Warm beaches and crowded bars – Top things to do in Varna, Bulgaria

Irena Chakarova
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Warm beaches and crowded bars – Top things to do in Varna, Bulgaria

If you have set foot in the small, but picturesque European country Bulgaria, you probably also have visited the third biggest city – Varna. The warm beaches and the crowded bars during the summer are being replaced by cozy restaurants in the mild winter. If you want to be in the center of the action, but want to escape the capital Varna is the perfect destination. Beaches, parks, many museums and a never ending night life is what awaits for you in Varna!

 Also called “the sea capital” Varna is situated on the Black Sea coast and offers countless things to do and places to visit.

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin

The Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Bulgaria

Situated in the heart of Varna, the Cathedral is the biggest one in Bulgaria and perhaps the most famous one. The orthodox cathedral was built in 1885 after the visit of the Russian knyaz Dondukov-Korsakov. The Cathedral is truly impressive on the outside as it is in the inside where you can see icons of many saints. During the evening you can enjoy a beautiful view of the illuminated cathedral.

The Sea Garden

The Sea Garden Varna

Being one of the most visited spots in the sea capital of Bulgaria, the Sea garden is a good place for many things. You can bring your children for ice-cream, have a coffee in one of the cafes or do your morning jogging – there is always something you can do in the Sea garden. For those who enjoy walking – there are long alleys, and if you just want to admire the nature or the view of the sea near by you can sit on a bench or go down to the beach. Either way you shouldn’t miss this lovely spot.

The Dolphinarium

The Dolphinarium Varna

You are wondering where to take your children on the weekend? Or you have just arrived in Varna and want to see something unusual? This is the right place for you and you will definitely remember your stay in Varna. The Dolphinarium is a one of a kind attraction in Bulgaria. It is the only place where you can see real dolphins – one of the most intelligent creatures on the planet. Almost every day you can watch the Dolphin Show and the incredible skills of these animals. So do not hesitate, bring your raincoat and your good mood!

Escape Room Real Life Quest

Escape Room Real Life Quest Varna

You are bored of going to the same places every night and you want to do more than just sit and drink in a bar? Well, this type of entertainment might be just for you! Call your friends and go to the only place in Varna where solving puzzles and quests is not a part of a computer game. Four rooms with different puzzles and mysteries are waiting to be solved, but you and your team have only 60 minutes to do so! If finding clues and solving mysteries is your “thing” then just make a reservation and make your boring night more interesting.

Varna Karting Track
Varna Karting Track Europe

Only 5 km away from Varna’s center is the karting track. 1050 m long the track is a great way to have some fun with a big group of friends. Throughout the year they organize different competitions both for amateurs and for professionals. If you want to feel the adrenalin along with the high speed – this is your place! You don’t need to have a driving license or to have ever driven a car, just get your friends and have fun! You also do not need to worry about speed limits. For me it is a perfect place to drive as I do not need to worry about speeding ticket and call Fort Lauderdale area traffic attorney. Just joking!

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Why and How to Visit Sintra, Portugal

Jessy Troy
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Why and How to Visit Sintra, Portugal

Every little kid dreams of castles. Strong rocky fortresses where soldiers guard against siege. Delicate pink palaces where royal families survey their kingdoms. I think that is part of the reason a visit to Europe is so universally appealing. There is something to satisfy everyone’s grandiose childhood fantasies.

Pena National Palace as seen from the Moorish Castle

Especially in Sintra, an easy day trip from Lisbon that will fulfill all of your castle-related dreams. This town has not one, but three major castles (and a couple accessory castles, one of which will be the subject of Friday’s post). The entire area surrounding Sintra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to it’s history and beauty.

Palácio da Pena

With it’s pastel colors an extravagant architecture, this palace looks like it was ripped out of a Disney movie. In fact, the Pena National Palace is a classic example of 19th century Romantic architecture. It was constructed by King Ferdinand and Queen Maria II as a vacation home. The opulence of the place may have something to do with why the royal family was exiled in 1910 and Portugal became a republic. Since then it’s existed primarily as a tourist attraction.

Both the inside and outside of this palace are absurdly beautiful and strange. It has some terrificazulejos too.

Castelo dos Mouros

The “Moorish Castle” is an enormous, crumbling fortress perched high above Sintra, with views stretching all the way to the sparkling sea. It was built in the 8th and 9th century during Muslim rule of the Iberian peninsula, then used on and off for 500 years after. It was damaged during an earthquake during the 18th century, then restored. Now it’s mostly just ramparts and walls, but really impressive ones.

Pena is definitely the showstopper attraction in Sintra but I actually liked this castle better for it’s long history and staggering views.

Palácio Nacional

Unlike the other two castles perched high in the hills, this palace sits smack in the center of town. It was the official royal palace for half a millennium and is the best preserved medieval palace in Portugal. I didn’t tour the inside of this palace but the outside is pretty neat looking.

