Poznan - Poland

Poznan – Poland

Post published:12 July 2015
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Poland

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Poznany: One Who is Known

One more time visiting this great city, and the same impressions about it. A bit different on this occasion though, back then was middle of July and so hot; this time almost winter, cold and grey-ish but the overall feeling was still the same, what a beautiful cosy place. It’s always a nice country to visit, and with so many cities and places worth to see, there are plenty more to plan for future trips. As usual anywhere in Poland I go, it is not only about the architecture and sights what makes me come to visit, but also the great food I love so much. This weekend won’t be any different in this case.

Poznan is one of the oldest cities in Poland. Residence of the oldest Polish diocese and home to the first cathedral built in the country soon becoming the prime burial place of the early Piast monarchs Mieszko I, Boleslaus I, Mieszko II, Casimir I, Przemysł I and King Przemysł II. The Cathedral is as such, one of the major landmarks and sight number one in the city, which coupled with an extensive Old Town and the “newer” area known as the Imperial District that was entirely built when the city was part of the German Empire; makes it perfect for a nice weekend city-break trip.

And if you are a fast pace visitor, pretty much as we are, then there is more than plenty of time to visit the entire city in just one day. If you came here for a weekend this means giving you an extra day to do something else or going to another city which I would highly recommend that to be Toruń. We did this combination and was more than enough time to visit both cities in full in a flexible quiet non stressful way.
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Szczecin - Poland

Szczecin – Poland

Post published:28 June 2015
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Poland

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Latin Stetinum

An irresistible flight deal to Szczecin on what would have been otherwise a weekend without any trip planned so far. We only booked those tickets 7 weeks before the actual flight, plus considering this was the last weekend of June, already high season; furthermore the flights at perfect times from Friday evening to Sunday evening. Indeed, a temptation not to let it go. After all, finding an European destination not been before is becoming a challenging task. Of course, there are endless cities and places to visit, but there are not flights to every one of those destinations either.

Right after booking the flight and researching a bit on the city, this is a city that can easily be done and fully visited in a day and even less than that. The good news are the many nice places to the north and northwest, already in German soil. The city lies just few kilometers to the east from the German border that runs north to south. Therefore, the plan for this weekend was postponing the visit of Szczecin itself to the following day, while for today driving towards Swinoujscie, the last city in Poland before the German border through the Szczecin Lagoon, passing the beaches by the Baltic Sea, and continuing to the UNESCO World Heritage Site city of Stralsund in Germany.

Sparing Sunday to be in the city was a good decision. We had plenty of time, were relaxed since there was no need to drive anywhere, and took the time for quite a lazy visit. Why to rush when there is no need! Instead we took the time to get a really nice lunch, some Polish snacks, coffee here, cake there and enjoying a beer at one of the many terraces in the old town watching the live passing by. (more…)

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Wroclaw - Poland

Wroclaw – Poland

Post published:30 November 2014
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Poland Select by Continent

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Historic Capital of Silesia

After quite a long time since the last time I’ve visited Poland, exactly under the same terms with a weekend trip to the Christmas Markets of Warsaw, it was great this time to travel to a new destination never been before plus knowing that one of the largest Christmas Markets in Poland would be already open by the weekend we planned to come. Although rewording this phrase, let’s say better that I checked beforehand when the market would be open and only then, booked the flight tickets. Such markets are one of the most beautiful in Europe without any doubt.

Wroclaw is the 4th largest city in Poland and is packed on every corner with history and sights. It resulted to be in fact, one of the most beautiful cities I have ever been to in Poland so far with the most sights and things to do; probably coupled with Gdansk, and comparable to Krakow. The Old Market Square is a masterpiece in itself with such vast amount of grand buildings at all sides and the fine Gothic Town Hall in the middle. Basically on every turn there is another nice view of the row of houses and the pictures will not stop coming one after another. Too many to picture!

