Vienna - Austria

Vienna – Austria

Post published:27 September 2015
Post category:Austria Europe Western Europe

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The City of Music

Vienna, how to even start creating a guide for one of the most stunning cities in the world. Not only its impressive elegance from the incredible architecture all over the place, but its rich history and culture on every corner. And if with the eyes was not enough, this is a delight to the ears as well. No other city in the world has such a vast history and legacy from the greatest classical music composers of all times. That’s the fact in the city’s nickname, the “City of Music”. Now glad to return few years after the first time and continue to explore this magnificent place.

Few years back, we did arrive in Vienna after little over 4 hours train ride from Prague, the enchanting city of Central Europe. And if 3 days were definitely not enough back in Prague, we experienced the same conclusion here in Vienna back in the days. That trip was for merely 2 days and an extra evening since we planned a very busy day tour to Salzburg, therefore cutting short the overall stay. Now, talking from extra fresh new experience after this trip, I can finally say my visit is complete and definitely looking forward to the next time and more.

The city has a great urban plan and follows what is pretty much a circular pattern. The Old Town, which is the historic area is called Innere Stadt and is completely encircled by the first ring road, the Ringstrasse, which was built with magnificent palaces, buildings, fountains and monuments all the way along. Both the Old Town coupled with this ring road are mandatory places for sightseeing, leaving for last the sights on the outer neighbourhoods from the Ringstrasse, being the major landmarks the Prater, Central Cemetery and Schönbrunn Palace.

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Bratislava - Slovakia

Bratislava – Slovakia

Post published:26 September 2015
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Slovakia

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Beauty on the Danube

Another of the jewel cities in Central Europe, yet the smallest capital city from the neighbouring countries such as Prague, Vienna and Budapest. Even Salzburg feels bigger although it is smaller by population. This makes Bratislava perfect for a short visit like a weekend cultural trip, that’s well more than enough but it is also one of the cities I don’t mind returning, hence this is for now, the second time.

Without minding the size, the old city is truly worth the trip itself. Recently revamped and gentrified with most of the houses around the historic old town restored and beautifully painted and many sculptures embellishing the streets, some of them as original as I have not seen before elsewhere as you can see down below in the photo album. Really charming Central European city with an enormous potential. And comparing the 6 years in between both visits, I felt very lucky to have come in 2009 when there were still not that many tourists and everything was somehow, more unique and traditional.

Finding your way along the city is as easy as walking the main street in the old town and some parallel ones, and the one leading to the top of the castle. There is not really much more out there from the historic centre, therefore great for visiting everything without the need of any public transportation to get anywhere.
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Prague - Czech Republic

Prague – Czech Republic

Post published:27 July 2014
Post category:Czech Republic Eastern Europe Europe

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Caput Regni: Head of the Kingdom

Prague, one of the most impressive and beautiful cities in the world, is hard to even describe and say something towards it. Once you get there and be on the streets, is easy to understand why. And no matter the time of the year you come, every season is somewhat special here. What is becoming harder though is to find a quiet month with not that many tourists. My first trip was back in 2009 and that was still nice; the city was only starting to gentrify and prices were really competitive for everything. Now it’s the opposite, one of the most desired cities, heavily massified.

It’s good to now have a wider overview of the city, hence the good reason this guide is actually a combination of all these visits, plus another more recent where we would also take the chance to get to the enchanting city of Cesky Krumlov. It’s always great coming back to Prague, there’s always something new. Refreshing memories and also being able to provide with a proper travel guide entry for my blog as otherwise remembering all the details from these years back would have not been accurate with half of it missing.

The city is always included on any poll and listing of the most beautiful cities in the world, or places to visit before you die and similar lists. As such, you can imagine the incredible amount of history, sights, museums, entertainment and nightlife, therefore in a weekend it is absolutely impossible to visit everything. You will need at least a minimum of 4 days although I would personally recommend you more if you have the chance, or a me right now, coming for a second time and continue visiting new places.

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Budapest - Hungary

Budapest – Hungary

Post published:5 March 2013
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Hungary

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The Heart of Europe, Pearl of the Danube

It always feels great to return to a city you love so much before. This was about the right time to enjoy once again the stunning Budapest. And for sure it will not be the last and won’t pass many years either to step back in its pavements. It keeps impressing me as for the first time for its elegance and great planning of urbanism with so much to see and do everywhere and the amazing food.

It is really unbelievable the fate the city had for the past centuries. Destroyed many times, being the most recent the great destruction suffered during WWII, it has always recovered from the rubble, and thanks goodness it kept, retained, and rebuilt after the war most of the incredible Austro-Hungarian impressive constructions. Only Vienna (as the capital of the Empire than once was) can rival with such elegance and opulence, but Budapest does not come short. Both cities have always competed with each other in having the best and grandest of them.

This is therefore not a city you can visit in a short weekend time. It will need at least 3 full long days or otherwise you won’t be able to enjoy the countless sights and attractions. It is also a city that requires public transport in order to get to the different areas of the city as it’s quite a large city with very spread tourist sites. A 4 days city break would be ideal in this case.
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