Tips for Visiting Sintra

Getting There: It’s easy very easy to get to Sintra from Lisbon. Simply hop on the train at Rossio Station (buy your ticket via machine at the entrance, the cost is about €4.30 for a round trip ticket). Trains leave every 15 minutes or so, even on the weekends. The journey takes about 40 minutes.

Getting Around: Technically you CAN walk to Palácio da Pena and the Castelo dos Mouros, but I would only recommend it to the most dedicated hikers. It’s an hour of nearly straight up hill trekking on a narrow, heavily trafficked road, and on a hot day you will be cursing every bus that passes you by.

Likewise, there is no point in shelling out a ton of money for the Hop On Hop Off Buses that are advertised everywhere outside the train station. Unless you are planning to explore the area extremely in depth, there are only three real stops you’ll need to make.

Instead jump on the 434 bus which stops right outside the train station. It makes only 4 stops: the train station, Castelo dos Mouros, Palácio da Pena and downtown Sintra. For €5 you can take it all day.

Admission Prices: This one is going to sting. Tickets to visit the palaces are certainly not cheap, but they are definitely worthwhile. Prices vary depending on age, time of year and how many of the palaces you visit (you get a discount for purchasing more than one ticket at time). During the summer it costs €8 per person to visit the Moorish Castle and €14 to visit Pena National Palace. You can view all the prices as well as a “price simulator” here.

You can buy tour tickets online or at the entrance to each of the castles.

Prepare for the Heat– We visited in early May and temperatures we’re already close to 90 degrees in the afternoon. Visiting the palaces takes a great deal of uphill walking and climbing. Start early in the day if you can, to avoid the hottest part of the afternoon.

Learn from my mistakes and wear a liberal amount of sunscreen, and a hat for good measure. Carry water with you and take lots of breaks as needed.

Food– The castles each have a food court, but the food is overpriced and frankly not particularly tasty looking, so you are better off eating lunch in Sintra’s old town. Most of the restaurants are touristy and overpriced here too, but there are a couple of bakeries where you can buy a decent sandwich for cheap.

Ther are a couple unique pastries worth trying in Sintra. Queijadas are a tiny but delicious cheesecake and travesseiros are a rectangular pastry filled with egg cream. Both are very tasty!

For coffee and pastries check out Cafe Saudade near the train station.

Top Things to do in Crete, Greece – Goodness of old Europe

Juozas Kudirka
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Top Things to do in Crete, Greece – Goodness of old Europe

Crete is the largest of Greek Islands located in Mediterranean Sea. Crete has a huge book of history filled with facts. Among them the most interesting fact about Crete is its history being more ancient than the history of European continent. Back in those days Crete was known to be the place where mighty God Zeus was born.

“The Goodness of old Europe and ancient Crete represented the unity of nature, delight in the diversity of form, the powers of birth, death and regeneration.”

-CAROL P CHRIST

If not for anything else but only Cretans are known for their fierce loyalty to their culture, from their variety in dress, art, jewelry, pottery, music, wines and much more. Visiting Crete in summer months is equivalent to visiting the capital of music.

Visiting Crete a person realizes how simple life can be on earth. Visiting this place one might realize how life used to be like once, engaged in the creativities of nature, dance, music and love all around. People are known to let go of their burdens when they have travelled the island and have new hopes in their lives. Cretans are famously known for their body and facial gestures to communicate with one another. It is done so as to make the observer keen about what the other person is saying. For tourists it is a plus point as people are very helpful and mostly speak in either English or German.

Manouskis Winery, Chania

Manouskis Winery, Chania Crete

Greeks are known for their architectural designs but they have a longer wine history, 3,500 years back.  It is the most reputable wineries in Crete due to its production of 100% organic wines. Its era began in 1984 when the hills around the villages were untouched by human civilization. Since then experiments were done and it was decided to show the nature its respect through organic farming. This winery runs under the name of wine Nostos meaning “the yearning to return to one’s home land”.

The visiting hours are Monday to Sunday 10:00-22:00. After 17:00 everybody gathers is the yard to taste the exquisite wine and enjoy the beauty of nature and mankind.

The palace of Knossos, 5km southeast of city of Iraklion

The palace of Knossos Crete

The first Minoan palace covers an area of 22,000sq.m and has tangled design due to which it gives birth to many stories. The great palace is surrounded by 5 other attractions around it. The little palace, located west of the Great Palace, the royal villa, located northeast of the Great Palace, the house of the Priest, said so because a stone altar was found with double axes stands, the Caravan Serai, located opposite of the Great palace considered as its official entrance famous for its baths, The royal temple tomb sanctuary, located south of palace.