But what really made a nicer difference is to have those beautiful Christmas Markets and decorations everywhere around the Old Town. At least, coming in December with such freezing temperatures could be justified! Suffering the cold but greatly enjoying the atmosphere was very well paid off. And every now and then a hot mulled wine to keep warm and any of the many nice food and snacks freshly made at the hundreds of stalls all over…yes, I survived knowing how terrible I am with handling any temperature that goes below 0 degrees. (more…)

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Bran and Brasov - Romania

Bran and Brasov – Romania

Post published:27 May 2013
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Romania

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The home of Dracula

Coming to Romania for the first time at the time of writing this guide, then it could only mean one thing. It had to include both Bran and Brasov, located in the beautiful Transylvania region. The only downside, well, being the major tourist destinations in the country, hence quite a lot of hordes of tourists. From the beauty of the landscapes, mountains and forests; to the beauty of the villages and the many castles. A first time visitor to Romania should definitely include these places in their agenda. You cannot miss the world renown legend on the very same place it is set.

What is best, is that you can easily do both places in a day trip from Bucharest if you are staying there as a base. This will save you in fact a lot of costs, since hotels in this region are way more expensive and more limited than in the capital; and so the basic costs for everything like food, drinks, going out, etc. This is as you can imagine, the main tourist spot in Romania.

By the time of the year we went there, May, it was still great to enjoy the site with not so many tourists, since just few more days later and the site would become packed every day. Also the weather and the sun really made of it a perfect day out, even though the heavy thunderstorm at Brasov later in the afternoon almost did spoil the rest of the day.

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Bucharest - Romania

Bucharest – Romania

Post published:26 May 2013
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Romania

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Paris of the East

It’s always great to travel anywhere, but when that includes going to a country never been before, it gets even more exciting. Romania it is then, starting at its crawling capital Bucharest. Although the whole main plan for the trip itself would of course be the travelling to the amazing Transylvania region in search of the world famous Bran Castle and the beautiful city of Brasov. And now, after the trip I will not hesitate in saying I will be returning to this wonderful country soon to keep visiting the countless great cities and places it has to offer.

It is important to remember a fact that changed the history of the city and the country. The earthquake of 1977, which epicenter was at Vrancea, locality not far from Bucharest that destroyed a huge part of the city. Signs can still be seen across the old town with some dilapidated buildings and others falling apart in peaces and ruin. Thankfully there is currently a great effort to rebuild and restore many of these old historic constructions along the old town and beyond, turning it back again into a thriving, beautiful East European and greatly gentrified city.

From its nickname, the Paris of the East, anyone can wonder why but it’s not hard to discover. Wide tree-lined boulevards, great buildings from all eras and styles, elegant and beautiful, the city has much more to offer than what you expected before you came, considering the incredible wonders lost forever after the earthquake.

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Moscow - Russia

Moscow – Russia

Post published:9 April 2012
Post category:Eastern Europe Europe Russia

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The Forty Forties. The Third Rome.

The quite impressive and sprawling massive city of Moscow, home to over 12 million people was for a very long time one of the most desired destinations to go. Not the easiest either, first of all the airfares at the time we went there were still quite high, with no other option than having to take a flag airline carrier as no low-cost airlines were flying, something that has dramatically changed with the years after by the way; and secondly, most important to be honest, the not so easy way to get a visa and its costs.

On the bright side, happy to finally be here and admire such grandeur and at points, luxurious city where you will come to see the so called “New Russians”. These are the rich and new rich people, mostly young students whose parents run successful business and have enough money to have that extravagant style of living where money does not really matter. The list speak for itself, Moscow has the largest community of billionaires in the world. On the other hand, the country is quite the opposite. No doubt the cities along the west especially Moscow and Saint Petersburg act as a facade and a truly show-off to what the reality is in the rest of the country, notably the rural areas which in the largest country in the world, trust me, it is huge, inconceivable huge.

Moscow’s history is terribly rich, and while some chapters are not that bright than others, no one can argue of its strength and power through the centuries. Always a super power and always grand. No matter on the ruling power of the time, here building the bigger and the better is still the tendency on our days. Founded as a small trading post in 1147, developing with the centuries into lavish baroque palaces, elegant avenues and boulevards with incredible mansions, fountains, statues and great public spaces legacy from the Tsar Russia, the once so extravagant and envied monarch system. And continuing to evolve after the fall of the Tsar regime in the February Revolution of 1917 with the establishment of the Bolshevik in 1923 founding the Soviet Union at the end of the Russian Civil War.

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