 White Fluffy Pollen Storms2 A Small Town with a Traditional Siberian Feel3 Best 2 Days Itinerary for Tomsk4 Top 10 Things to do in Tomsk5 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Tomsk6 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Tomsk7 Tomsk In Pictures8 Pin to Pinterest White Fluffy Pollen Storms In June in Siberia, a special species of cotton-tree starts producing an impressive amount of white, thick pollen flying everywhere to what resembles a real snowstorm. The scene is beautiful to watch, but can also be an annoyance as these massive flying pieces make it hard to breathe as they can easily be breathed in the […]
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Visiting Novosibirsk, Capital of Siberia in Russia
The Siberian Capital and third largest city in Russia, Novosibirsk is, in my opinion, the real Russia. Friendly and modern, yet having a distinctive Siberian feel, this is a city where travelers will enjoy friendly people and nature to its fullest. It’s definitely not easy to reach but if you happen to be on a trans-Siberian train or an intercontinental flight on transit, make a 2 to 3 days stop to see what I mean. In This Article…1 Visiting the Siberian Capital2 Ignored by World Cup organizers3 Novosibirsk Dien Goroda4 Best 2 Days Itinerary of Novosibirsk5 Top 10 Things to do in Novosibirsk6 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Novosibirsk7 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Novosibirsk8 Novosibirsk In Pictures9 Pin to Pinterest Visiting the Siberian Capital At the peak of the Fifa Russian world cup of 2018 and just after my final match I attended in Rostov-on-Don between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia, I escaped the center of the action and the noise to hide […]
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A Few Days in the Cossack Capital of Rostov-on-Don in Russia
Before 2018, I would have never thought about visiting Rostov-on-Don, as its name resonated too much with the problems of Donbass and Lugansk of Ukraine. But since I had a World Cup Ticket for the Uruguay-Saudi Arabia Game this year, I was kind of obligated to give it a try. And what a surprise! Rostov-on-Don is a Big and Lively city that definitely deserves its share of tourism! In This Article…1 My experience in Rostov-on-Don2 Best 2 Days Itinerary for Rostov-on-Don3 Top 10 Things to do in Rostov-on-Don4 Top Rated and Recommended Cafes in Rostov-on-Don5 Top Rated and Recommended Restaurants in Rostov-on-Don6 Pin to Pinterest7 Rostov-on-Don In Pictures My experience in Rostov-on-Don Rostov-on-Don is known to be the capital of the Cossacks, these ancient warriors who have defended the region over centuries. Even some special police units today have uniforms of Cossacks warriors which you could spot on your visit. I had the chance to be here during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, so the city […]
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Sochi: The New Pearl of the Black Sea
Sochi is the Biggest resort City in Russia. In fact, it has grown so quickly and well in the past few years that it is a great city in itself and in my opinion only second to St-Petersburg for the most beautiful city in Russia. Sochi was settled by Stalin where he had his private summer house (dacha). But Thanks to the constant efforts by Putin to host big events in the city like the Olympics Games of 2014, the Formula 1 Grand Prix and the FIFA world cup, it is easy to see how the city is important in the eyes of Russians. And you can definitely expect to hear more and more about Sochi as it transforms towards an international holiday destination. In This Article…1 The Miami of Russia2 A 3 Days Itinerary to Sochi3 Top 10 Things to do in Sochi4 Top 5 Restaurants in Sochi5 Top 5 Cafes in Sochi6 Sochi in Pictures7 Pin to Pinterest The Miami of Russia Sochi […]
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The Republic of Abkhazia: An Unrecognized Country That Has a Lot to Offer
Considered by many to be the most beautiful region of the Caucasus with its beautiful semi-tropical sunshine coast and some of the highest mountains in Europe, all packed in a tiny country, Abkhazia has had its share of drama in the past 20 years. No doubt that the beauty and strategic location of this land have played an important role in the long-lasting disputes with Georgia, which led to one of the bloodiest conflicts in the post-soviet area. Nowadays, the country still feels like it’s freshly out of war with destroyed houses everywhere, bullet holes still visible on building facades and very little rebuilt infrastructure. But its Natural beauty definitely compensates for the ruins left behind for the Visitor. In This Article…1 A bit of history2 Ruins and Luxury Cars3 How to get an Abkhazian Visa4 Wines of Abkhazia5 One Week Itinerary around Abkhazia6 My Opinion on Abkhazia7 Top 10 Things to do in Abkhazia8 Top 5 Restaurant in Abkhazia9 Top 5 Cafes in Abkhazia10 […]
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3 Days in North Ossetia – Visiting Vladikavkaz
I knew very little about Ossetia and Ossetians before coming here, except for what international media has been talking about in the past 15 years, which can be summarized as conflicts and unrest. But it turns out they have a very interesting past and history around the Caucasus. This time around my journey brought me from Georgia through the Caucasus mountains to reach North Ossetia, the big brother of South Ossetia which received a lot of media attention in the past years. In This Article…1 The Difficult Past of Ossetia2 Visiting Vladikavkaz3 3 days itinerary of Vladikavkaz4 Top 10 things to do in Vladikavkaz5 Top 5 Restaurants in Vladikavkaz6 Top 5 Cafes in Vladikavkaz7 Ossetia in Pictures8 Pin to Pinterest The Difficult Past of Ossetia The past few years haven’t been easy for their cousins in the south Ossetian part of Georgia, which resulted in a bloody war that Russia supported and resulted in a unilateral declaration of independence of the South Ossetian Republic that […]
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How to Choose Your Ideal Travel Destinations
You might have a travel list completely full of travel destinations and places to go, or you might be overwhelmed by the abundance of choice and struggle to make up your mind. In any case, there is a simple process I have developed over my 10+ years on the road to chose my next destinations. Some people frankly don’t plan enough and let themselves go with the flow, which is perfectly fine sometimes. But in my case, I spend a lot of time planning reading and I cannot recommend enough researching on candidate destinations and synchronizing with the best times to go to every part of the world. Doing your homework beforehand you will definitely thank yourself later by enjoying being at the right place at the right time! In This Article…1 How Much Time do you Have2 How Much Money do you Have3 Weather and Seasons Worldwide4 Local Events and Activities5 Planning for Each City6 What About your Next Trip?7 Share Pin to Pinterest […]
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