To visit this palace it would take the whole day as each corner is related to an ancient part from history. This palace has now become the second most popular tourist attraction in Greece after the Acropolis of Athens. This increases the overall economy of Crete.

Iraklio’s music summer festivals

Iraklio’s music summer festivals Crete

The two months festival celebrating music, art, dance, theatre at either Nikos Kazantzakis & Manos Hatzidakis Open-Air Theatre. The Mantinades are the common folk songs spread across the island of Crete. Its way is unique in itself where varied emotions can be expressed. It is the place where you are the master of your own creation of paradise. Crete combines music with humor to add a little spice to life. The music festival is celebrated every evening making the nightlife as the start of their day.

Falassarna Beach, west coast of Crete

Falassarna Beach Crete

This beach is awarded as the most beautiful beaches not only in Crete but also in the whole of Europe. Crete straddles between two climates which are seen with often large waves on the beach. The place is known for its beach parties organized in the evenings which commences as the sun goes down in the sky. Almost everything is available around here through bars and cafes and one can book their own lounger. Visiting this place one feels how close the people of Crete are to the nature. The clean air, crystal clear waters and natural fragrance of flora and fauna never makes you want to leave this place.

Samaria Gorge

Samaria Gorge Crete

It is the longest Canyon in Europe and walking it is an achievement in itself. The hiker’s favorite is this Canyon with the stunning natural beauty all along the 16 kilometers. Here one should come with their travel journals and let their mind wander from hills and waters into the depths of their own heart. The mountains remind you of the wildness in nature and to avoid the crowd one can start off in the middle of the day. Reaching the end spot one can later enjoy at Agia Roumeli to spend the night at the wonderful beach. Best time to visit the gorges is from May to October as they are closed in winter due to steep slides of stones and high rise in the level of waters.

Spinalonga, east of Crete

Spinalonga Crete

It is also known as Leper Island and got its name by the Venetian conquerors. It was the first European place to have suffered from Leprosy which though is curable but results in hideous damage to the face and body of the infecting. This place has a long story of history and archeologists are trying to maintain it. Spinalonga has appeared in novels, TV Series and short films. It is the second popular archeological attraction after Knossos. It is known for its small beaches and clean waters. The famous 2005 novel The Island by Victoria Hislop revolves around the story of family in the leper colony. Visiting this place one can imagine the scenario of this place took place at one time in history and the pain and suffering of people and how those sufferings gave birth to the recognition of this place.

Do you agree with ours things to do in Crete list?

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Top 10 Most Amazing Beautiful Islands In The World

Joe
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Top 10 Most Amazing Beautiful Islands In The World

How many of you have ever thought of escaping to a deserted island to disappear and get away from the routine and everyday work? Who does not want to be in a tropical amazing beach under the shade of a palm tree with a cocktail in hand? The islands always remind us of tranquility and beauty, dreamlike landscapes and idyllic hideawayswhere life stops. So today, we present a selection of the 10 most beautiful islands in the world, to show you where the real natural paradises of our planet are.

1. Ambergris Caye – Belize

The island of Ambergris Caye in Belize, is a splendid island and a perfect combination of modernity and tranquility. On it you can find a mangrove accompanied by white sand beaches. Golf carts are the main transport to get around the dirt roads of the island. It’s a coveted destination for diving enthusiasts for its coral reefs and the Blue Hole, a limestone circle that is about 120 meters deep.

Ambergris Caye

2. Providenciales – Turks and Caicos

This precious treasure is guarded by the sea of ​​Caribbean. Providenciales is part of the small country of Turks and Caicos Islands. Until 1964 it seemed that technology had not reached this corner of the world and an earlier era the island did not receive motor vehicles, running water, electricity or telephone. Today, thanks to many investments there are a lot of resorts and the island lives mainly through tourism.

Providenciales

3. Bora-Bora – Society Islands

The fascinating island of Bora Bora is located 250 km from Tahiti in the Pacific Ocean. Turquoise lagoons, fine white sand and red sunsets with warm colors are the perfect backdrop for a romantic adventure in this island. Swim with tropical fish in one of the aquatic natural reserve of coral such as Coral Gardens or Tupitipiti Point, or walk relaxed and enjoy views of Mount Otemanu, a volcano which is still active. The Bora Bora resorts are also some of the best in the world.

Bora Bora

4. Lewis and Harris – Scotland

Did you think that all the islands of the list would be tropical? The Isle of Lewis and Harris in Scotland is the exception. In the northern part (Lewis) of the island, the legendary megaliths Catalanais sprout from the ground like a strange and imposing stone city. In the south (Harris) the eastern beaches have some of the oldest known rocks in the world with millions of years of history. If you are planning to visit Scotland to visit and experience the beauty of such places, visit luxuryscotlandtours.com to find the best tour packages to add this trip among the most memorable moments of your life.

Lewis and Harris

5. Aitutaki – Cook Islands

This small island is embedded in a coral barrier and has endless lagoons. It’s ideal for relaxing, strolling along the beach which is uninhabited and lined with palm trees. Despite its incredible beauty, Aitutaki is not an agglomerated tourist destination which is relatively hard to believe.

Aitutaki

6. Naxos – Greece

Greece has thousands of islands, but the most characteristic is the island of Naxos, a unique blend of ancient ruins and beach life. The largest island of the Cyclades and nothing more and nothing less than the childhood home of Zeus, king of the twelve gods. Once, in Naxos, you can reach the small island of Palaria, where the Portara, the site of an ancient temple destroyed is regarded as the symbol of the island.

Naxos

7. Koh Tao – Thailand

Situated along the Gulf of Thailand in the shade of swaying palm trees, the island of Koh Tao takes its name from the many turtles that populate its beaches. The white sandy beaches surrounded by steep hills are only accessible by jeeps and with 300 days of sunshine a year are the ideal place to enjoy a relaxing holiday.

Koh Tao

8. Nosy Be – Madagascar

The island of Nosy Be, with such an unusual name, is located in Africa. In fact, it means “big island” and is just that, a large island off the northwest coast of Madagascar. There one can find volcanic lakes, sloth lemurs, rum distilleries, plantations of Ylang Ylang and coral reefs that practically beg to be explored. Lovers of flora and fauna will be fascinated by the beautiful Lokobe nature reserve.

Nosy Be

9. Easter Island – Chile

Located in the South Pacific off the coast of Chile, Easter Island is not exactly the easiest place to find. If you are interested, the best way to access it is by air from Santiago or Tahiti. However, isolation has preserved well the mysterious ancient sculptures built of volcanic rock, the Moai, the main attraction of the island.

Easter Island

10. Bali – Indonesia

A paradisaical island, home to rice paddies, ancient temples, volcanoes, white sandy beaches and ancient cultures. Bali is a place everyone should visit at least once in a lifetime. Known as the “Island of the Gods” with its picturesque beaches and stunning mountain scenery, there are plenty of cultural attractions to visit, for example, more than 20,000 temples that the island hides.

Bali Temple

Island Photos: siswanto, Pierre Lesage, Werner Bayer, Olivier Guilmin, Nikos Golfis, Stuart Herbert,Sonia Ruffino, Windsong Resort, Grandbaymen.

Pictures Prove Why Norway Should Be Your Next Travel Destination

Joe
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Pictures Prove Why Norway Should Be Your Next Travel Destination

Norway offers a little bit of everything, snow-capped mountain peaks, lush beautiful forests, incredible fjords, awesome displays of northern lights, and gorgeous coastal views. Due to the unique geography of Norway, and its vast length from one end to the other, there is a lot of variety when it comes to different environments.

People travel from all over the world to visit Norway, and for good reason. The region is not only rich with unmatched landscapes, but it is also ripe with history and culture. Get your passports ready because these 23 pictures prove why Norway should be your next travel destination!

Reinebringen

You don’t have to be an expert climber to make your way up the 448-meter high peak. Although Reinebringen is far from the tallest peak on the Lofoten islands, it offers some of the most breathtaking views.

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Røros Street

This old mining town is a wonderfully preserved example of 17th century industrial settlement.

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Odda 

The beautiful, historical, and unique town of Odda is located in the southeastern county of Hordaland, Norway.

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Trolltunga

Located in Odda, the Trolltunga is an incredible chunk of rock that extends out from the mountain and over the north side of lake Ringedalsvatnet.

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Svolvaer

This beautiful mountain highlighted by northern lights is located in Svolvaer, an island town with a population of 4,487 people.

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Trollstigen

The twists and turns of the serpentine mountain road are incredible no matter how you look at them.

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Reine

Reine is a remote fishing village that attracts a surprising number of tourists each year. In the 1970’s the largest magazine in Norway identified Reine as the most beautiful village in all of Norway.

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Lofoten Islands, Fredvang Bridges 

The Fredvang Bridges were originally opened back in 1988; the bridges connect the islands of the Lofoten archipelago to one another.

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Autumn In Lofoten

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Lofoten Islands 

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Hoyvika Beach on Andøya, Vesteralen

This incredible beach surrounded by mountains is located in Northern Norway.

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Senja

Senja is Norway’s second largest island. The west coast of the island is split up by a number of different fjords. Here you can explore small fishing communities, the Ånderdalen National Park, as well as the Halibut Museum packed with fascinating local history.

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Preikestolen 

Also known as Pulpit Rock or the Preacher’s Pulpit, Preikestolen is a well-known tourist attraction located in Forsand, Ryfylke, Norway.

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